SAY NO TO COAL NORTH FLORIDA

[walker030]

COMMUNIQUE 1: 7/14/2005
The Tallahassee (Florida) City Commission voted 4-1 last night to commit up to $6 million in what will be a $300 - $450 million partnership share in a $1.4 billion coal-fired electrical generating plant in adjacent Taylor County (North Central Panhandle of Florida.)

The resolution calls for a voter referendum to be held no later on this November and a vote against the plant will cause the city to back out of the deal. We will have lost up to $6 million but not have to deal with the next 60 years of exposure to this plant in our part of the state.

A story is in today's Tallahassee Democrat, available as a Top Story online at <http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/>

Public education and mobilization are essential. Voter turnout will be critical.

Commissioners Katz is strongly opposed and Gillium is sympathetic. Commissioner Mustian leans toward building the plant.
Commissioner Lightsey is a head cheerleader for the plant. (She's up for re-election in 2006)
Mayor John Marks supported the resolution but was not strong in his support.

The selling point for this project is a need to diversify our "energy portfolio" - currently dependent on natural gas, the price of which been increasing dramatically in a volatile global marketplace. I fail to see, however, how adding a currently cheaper limited source of dirty fuel for another currently more expensive limited source of dirty fuel equates to diversification.

For those to whom price (quantity of life vs. quality) is master of a their consumerism-centered world view, my crystal ball can't predict whether or not coal may become more expensive that natural gas, especially if we ever get an administration with the intestinal fortitude to enforce clean air and water regulations.

It will be especially necessary to focus on those among our resident may not normally view environmental issues as important to their quality of life.

The environment has not historically been a top priority for folks who are worried about food on the table, drug dealing and other violent crimes, and an array of social injustices. I am afraid that without a concentrated effort to get these folks to the polls and vote against the plant we will have more difficulty with this referendum that in 1992. They will no doubt be target by the pro-plant groups who will over-dramatize a reduction in electric bills - a myth i feel but a very real carrot to dangle in this community - in order to garner votes.

These folks must be helped to see that (1) we only get a limited share of the power this plant would generate, (2) somebody will have to pay back the $450 million and it is usually the poor who are easy political targets, and (3) as a great percentage of the uninsured, the working poor are already struggling with adequate health care usually provided at the emergency room. This plant will not significantly reduce their energy bills, will drain an astounding amount from future social services programs in the community and produce the ill-health effects that are associated with the burning of coal.

I am writing you so for you to alert your membership/readership. While it is too soon for a local group to come to the forefront on this issue, I feel we will need all the support we can get to help defeat this proposed plant. November (or sooner!) is not that far away!

Thanks in advance for any support - advice, mobilization, etc. - you can provide! And please.........circulate this as you see fit.

BASTA YA
...pass it on

[walker030]

COMMUNIQUE 3: 7/18/2005

According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Sunday, July 17, the referndum to determine the whether or not the city will partner in a $1.4 billion coal-fired electrical generating plant will be this coming November with 'mail out ballots' going to some 101,000 registered voters who are city residents. City utility customers living in the county will not get a vote.

The information war begins.

The Pro-Coal Commissioner Mark Mustian wants to confuse and sway voters by adding other questions to the ballot in order to get the 'no' responses rolling in the mail-out. Native West Virginian Debbie (Coal Miner's Daughter) Lightsey wants to tell you about coal mining fun in her home state. Look for these two to begin rolling out their "Reduce Your Utility Bill", "Energy Portfolio Diversification" and "Safe Coal" rhetoric. Coming soon to a Commission Meeting near you!

Let's take on one of these for our own talking point, "Voting for this plant will save you money by lowering your utility bills."

Well maybe, but actually, no.

According to The Democrat, "Advocates say it will keep utility bills down..." (Note they didn't say "reduce utility bills". Wait. That lie is coming soon.

Coal is presently less expensive that natural gas, our current fossil fuel of choice in Tallahassee Will it be this way for the next 60 years, the life expectancy of the coal-fired plant? What if we get a federal government who, by enforcing the Clean Air Act for a change makes coal the corporate corporal punishment poster fuel? But I prophesy.

The real question today that must be put before the average Tallahassee wage earner is where does the $450 million we have to pay for a 20% share in the plant come from? The Lightsey-Mustian Trust Fund? No, it comes from the taxpayers. Remember, government manufacturers and sells no product. If the city goes $450million in debt, the local folks - including thoise who can't vote on this issue - get to bail them out. How? Taxes and other fees.

