MAJOR ANTI-COAL GROUP REJECTS ENERGY/CLIMATE BILL

Valley Watch Resolution against passage of the Waxman-Markey-American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009
June 17, 2009 (Valley Watch Board of Directors)

“Whereas, legislation is drastically needed in the United States and elsewhere that will significantly restrict greenhouse gas emissions to avert increased global warming, and;

“Whereas, the current Waxman-Markey bill (the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009) has way too many give aways and promotions to encourage the continued use of coal and other polluting fuels, including free allowances to the most serious greenhouse gas polluters and other subsidies that encourage the use of additional coal well into the future, and;

“Whereas, learned scientists like James Hansen have called for a “moratorium” on new coal plant construction until such time as the concept of “carbon capture and sequestration” is actually proven and commercially available and required of all new coal plants of any sort to capture and sequester at least 90% of their greenhouse gas emissions, and;

“Whereas, Waxman-Markey specifically strips the USEPA of its current authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act or any other statute, and;"

1Sky is determined to make the bill better by working 16 times harder than the fossil fuel industry lobbyists who are outspending environmentalists $16 to $1. (click to enlarge)

“Whereas, Waxman-Markey requires a complex system of offsets and “Cap and Trade” mechanisms that are nearly impossible to verify and audit as well as setting into motion new financial markets that can be easily manipulated nearly without regulation, and;

“Whereas, the lower Ohio River Valley, is already the center of the largest concentration of coal plants in the nation, if not the world, and'

“Whereas, there are at least seven new coal fueled plants proposed in the lower Ohio River Valley that are more likely to be built if this legislation passes, and;

“Whereas, Valley Watch's stated purpose is “to protect the public health and environment of the lower Ohio River Valley,” and;"

Greenpeace, like Valley Watch, is a little more hostile. (click to enlarge)

“Whereas, Valley Watch is actively engaged in stopping all seven of these coal plants in order to serve our stated purpose “to protect the public health and environment,” and;

“Whereas, the increased use of coal as encouraged in Waxman-Markey will result not only in additional power plant pollution but also, increased ecological destruction from strip and longwall mining across the US, including mountain top removal mining methods, and;

“Whereas, the increased use of coal is generally unwarranted if proper measures are in place to encourage significantly greater energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy, including wind, solar and geothermal;

“Therefore, is it resolved, this 17th day of June 2009 by the Valley Watch, Inc., Board of Directors that we will encourage our members and others, including our members elected representatives and senators to vote against the Waxman-Markey bill as it was passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and until such time as that bill is significantly strengthened and those provisions encouraging the additional use of coal are removed.”