Hop on the “No Coal Express”
The two biggest culprits in Utah’s air pollution problem can be summed up by cars and coal. Coal-fired power plants in Utah and neighboring states contribute greatly to the dangerously unhealthy air we are all breathing. Several new coal-fired power plants are being proposed for Nevada upwind from the Wasatch front. One of them called the Ely Energy Center (EEC) will be just north of Ely, NV. Let’s stamp out the EEC before it even gets off the ground.
The Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) is holding a public hearing in Ely on Wednesday, January 9 regarding the air quality permit being considered for the EEC. An environmental impact study has already been conducted by the NDEP and they are strongly considering granting the permits.
Several groups are arranging to take a busload of Utahns to Ely, NV to attend the public hearing. The bus would depart SLC at approximately 1:00 pm to make the 6:00 pm hearing. Because of the late hour, we would most likely stay in a comfortable hotel in Wendover, NV that would include a buffet breakfast the next morning. Arrival time back in SLC would be approximately 11:00 am, January 10. The maximum cost would be about $40 to $45 per person. Donors are helping to underwrite part of the trip and reduce the cost substantially if not completely. The firm details of cost are yet to be worked out. A small sacrifice of 24 hours of your precious time, and a few dollars could make a dramatic difference in stopping this ugly coal plant.
National media are covering this trip, and a private film company making a documentary on the national movement to stop the coal rush will be taking note. The fact that a busload of people would travel 5 hours to tell a neighboring state that we don’t want their coal emissions is a big message that will resonate loudly across the country to the large financial institutions that may finance such a large project. So, the impact of the trip will be greater than just the outcome of the public hearing.
If you wish to join the No Coal Express, contact Travis Harvey of Utah Moms for Clean Air (travis@utahmomsforcleanair.org) as soon as possible. We ideally need to confirm attendees by January 2.