Virginia Beyond Coal to Clean Energy
Join the Sierra Club in leading campaigns to move Virginia beyond coal to clean energy. Every stage of the life cycle of coal poses serious health risks for our communities and our ecosystems. Coal-burning power plants are one of the largest sources of air pollution, resulting in life threatening illnesses such as asthma, chronic brochitis, heart attacks and more.
We can do better. Get involved to help urge our utilities and Virginia's leaders to increase our efficiency and develop renewable energy to build stronger and healthier communities in Virginia.
The Potomac River Coal Plant will shut its doors in October 2012! Thanks to all the volunteers who worked on the long campaign to get us to this victory. Alexandria will be a cleaner, healthier community for all its citizens thanks to your hard work.
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) continues to push forward with a 1500 MW coal plant in Surry County, Virginia, despite broad public opposition. Join the thousands who are speaking out against this unnecessary, dirty coal plant today!
Check out this video about the Surry Coal Plant and take action!
Potomac River Coal Plant
The Virginia Sierra Club helped lead the “GenOFF” campaign, which achieved a huge victory for local citizens by permanently retiring the GenOn Potomac River Coal Plant in August of 2011. The Potomac River Coal Plant will retire by October of 2012.
Proposed Surry Coal Plant
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) has proposed the construction of a $6 billion, 1500 MW coal-fired power plant in Hampton Roads. If established, this plant would emit 11.6 million tons of CO2 per year - equal to adding over 2 million cars to our roads annually. ODEC has also announced its plans to source 100% of the coal for this power plant from central Appalachia. As a result, ODEC’s coal plant would encourage the devastating practice of mountaintop removal mining.
For more information click here.
Stop Polluters
This campaign aims to prevent the life-threatening health and environmental problems associated with burning coal and oil. These devastating practices cause pollutants such as smog, soot and mercury, to be unleashed on our communities who are forced to bear the environmental and health costs. Soot and smog pollution are closely linked to sharp increases in respiratory and heart problems including asthma, lung disease and heart attacks. Mercury acts as a potent neurotoxin and can damage the brain and nervous system and poses a particular threat to our most vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly.
More Stop Polluters information here and www.sierraclub.org/stoppolluters.
Potomac Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH)
PATH was suspended Feb. 28th, 2011. Read more here.
This high-voltage interstate transmission line proposal would cost consumers $2.1 billion to build. If built, the lines would enable some of the dirtiest coal plants in the nation to ramp up production and greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed PATH line would start at the John Amos substation and travel through West Virginia, Northern Virginia, and Maryland, marring our countryside and half a dozen national and state parks and protected areas.
For more information from local citizen groups, visit www.stoppathwv.com or www.notopath.org.
For more information about PATH click here.
Transitioning to Clean Energy
For a fraction of the price, energy efficiency improvements and power generation from renewables (such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal) could fulfill all our energy needs. Using renewable energy and increasing efficiency will both cost less in dollars and in hazards to public health and safety
"The State of Virginia must pull itself out of the bottom tier of states promoting clean energy and give up its addiction to mountaintop removal coal mining so the state can achieve greentech job growth."
- Scott Sklar, President,
The Stella Group, Ltd.
For more information about Clean Energy click here.
Coal Ash in Virginia
Coal ash, a coal combustion byproduct, is the unavoidable result of burning coal for electricity. There are over 500 coal ash sites across the country containing dangerous toxins like arsenic, selenium, lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, boron, thallium, and aluminum.
Check out this video where residents from Giles County, VA, take on the CEO of American Electric Power (AEP) over their right to clean water.
More on this: "Virginia could become hazardous waste dump," Roanoke Times, Jan. 28, 2010.
For more information about Coal Ash click here.
Recent Events
'To Our Health!' Cheers to the EPA!
Alexandria, VA
On Thursday, March 10th, Councilwoman Del Pepper joined dozens of Alexandrians and Arlingtonians in a packed upstairs room of the Green Dragon Pub to toast the EPA ‘to our health.’ The group raised a glass to EPA for their safeguards that prevent us from getting sick from toxic pollution from coal and dirty energy. To view photos of this event, visit us on Facebook, and share a picture of yourself toasting.
Rally for Protection from Toxic Coal Ash
Washington, DC
Dozens gathered in front of EPA on November 17th to call for a strong rule on coal ash as the public comment period drew to a close. Moms, dads and kids joined in the fun, to make sure EPA heard the message loud and clear: "Weak rules on coal ash have to go!" Watch the video here.
Past Events Here.
Press Releases
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Activist Resources
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