Texans Rally to 'Just Say No' to New Coal-Fired Plants

An estimated 2,000 Texans rallied at the State Capitol in Austin on February 11 to oppose the construction of eleven new coal-fired power plants in the state that Governor Rick Perry wants to fast-track, despite a recent study showing they would worsen air quality around Texas cities. Protesters carried signs reading "Clean Air, Clean Conscience" and "Vote No on Coal," while speakers including ranchers, clergymen, physicians, members of the Sierra Student Coalition, and elected officials called for a halt in permitting new coal plants.

"A moratorium would give us time to take a deep, clean breath and brutally analyze all the options available... and the tremendous ancillary costs that nobody looks at: human health, quality of life, and depreciation of property values," said State Representative Charles "Doc" Anderson of Waco, who is sponsoring the moratorium in the legislature. The rally was organized by the Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter, with strong participation from other environmental, religious, and health-advocacy groups. More than 200 ralliers stayed on in the capital to lobby their elected officials. Read more about what the Sierra Club is doing to promote smart energy solutions.

Comments

[Casey]

That was a great rally and I think the message was loud and clear! NO MORE COAL! It was great to see the large turnout at both the rally and the lobby day. Keep it up YALL!

[Melissa]

Great job! If I lived in Texas I would've been there too!

[Ben Gorman]

Great first step, Texas! Now, put your money where you mouth is: You've said what you won't accept, now show the legislature what you are willing to DO. Organize to get the word out about conservation. Yes, I know it's a dirty word to many, but it needn't be. Conservation means using what you NEED and NO MORE. The fat-laden American lifestyle has brought the world to the apparent brink of disaster. Let's make real efforts to REDUCE OUR WASTEFUL CONSUMPTION across the board: fossil fuels (carpool, rideshare), electricity (compact fluorescents in place of incandescents), plastics (reuse your bread bags! They're just as good at storing leftovers or veggies as brand-name bags--- and yes, you CAN wash and reuse them!), water (collect the shower warm-up water in a pail that you can pour into your toilet tank right after a flush--- yes, I'm serious). It is not enough to agitate AGAINST. We must now work FOR something--- something easily in our reach: CONSERVATION.

[Pamela Erickson]

TEXAS RALLIERS, MY HEROS! Thank you so much! I'd just read an article on Wisconsin's emitting more CO2 per capita of any state, YET SAYING YES to MORE COAL PLANTS! Responsible citizens, including Sierra Clubbers and Sam Johnson (80+yo patriarch of Johnson&Johnson)marched it to the Wisconsin Supreme Ct, but lost. The same article mentioned Texas'queing up 11 new coal plants. I was SO DISHEARTENED...UNTIL NOW! You Texans have restored my faith that WE CAN GET THIS DONE! YOU GO, GUYS! And we'll be working it up here in WA state, with renewed hope! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

[Wennie Chang]

Thanks for protestors showing up at the capital in Texas to protest the construction of coal fired plants. Construction and operating these plants will be a major contributor to global warming. Already, global warming has dramatically affected the sea ices that polar bears and other arctic animals fully depend for their survival. Polar bears and other animals depend on the sea ices as their habitat. Due to global warming their sea ice habitat is slowly being destroyed. As a result of this, polar bears number have dwindled and they are on the brink of extinction.

Today, companies such as UPS and others are working together to utilize ways to curb global warming. If we don't curb global warming we are going to experienced the devastating impacts of it and polar bears will finally become extinct. We need to slow down global warming to benefit us and keep the polar bears from becoming extinct.

[Fay Drysdale]

I live on the other side of the world in New Zealand. Global Warming, is a global issue, which is why I'm interested in what is happening around the world.

GREAT to see you rallying against the construction of more coal-fired power plants.

Is there anything I can do from this side of the world. Please post information that can help the international community support your rallys and other action.

[airgle]

coal-fired power plants can be significantly increase pollution. I am leaving in New York, where the pollution is much worse than most cities in the world. I support....