What a deal. Your electrical bill goes down by $10 a month and your rent goes up by $5 to help pay your landlord's higher property taxes and an increase in sales taxes on your food, clothing and other essentials ads another $15 a month. Let's see, you save $10 but pay out $20. Do the math, wage earners. God help you if you buy gasoline!

Who does the cheaper coal fuel benefit ? The wealthy who have investements in the coal energy and railroad (the stuff has to get to here somehow) corporations that will help offset increased taxes and even turn a profit for the shareholders from this deal. Large commercial electricity user will also get a break and be able to pass any tax increases on to their customers...you.

This doesn't even take into consideration any increased medical costs - priced an asthma inhaler lately? - from the junk in the air that comes from burning coal. What, the poor have no health insurance? Damn.

Some savings. Sounds like the wealthy getting wealthier on the backs of the poor.

Next time, what is energy portfolio diversification and why this issue ain't that?

Meanwhile, check out our new YahooNO2COAL group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NO2COAL/

Basta Ya!
...pass it on.

[walker030]

This week saw two events worthy of note.

First, the Tallahassee Democrat came out in support of the coal-fired energy project, crying about the City Commision's decicion to let the public decide.

While this is not suprising, the anonymously authored Opinion piece was instructive as to how this issue is likely to be framed in the community and passed off on the public as so much civic improvement crap.

Using lines such as "using a little coal", "something as arcane as utility management ", "leadership abilities and persuasiveness", and "diversifying sources of energy", the local rag bobbed around the cirtical issues in a pro-coal vein (pun intended).

Concerning "using a little coal", a 500 megawatt coal plant produces 3.5 billion kilowatt-hours per year, enough to power a city of about 140,000 people. It burns 1,430,000 tons of coal, uses 2.2 billion gallons of water and 146,000 tons of limestone.(The Union of Concerned Scientists: http://www.ucsusa.org/) If I am not mistaken, the local project calls for an 800 meg plant.

Arcane utility management is an interesting choice of words to describe the electric power industry, which in the year 2000, excluding cogeneration facilities owned by the industrial and commercial sectors, used a record 982.6 million short tons of coal, 90.9 percent of total U.S. consumption. (http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/coal/cia/cia_sum.html)
and you see where the Democrat s going and what we will have to contend with.

Other popular myths coming no doubt to a well-financed campaign will likely include saving you money on your utility bill, deiversifying the energy porfolio for less dependence on a single source of fuel (fossil?), and the new technology of "safe coal" (anyone got a safe smoke I can borrow?)

We need to work on truthful points so folks don't believe this hype.

Second was a meeting Thursday night of the Clean Air Coalition that was briefly recapped in a posting on 7/22. Proactive and positive steps are underway here and I view the efforts of this group as a key (if not 'the;) component to organizing around this issue. You can learn a lot from these meeting too.

The minutes are now posted on the group's page. These concerned folks meets each Thursday night at the Progressive Center on S. Gadsden Street at 7pm and is worth your time if you wish to be
effective in your actions against this plant. For more, visit:
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CleanEnergy/>

This issue will require you to put on both your thinking caps and your running shoes. Get ready. All are needed and all are welcome.

Basta Ya!
...pass it on.

[walker030]

Yesterday's local paper carried a My View article by J. Sam Bell - former
city utility boss - and a letter from Yogendra Buch in support of the
coal-fired electric generating plant. Mr. Bell presented classic,
mythical and illogical arguments for the plant (alternatives too
expensive, they're going to build it anyway) and Ms. Buch recounted
pre-Industrial Revolution history and a biblical bias for coal (no Rock of Ages slant, but close).

Today, Jim Ashlock (jimashlock@aol.com) writes an echo to Bell's
comments that doesn't really add much. Except more public suport
for coal in a format used by area voters!

Yesterday, I responded to Ms. Buch's letter addressing her failure to
include recent history (such as the invention of electricity) and the
bigger, planetary creation perspective.

The Democrat chose not to publish this rebuttal.

I will rebut Mr. Ashlock's letter today as well, but won't be
suprised if it doesn't see light at the end of the editorial tunnel.

What is happening here is the local paper's use of a few well picked
letters for the plant while it tries to appear merely a provider of a
local forum - remember, they have recenlty backed off their earlier
pro-coal stance. Using the editorial sword rather than take a direct
position will now allow the paper to remain friendly to its
mainstream constituency while geting its agenda in print anyway.

