In National Week of Action Customers Deliver Dynegy Feedback:
“No New Coal, Get Serious About Spring Cleaning.”
Press Release March 2008
HOUSTON – As Sierra Club members and consumers around the country rally in their respective states this week as part of a National Week of Action to pressure Dynegy, a Houston-based utility, to move its investments away from their proposed coal-fired power plants and towards clean, renewable energy, the Houston Sierra Club and students from the Houston area will deliver hundreds of letters hand-written by citizens and customers, as well as present a “Spring Cleaning” performance at the front door of Dynegy’s corporate headquarters at 1000 Louisiana St.
“Dynegy told us they are ‘flexible’ and ‘dependent on what customers are asking for.’ Our demonstration at their headquarters today, the hundreds of hand-written letters from their customers and citizens who will be impacted by their proposed coal plants, and the actions around the country this week send a clear message: Dynegy, get out of the coal business,” stated Ron Hayden, longtime Houstonian and founder of the Houston Climate Change Meetup.
Dynegy currently has the greatest number of proposed new coal-fired power plants of any U.S.-based company, a total of six plants in Iowa, Arkansas, Nevada, Georgia, Michigan and Texas. These plants, if constructed, would pour 44 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, and would also highly increase the already dangerous concentration of mercury and other pollutants in this country’s air and water.
“As a young person, I am concerned about the construction of these new coal-fired power plants because I want my future family to thrive in a safe, healthy environment. These new power plants seriously threaten that vision, and I am here today so Dynegy knows that more of us care about this issue every day. We’re paying close attention,” said Jerry Vera, a graduate student at Rice University.
“Dynegy needs to know that we will not back down until every one of their new coal plants has been canceled. Already, shareholders filed a successful resolution forcing Dynegy to disclose global warming emissions, and momentum is building on our side. Dynegy must be held fully accountable for the adverse effects caused by such short-sighted, nasty large-scale energy options as dirty coal,” stated Cathy Courtney, public health expert and Houston resident.
Clean energy advocates say that a move into wind power and other renewable alternatives by Dynegy would be beneficial not only to the environment, but also to the company’s bottomline.
