“Shades of Green” Environmental Talk Radio, KOOP 91.7 FM (Fayette County Pecan Growers & Opposition to the area Coal Plant))

Please join us for another “Shades of Green” radio program as we discuss the Fayette County coal plant powering one-third of Austin’s energy. Run by the LCRA, the Fayette plant has been the center of energy controversy for the “greenest” city in Texas and for the landowners and pecan farmers in the area dealing with the detrimental blow from particulate matter.

Our special guests are:
Flavia de la Fuente is a field organizer for Sierra Club and has been working on its national Beyond Coal campaign. She has lead the local Austin Beyond Coal campaign for 2 years and has worked with other local, state and national organizations to keep coal plants offline or from being built altogether.

Harvey Hayek, landowner within several miles of the Fayette plant and leader of the Texas Pecan Alliance. His family has been in the pecan growing business for decades and has seen pecan yields steadily drop. In the most recent years, over 90% of his family’s pecan grove as died by emissions from the coal plant. Many other pecan growers in the area have experienced the same outcome, but Hayek’s property has been most affected due to its juxtaposition to the coal plant in a low lying area.