Please do not let the opposition use the same tactics the Bush
campaign did - repeated public assertions of their single-minded
talking points, brought to you by a consolidated media. It worked
last November. It will work this coming November, too!

They aren't smarter than we are unless we let them be!

Write the Democrat. Call their advertisers. Boycott them. Picket
them. Donate to the PAC for a media campaign. Tell the PAC that's
how you want your donation spent. Talk with your family, friends and
coworkers. Be the media!

Don't wait for someone else to voice or finance your opposition for
you. Those folks may be waiting on you! Don't be another sleepwalker! You won't like the view when you awake!

Basta Ya!
...pass it on.

[walker030]

IMPORTANT UPDATE. PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY:

Below is an article concerning the North Florida Power Project.

The Tallahassee City Commission will meet at 4pm Eastern on August 24, 2005, in the Tallahassee City Hall to decide whether or not to pursue the project further and allow for a referendum vote in November, 2005.
Please contact the Clean Air Coalition in Tallahassee to see how you can support opposition to the coal-fired plant.

Clean Air Coalition PAC
Room 210
Tallahassee Progressive Center (directions at www.progressivecenter.org)
1720 South Gadsden Street
P.O. Box 1505
Tallahassee, FL 32302
850-421-VOTE(8683) (operational as of Monday, August 8)
www.cleanairpac.com

Weekly Meeting: 7pm Thursday at the Progressive Center

You can also visit the following sites for local information:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CleanEnergy/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NO2COAL/

(NOTE:THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY CITY PR STAFF AND APPEARS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN READING.)

A Coal Plant Is Going to be Built in North Florida

August, 9

Residents to Vote on City's Role

The City Commission voted at its meeting on July 13 to enter into a partnership with the North Florida Power Project (NFPP). The NFPP is a group of public-power entities planning to construct a coal-fired power plant in north Florida. The Commission's vote preserves Tallahassee's seat at the table for the project by committing the City to partnering with the NFPP on the next phase of the plant, including design, permitting and land acquisition.

At the same meeting, Commissioners also decided to ask voters whether the City should continue to take part in the project, which will be constructed in north Florida with or without Tallahassee's participation. The Commission also committed up to $250,000 to be used in partnership with the Big Bend Environmental Forum to look at ways to develop additional renewable resources, such as solar, as part of the Commission's ongoing support for sound environmentally friendly options.
Although renewable resources typically cannot provide the amounts of power required to meet Tallahassee's future growth and reliability needs, they are considered a critical part of the City's future energy mix.

Project Background

As part of the City's utility business strategy, fuel options are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure the City can meet its future power needs.

Currently, Your Own Utilities is 95 percent dependent on natural gas and oil - which has meant higher bills for customers due to fluctuations of the volatile natural gas market.

Having a variety of fuel options in the future means the City would be able to utilize the most affordable fuel source at any given time, based on the market price.

The NFPP partners have indicated that the plant will be built in North Florida with or without Tallahassee's participation. Sites in Taylor, Madison and Hamilton Counties are currently under consideration with the plant expected to be operational by 2012. A critical issue is whether the City should have a say in the operation and control of a coal plant, if it is going to be built in this region.

Another important issue is related to health and the environment. Coal technology today is vastly different than coal plants of the past. In fact, of the $1.4-billion cost of the plant, currently one-third of the cost is committed for environmental safeguards, making it one of the cleanest plants in Florida.

Next Steps

In order for a referendum to be held in the fall 2005 timeframe preferred by Commissioners, the Elections Supervisor has determined the vote will have to be conducted through mail ballots. The date of the election and ballot wording have not yet been determined. The City is committed to providing residents with factual information to allow them to make an informed decision on the issue.

For more information about the NFPP or to arrange a presentation for your civic or social group on this topic, visit the links below.

North Florida Power Project website <../exit.cfm?site=http://www.northfloridapowerproject.org>

Talgov.com information on the project <../you/electric/nfpp.cfm>

City Contact
891-5531

[walker030]

I cannot be at the start of the Wednesday 8/24 Tallahassee City Commission meeting because I have to be in Atlanta at 9am for a meeting that doesn't end until 5pm. 7:00 flight and, if on time, home at 8:10pm. I'll drive by City Hall and join you if you are still there....you may well be.

I am upset because I will miss the drama and fun as I am to believe there will be a good bit of this. And then the meeting will begin.

I know how they will vote. The same way they always do.

They will vote for coal. For an easy, cheap and dirty way out of a problem they created when the said the would commit to alternative energy sources years ago and then took the easy way out then. Deja vu all over again (Thanks Yogi).

