18 Feb Austin Beyond Coal: Where Is The Leadership We Elected?

The debate swirls about retiring Austin/LCRA's massive coal plant at Fayette – now the 5th largest greenhouse gas emitter in the entire state of Texas – and we are looking for leadership.

Mayor Leffingwell was elected with a strong pledge to get Austin off coal, “Starting immediately, I’m going to begin a dialogue with the community, with Austin Energy, with the LCRA, and with state officials, about how to make Austin coal-free — and aggressively plan a date to achieve that goal." (See: http://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/2011/11/17/if-austin-goes-coal-free-could-the-rest-of-texas-follow/)

A strong majority of Austin City Council expressed their opinions – No more smoke in the chimney –  at a City Council briefing by Austin Energy on December 5, 2013 responding to a June 2013 Council resolution requesting City Manager Ott to require Austin Energy to produce detailed plans and options on ramping down/closing/selling the coal plant.

Here is a video from the Austin City Council public transcript December 5th, emphasizing the need for that information.

http://bit.ly/1ayFLfw

Kicking the coal habit requires all hands on deck.

This is a time to get active – call, write, email, tweet to Mayor Leffingwell, members of City Council, City Manager Ott and decision makers at Austin Energy. Be heard on the need to move beyond coal and to a future of clean energy and local clean energy jobs in solar installation, weatherization, and smart grid. This is the time that will set Austin's energy course for the next decade.

Be sure and attend Austin Energy's public presentations – on February 25th or 27th. They are RSVP only events without public testimony. They think we won't be there – BE THERE, BE VISIBLE, BE HEARD. Here's the link to sign up!

Then send your views on getting off coal and on to a sustainable future to http://bit.ly/PeoplesGenPlan