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Letter from a BBCAT ally opposing proposed Early County Georgia coal plant 15 November 2006 |
Subject: proposed coal plant for Early County, Georgia Dear Mr. Ussery: I am a resident of Madison County, Florida, where I head the 33-member citizens group, the Madison Environmental Committee. We oppose the proposed coal plant in Blakely, Early County, Georgia. The absurd and dangeroous proposal for a gigantic coal plant in Early County will be an environmental and public health disaster, here, downstream and downwind, in north Florida. As you know, the Georgia code has provisions requiring consultation with adjacent states that would experience a regional impact from undertakings in the state of Georgia. Where is the evidence of that? We need you to understand that WE understand, from intensive study and research over the past year on our own controversial coal plant proposal in Taylor County, that the negative health consequences are abundantly documented, unavoidable with coal plants, and thus unacceptable. Especially since alternative, clean sources of energy production are known, available, and ready to be implemented. In addition, we see no one looking broadly, systematically, at the substantial SAVINGS in energy use from a SYSTEM-WIDE implementatiion of greater ENERGY EFFICIENCY. In Tallahassee, the Big Bend Climate Action Team did this, in an advisory role with the Tallahassee city utility, and the “negawatts” saved compensated in large part for the presumed “need” for a coal plant. We suspect the same is true elsewhere, including in Early County. Beyond those considerations, we believe that you, that all of us, have a moral obligation to heed the urgent warning of climate scientists that the crisis of global warming is upon us, and that time is so short to begin massive re-working of how we meet our energy needs. In light of these considerations, which together comprise nothing less than urgent matters of our national security, coal plants —any coal plant, anywhere— are part of the problem, and no part of the solution. We urge you to reject this application permit and to partner with major universities and progressive energy entrepreneurs to support, to magnify, efforts to build clean energy faciltities now. In closing, I would like to suggest also that there are more than public relatiions reasons behind major energy companies like Excel, Cynergy and Duke Energy now endorsing mandatory limits on carbon dioxide emissions. Indeed, Duke Energy CEO Paul Anderson supports a national tax on CO2 emissions now. And, according to award-winninig journalist, Jeff Goodell (“Big Coal”), delaying emissions cuts for ten years would NEARLY DOUBLE the amount of CO2 reduction that would be required in the year 2025 for climate stabilization to even begin. Please. Let’s see some common sense, here. And some moral awareness of the common good. Sincerely, Barry G. Parsons |