They will talk about diversity of the energy portfolio and fall back on non-diversity in order to keep it simple. For themselves anyway. They will remain confortably numb thinking they are moving forward when what they are really doing is sitting still while the future passes them by.
As I've said before, they are bringing you an 19th Century solution to a 21st Century problem. They are more comfortable with the hazy view through the smokestacks of our post-WWII industrialization than they feel they would be looking at giant airplane-like pinwheels generating power on a hillside or glass tanks on state office building roofs. The view from the deck of the Enterprise is only for the bold and our city leaders have been hit like a lot of our contemporary society by phasers on stun.

Need another worn cliche' to help you stay numb too and let them roll you over and stick it to you? Pass the cough syrup then as they continue to treat the cough while ignoring the cancer. More cancer ain't the answer.

Fight for the anti-coal vote. Don't let these so-called public servants get you in the same groove that got us here in the first place. Take the next 8 weeks to make a change that will impact the next 80 years. Rally those around you and convince those far away. Walk the damn walk. The corporations behind this will have their checkbooks out walking and talking. What's your story going to be mid-November?

You are not too busy. That's a lie that translates to "You are too comfortable". They have you addicted to comfort lie at the price of not doing the right thing. And, like the addict, you have learned to tell the lie to yourself and believe it. They have saved you a place in their opium den until they say it is time to discard you. They call the shots. This means they win. And you and I and our kids and their kids lose.

See you in the streets Thursday!

Basta Ya!
...pass it on

[walker030]

Since my last communiqué in August, a lot of things have come to light and the Tallahassee City Commission is pulling no punches in their desperate attempt to saddle residents with a 19th century solution to a 21st century problem!

The have utilized utility bill envelopes as vehicles to carry mislead brochures to city utility customers that contain informaiton that crosses the line from advocacy into out and out untruths. The have draped their parade of lies across the city's website, www.talgov.com. They have utilized a tax-payer funded television station, WCOT, to propagandize the pro-coal position, wedging the message into daily shows that really don't have anything to do with the plant issue. And, to add more injury to insult, they have appropriated $30,000 in tax dollars - despicable but legal - to hire a private public relations firm to advocate in favor of the North Florida Power Project and the proposed coal plant.

The opposition, now consisting primarily of 2 legit PACS, have raised a little money for such traditional vehicles as mail-outs, leaflets and yard signs as Tallahassee residents get set to receive the mail-out ballots for a city-wide referendum concerning the plant.

This ballot, unfortunately, is a $250,000 "push poll" that has confusing language and no force of law upon the commissioners. Obviously a huge defeat of the plant will send a mandate to the commissioners but unless it is huge, the prevailing opinion is that they will set aside the vote in favor of what they want...this is Tallahassee, Florida. Remember the 2000 election?

Another group, loosely organized to protest rather than debate, is just getting into the foray with basically no money but a lot of energy and creativity to send a visual message and direct action in opposition to the plant.

A bright spot is that the citizens appear to be in the early stages of questioning the city's tired and false claims and this, if nurtured and supported, will lead to victory over this social, economic and environmental fiasco. The City's claim that the plant will be built with or without Tallahassee's participation is withering under questions concerning the closing of land purchase deals, issuance or permitting and the lack of the $300million plus that we would bring to the table. Speaking of that table, folks are starting to realize that our 20% 'ownership' amounts to a very small and ineffective seat at that table and claims that we will have a say so in the design, construction and operation of the plant are beginning to appear hollow at best. The final claim of rate reduction or stabilization is refuted as panicky utilities, cash-strapped municipalities and greed investment advisers all flock to coal as the fuel of this decade. Cheap and dirty equals increased shareholder value. With a tightening of supply and constrained and increasingly costly delivery channels, old king coal is starting to look like the albatross around the necks of city utility customers.

The days of cheap energy are over in America just like they have been for some time in the rest of the world. We cannot much longer afford to leave the lights on, crank the thermostats down and drive 9mpg vehicles. Interestingly the prices of electrical generating fuels support this with the prices for renewable (sun, wind & water) technology decreasing and that of dirty, limited supply fossil fuels (oil and coal) increasing.

Hopefully, the residents of Tallahassee will make not only the right choice for the plant but that for their wallets as well.

Stay up! More to come.

Basta Ya!
...pass it on.

