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Free the Smokestack Six
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Progressive Portal
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Feb 06, 2005 15:10 PST
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FOUR WOMEN, TWO MEN COULD GET LENGTHY PRISON TERMS
FOR HIGHLIGHTING BUSH'S DIRTY ENERGY PLAN
[From Greenpeace USA <http://www.greenpeaceusa.org>]
On 23 Jun 2004, four women and two men climbed a 700-foot smokestack at
a power plant in southwestern Pennsylvania that's notorious for its
pollution. They unfurled a giant banner reading, "The Bush Energy Plan
Kills - Clean Energy Now!"
Although the protest was completely peaceful, the activists involved -
now known as the "Smokestack Six" - were arrested on a long list of
federal and state charges, including felony riot and burglary. All of
the federal and most of the state charges were later dropped, but the
defendants still face state felony charges that could result in lengthy
prison terms. Their trial is scheduled to begin in March 2005.
The action took place at the Hatfield's Ferry Power Station in
Masontown, PA, 50 miles south of Pittsburgh and right in the heart of
coal country. The coal-fired plant, owned by Allegheny Energy Inc., is
the fifth worst sulfur dioxide polluter in the country and one of the
nation's greatest emitters of nitrogen oxide and mercury. Just from 2000
to 2002, it emitted more than 500,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (a primary
cause of acid rain and smog), more than 70,000 tons of nitrogen oxides
(a primary cause of smog and fine particulate pollution), and more than
1,500 pounds of mercury (a dangerous neurotoxin).
CONTINUED BELOW ...
--> FLY AN ECOLOGY FLAG OR EARTH FLAG:
----> SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR MOTHER EARTH!
------> http://www.progressiveportal.org/store/?alrt
These emissions cause an estimated 237 premature deaths every year,
according to a recent study by researchers commissioned by the Bush
administration.
The Clinton-era Environmental Protection Agency had launched an
investigation of Allegheny Energy for violations of the Clean Air Act at
Hatfield's Ferry and two other plants in Pennsylvania, but the Bush
administration dropped the case after adopting weaker Clean Air Act
regulations.
That's not surprising, because Allegheny Energy - like nearly all large
energy companies - has funneled significant amounts of money to the
Republican Party and the Bush campaign. In 2000, the company gave
$22,500 to the Bush campaign and the Republican National Committee.
Separately, since 1999, Allegheny Energy officers and members of its
board of directors have made individual donations of more than $190,000
to the Bush campaign, the Republican National Committee, and state-level
Republican organizations, Republican candidates, and right-leaning
political action committees (PACs). The company's own PAC also gave
$260,500 to U.S. House and Senate candidates, contributing nearly twice
as much to Republicans as Democrats.
Allegheny Energy has no meaningful renewable-energy program. Wind power
is cost competitive with all other sources of electricity, and
Pennsylvania has the potential to produce 45 billion kilowatt-hours of
electricity a year by harnessing the wind - 22 percent of Pennsylvania's
total energy consumption. Despite this potential, Allegheny Energy still
does not offer its customers any clean-energy options. Instead, it
apparently remains committed to burning coal whatever the consequences:
Its Web site states, "Efforts to reduce our dependence on coal would
have serious economic consequences for our homes, businesses,
transportation, industries, agriculture, and all facets of our current
social structure. Clearly, the future of our region is closely tied to
our reliance on coal."
In the 34-year history of Greenpeace, not one of its activists has ever
been convicted of a felony resulting from a protest. Felony charges for
peaceful acts are unwarranted and go against America's tradition of free
speech. Write to Paul J. Evanson, President and CEO of Allegheny Energy,
and tell him to clean up the Hatfield's Ferry plant and to ask
prosecutors to drop the unwarranted and heavy-handed felony charges
against the Smokestack Six.
Take Action
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Send a message to Allegheny Energy's chief executive:
http://usactions.greenpeace.org/action/start.php?action_id=35
More Information
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http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/features/details?item_id=733810
http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/features/details?item_id=521350&campaign_id=503433
http://tinyurl.com/53mh6
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