Y'all Go Away Now, Y'Hear?

Y’all Go Away Now, Y’Hear? 1

Texans rally to stop coal-fired power plants

Some 1,000 fired-up citizens gathered at the Texas Capitol on Sunday to oppose proposals for up to 18 new coal-fired power plants in the state. The protest, organized by about 40 environmental and health groups, attracted greens, businessfolk, and people who like breathing. Much ire has been focused on energy giant TXU, which has a $10 billion proposal to build 11 plants, more than doubling its carbon dioxide emissions to 133 million tons annually. TXU has sent free kiss-ass breakfast tacos to legislators and told the public that new coal plants would burn 80 percent cleaner than current ones, but activist Paul Rolke is not convinced. "Twenty years from now, we'll look back and say, 'Geez, why did we build a bunch of century-before-last technology when we were right on the cusp of a better way to make electricity?'" he says. A regulatory hearing for TXU's permits will be held later this month, and state legislators will soon meet to consider a temporary coal-plant moratorium.

straight to the source: San Francisco Chronicle, Associated Press, Jim Vertuno, 12 Feb 2007

straight to the source: Planet Ark, Reuters, Eileen O’Grady, 12 Feb 2007

straight to the source: Houston Chronicle, R.G. Ratcliffe and Mark Babineck, 11 Feb 2007

straight to the source: Waco Tribune-Herald, David Doerr, 10 Feb 2007

see also, in Grist: Austin Legal

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  1. jennifer Posted 9:33 am
    16 Feb 2007

    Hardly century old...I read recently that a coal plant retired in China this year was actually built before 1900.  So you have the right idea, just the wrong hemisphere.   Seriously, though, TXU's proposed new power plants are far from "century-before-last" technology ... they are highly efficient, state-of-the-art facilities utilizing the best available environmental control technologies - a mouthful, but true.   Did you know that TXU's new facilities will be 80% cleaner than the average U.S. coal plant in operation today?  On top of that, TXU has committed to fully offset all key pollutants from the new plants and reduce pollution an additional 20% from 2005 levels.  What's more, the new plants will be carbon-capture ready, and TXU is investing in companies, like Skyonic, to commercialize carbon capture technologies.  And, if you haven't heard about Skyonic, check them out...very cool stuff they're trying to do deep in the heart of Texas.

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