Coalition Organizing to Fight Dominion Power Plant

CAMPAIGN AGAINST PROPOSED POWER PLANT AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
Dominion Power, Virginia’s largest utility, wants to build a new 585 megawatt, $1.6 billion coal-fired power plant in Southwest Virginia’s Wise County. The new plant would be a major step backwards for Virginia, increasing the state’s dependence on dirty coal and devastating mining practices at a time when we should be moving toward a future of clean, renewable energy sources.
Citizens of Southwest Virginia are standing up for their mountains and communities by leading a grassroots campaign to defeat the plant and Virginians across the state are joining them in this crucial fight to preserve our Commonwealth by signing onto a mile-long petition demanding smarter, more responsible energy solutions from Dominion and our elected officials. Many are also taking additional steps to make their voices heard.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD:
Sign the Petition! Please take a moment to add your name to help create a mile-long petition to Dominion’s shareholders and CEO opposing construction of the plant and advocating smarter energy solutions for Virginia. Go to https://appvoices.org/index.php/air/vapetition today to sign online!
Get Petitions Signed on Election Day! We are looking for volunteers to get petition signatures outside polling places on Election Day. Please contact us as soon as possible to help out in your area.
Send Comments to the SCC! The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is charged with protecting the interests of Virginians and must grant approval before a new power plant can be built. It is taking public comments on the plant and it is crucial that concerned Virginians take this simple step to make their voices heard! Written comments must be received by Dec. 14. Contact us for more information and a sample letter, or go to the SCC website, http://www.scc.virginia.gov/caseinfo.htm, to submit comments electronically. The SCC Case Number is PUE-2007-00066.
Attend the Jan. 8 Hearing in Richmond! The SCC will hold its public hearing on the plant in Richmond on Jan. 8. Please consider attending the hearing to address your concerns to the SCC in person! We will be providing free transportation to Richmond and can arrange lodging for those traveling long distances to attend.
Spread the Word and Volunteer! Tell family, friends, and acquaintances about Dominion’s plans and encourage them to sign the petition immediately. We also need motivated volunteers for our outreach work. Contact us for additional materials on mountaintop removal mining and the power plant, including a documentary on mountaintop removal that you can show to friends in your home.
Contact us today by calling 1-877-APP-VOICE or e-mailing mike@appvoices.org.

The New Wise County Coal Plant Would Mean

Increased Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining – Mountaintop removal has destroyed 470 mountains and buried 1200 miles of mountain streams in Appalachia so far. A quarter of the land in Wise County has already been surface-mined, mainly through devastating mountaintop removal methods. Coal demand from the new plant would lead to greater devastation of the area’s natural beauty and more of the blasting, flooding and water pollution that are destroying the quality of life and economy of the area.

Increased Air Pollution – If constructed, the new plant would be one of the top ten air polluters in Virginia, causing increased asthma and respiratory problems and contaminating our waterways and fish with mercury from air emissions.

Increased Global Warming – The climate crisis could have many disastrous effects for Virginia, including the inundation of coastal areas by rising sea level. Scientists agree that we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions sharply in the near future, but the proposed plant would be a big step in the wrong direction, increasing CO2 pollution for decades to come rather than moving Virginia toward clean energy sources.

And higher electricity rates – If the plant is bui d, Dominion will charge Virginians for the entire $1.6 billion cost by raising electricity rates, and they have asked for an astronomical 14% rate of return on top of that!