National Project Plans 100 Days of Action to Power Past Coal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 20, 2009

CONTACT:  Doug Doerrfeld, KFTC    606-784-9226
                  Sierra Murdoch, sierra@powerpastcoal.org

The new Obama administration will get immediate pressure from grassroots activists across the U.S. to quickly and boldly move the country away from dirty energy and toward a green energy economy.

Starting Wednesday, January 21, member groups of the Power Past Coal project will sponsor 100 actions in 100 days (through April 30) to remind President Obama of his substantial commitments to a green economy, and to pressure Congress to support the transition. 

“For the first time, a unique assembly of climate organizers, former coal miners, indigenous leaders, and other citizens wrongly impacted by coal are coming together to share their stories and begin working on a clean and just energy future,” said Doug Doerrfeld, a member of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, one of the project partners. “The result is an inspiring new collaboration between climate and coalfield organizers: the Power Past Coal project.”

“From coal mining to coal burning, coal has been devastating community after community for too long,” says Enai Begaye, co-director of the Black Mesa Water Coalition in Flagstaff, Arizona, “It's time to stand together and demand a transition away from coal to wind and solar.”

Making substantial investments in renewables and energy efficiency is seen as an important first step. So the first action, set for Wednesday, January 21, is a national call-in day to the White House. Dozens of groups around the country are encouraging their members to call.

Sponsored by CLEAN (www.theclean.org), the message to the Obama administration is to say NO to new coal-burning plants and the myth of “clean coal,” NO to nuclear energy and say YES to renewables and YES to energy efficiency through billions of dollars of investments trough the economic stimulus plan.

As part of the 100 actions, Kentuckians also will participate in I Love Mountains Day in Frankfort on February 17, at a large demonstration at a dirty coal-burning power plant in Washington, DC on March 2, and a Congressional lobby week in mid-March.

Many local actions in Kentucky will support the national movement, and Kentuckians are invited to go to www.powerpastcoal.org and add their event to the national registry of clean energy actions.

“Coal is one of the biggest justice issues facing Kentucky today. After more than 100 years of coal mining no state has sacrificed more for coal than Kentucky,” Doerrfeld pointed out.  “From family members injured, sick or killed in the mines to butchered mountains, fouled streams and lost potential, Kentucky has paid dearly.”

Doerrfeld emphasized that investments in clean energy should be primarily directed toward communities most severely impacted by and dependent upon coal mining.

“With our state’s overdependence on coal for electricity and our high rate of poverty, no state is in greater need to take action reinvesting in our communities impacted by coal with tens of thousands of new, good jobs increasing energy efficiency and building a clean, just energy future.” Doerrfeld said.

Stopping any new coal-burning power plants is also an important part of the campaign, and some prominent figures have added their voices to this demand.

“We must halt all new coal plants now, and we must begin shutting down existing ones as soon as possible,” says NASA climatologist James Hansen, “Otherwise we should face up to the truth — as a world, we are driving off the edge of a cliff with the accelerator pressed to the floor. Power Past Coal is the wake-up call we need to put on the brakes.”

David Freeman, former head of the Tennessee Valley Authority (which operates the coal plant that flooded over 300 acres with toxic waste last month) said, “It's time that we outlawed new coal-fired plants and start systematically by age, shutting down the old ones.”

As the 100 days of action progresses, the project’s interactive web site, www.powerpastcoal.org, will chart the events, display photos and reports from actions, and list a schedule of planned actions.