11 Jan Interfaith Environment Network issues greenest call for Austin’s Energy Future

I am supporting my good friends @ Clean Energy for Austin* in calling on City Council to approve citizen review board recommendations re: Austin’s electricity plan 2010-2021. But, I’m excited that my good friends @ Austin’s Interfaith Environmental Network** (IEN) have raised the bar slightly, clarifing the standard our City Council should hold itself to, as this issue moves to a vote.

From the IEN’s position paper: 

"We urge Austin City Council to adopt policies that move Austin Energy to develop more renewable energy sources as soon as possible. At a minimum, this would mean adopting the plan recommended by the Austin Generation Resource Planning Force, the Electric Utility Commission, and the Resource Management Commission.¹ We also call on the Austin City Council to order Austin Energy to undertake an immediate cost feasibility study to determine the possibility of accelerating the shift from coal produced electricity to clean energy sources at the earliest possible date."

The IEN recognizes that from a whole community perspective, getting out of Austin’s coal plant makes the most sense — and that from a financial perspective getting out of the coal plant may make the most sense within the next few years.

Austin’s coal plant is responsible for 70% of our electricity carbon footprint, and an exhausting list of community costs.² In regards to Austin’s climate protection commitment and affordable/reliable/inclusive electricity over the next 11 years — it should be our City’s #1 priority to understand coal plant shutdown feasibility completely, and position itself to act as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

Hats off to Lou, Allen, Cary and all @ the IEN for helping to clarify what should be a community-centric standard, on this issue!

Download the IEN’s position paper here (ie: "City Council Agenda").

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Actions
1. Urge City Council to Climate Leadership: http://tinyurl.com/austinclimateprotection
2. Learn more via Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/austin-facebook-coal
3. Visit the IEN & Clean Energy for Austin to learn more. (links above)

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Notes
* I am a member of the Clean Energy for Austin coaliton: http://cleanenergyforaustin.org/
** I am also a member of the Interfaith Environmental Network’s steering, learning, and policy comittees: http://interfaithenvironment.org/
1. A good summary of Austin’s future energy generation plans, via the Austin Chronicle: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A912868
2. According to a report commissioned by US Congress, assmebled by the National Research Council, Austin’s coal plant (of which we own 50% and operate 33.3%) cost citizens btwn $200 & $300 million in total health injury impacts, during the year 2007 (my post on that here). Some detail:

• Austin’s coal plant is fueled by coal from strip mning in Wyoming–causing long term environmental scarification, and is linked to Mountain Top Removal in Appalachia.
• More importantly to most folks, Austin’s coal plant is responsible for 100% of our City’s mercury pollution, and on an annual basis releases about 91lbs of criteria air polluants per Austinite ("criteria air pollutants" include both toxicological inputs, such as known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, and ozone-forming nitrogen oxide, known to cause asthma in young children and early death in adults suffering from lung conditions).
• Austin’s coal plant was rated #8 worst emitter of nitrogen oxide, #8 worst criteria air polluter, and #5 wost carbon emitter in the state, out of over 2,000 industrial complexes surveyed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, 2003-2008. Data compiled by Dr. Neil Carman, Clean Air Program Director for the Texas chapter of the Sierra Club.
  

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