[walker030]

Tallahassee, Florida

As of yesterday (11/02/05) afternoon, the Leon County Supervisor of Elections office had received arround 6,000 mail-in ballots as Tallahassee's 104,000 registered voters decide if their city will spend Nearly $400million for a 20% share of an 800 megawat coal-fired electrical generating plant to be located in nearby Taylor County.

A check of public records indicates the pro-coal camp has raised over $104,000 and spent about half of that so far in a campaign of half-truths and out-and-out lies to deceive voters into supporting this social, economic and environmental debacle.

Signs put out asking folks to VOTE NO TO COAL last weekend have all but disappeared - even those placed next to the 'We Buy Homes for Cash" and "Final Liuquidation Sale". Smells like city workers on a mission to spend yet more taxpayers money to pimp the cheap and dirty solution over thoughtful action and investment in the future.

Turning lemons into lemonade is the masterstroke of grassroots organizing and action, however, and all those yard signs we were fretting about having over-bought last week now have life and purpose! Bedsheets become banners and grafitti turns political in times of community need and those times, for our city and truly the world, have never been more 'here' than now!

Mail-ins can continue up to the deadline of 7pm on November 17 and there is still time to get out and get up the anti-coal vote.

As we continue to fight this battle, we are already beginning to discuss our next foray into participatory democracy, helping or hurting those elected officials who are either committed to responsible governent - one that refuses to mortgage our future and that of our children and grandchildren - or merely seek the coporate campaign contribution from the richest at the expense of the poorest in our community!

For now,

Basta Ya!
...pass it on.

[walker030]

The Leon County Supervisor of Elections office reported late last week that they had received about 20,000 ballots - out of 104,000 mailed out - prompting a flurry of 4-color print ads and robocalls from local elected coal pimps who had counted on a large pro-coal turnout to hand them a victory.

The Clean Air Coalition crew thinks they are panicking. Hope that's true!

A last minute campaign/canvassing flurry of volunteers and paid (mostly college and high-school students) canvassers brought the anti-coal plant message to the folks in the neighborhoods.

Hopefully, grassroots organizing and door-to-door feet on the street will overcome the large war chest and media blitz of the pro-coal neanderthals.

Thursday, 11/17, at 7pm (Eastern) closes the election and sets the future of our area for the next 15 - 50 years.

Stay tuned.

[walker030]

When eh last of the mail-in ballots was counted on Friday 11/18, the 30,000 or so of the 105,000 eligible voters went jsut about 24,000 to 16,000 in favor of the coal plant.

This means that the city of Tallahassee can decide to go ahead and put at least $360million into this social, economic and environmental nightmare and 2 out of 3 of us think that's just fine.

There's a lot of sour grapes territory to cover here but I'll mention only 2.

First, the ballot language served to keep voters from participating by telling them the plant would be built anyway - a lie - and was confusing in its language to the point that many voters expressed concerns when canvassed about not knowing what the correct response was to either support or oppose the city's participation in the plant's construction.

Second was the disparity in amounts of money raised and spent by the interested parties. Contributions and in-kind services donations from local businesses and attorneys as well as from out-of-towners representing electricla utilities and their commercial suppliers and railroading and railroad services companies amounted to over $320,000 compared to the grass-roots and lone opposing city commissioner's efforts of aroung $80,000 - a 4:1 factor. Approximately $70,000 of the pro-coal war chest came from tax-payer funds spend by the city - a reprehensible yet legal way to advocate a position using your tax dollars whether or not you opposed the plant. Can you say 'taxation without representation"? Pricey television ads, local billboards and 4-color print bombardments were used extensively by the pro-coal forces to get their message of deceit out to the voters.

So, what can be done or said?

Pressure is still being put on local officials not to spend the money and we are no uniting more than ever before wiht our neighbors in Taylor County - the proposed site of the coal plant - to hamper the land-use plans and impact studies in a legitimate effort to derail the process. The fight to allow a referendum in this rural county, taking the control back from the short-sighted good 'ol boys continues and so do the pickets of county offices and meetings and other forms of protest.

If the plant does get to the construction phase sometime in the next 2 years.... well, we'll just see about that!

This may well be my last communique on this issue for a while, but I hope this has been entertaining and educational for those of you who are fighting the continual rape of the planet in order to perpetuate short term gains and the coninual creation of the superficial comforts consumerism has made us think we cannot live without or just those who have nothing better to read.

You don't win many of the battles in trying to do what is right versus what is expedient and or profitable but you don't win anything is you don't keep fighting.

Exxon, Walmart, McDonalds...at least lfe ain't boring!

Basta Ya!
....pass it on