An ad hoc group was formed to address health and environmental justice issues related to the continuation of the burning of coal at the North Omaha Station
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Most resent
The A.I. Power Grab, The New York Times, by David Gelles, Oct. 22, 2024
Power Grab - A utility promised to stop burning coal then Google and Meta came to town -An energy crunch forces continued coal burning in a low-income area as data centers strain the regional power supply, The Washington Post, by Evan Halper, Oct.12, 2024
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As the saying goes: "If you're not at the table, you're on the menu."
Cornell West calls out OPPD for not shutting down the North Omaha Coal Plant
Follow Nebraska Beyond Coal on Facebook
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Climate Justice in Omaha: A project of Creighton's 2023 Sociology420 Environment and Society Students and Sierra Club
US banks are sacrificing poor communities to the climate crisis, by Ben Jealous, Executive Director of the Sierra Club and Bill McKibben, noted environmental writer and founder of Third Act. The Guardian, March 16, 2023
North Omaha group provides air quality monitors, WOWT, July 6, 2023
Why Air Quality in Omaha is Suffering & What Citizens Can Do
North Omaha residents installing air quality monitors near coal-burning station, Nebraska Examiner, April 22, 2023, by Zane Wendling
YouTube video of March 23, 2023 presentation about Finding Solutions given by the North Omaha ad hoc group members Preston Love, Jr. and David Corbin
Nebraska Asthma Coalition Statistics
Inflation Reduction Act for Nebraska (IRA): Cleaner Air: The Inflation Reduction Act will offer environmental justice block grants, investments for cleaner buses and trucks, and a Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator that will prioritize emissions-reducing projects in disadvantaged communities.
Click this link to see a sample letter to Governor Pillen to urge him to request the IRA funding.
Inflation Reduction Act and urban trees: By allocating $1.5 billion for the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, this monumental bill, now the law of the land, will help bring cooling and pollution-fighting urban tree cover to all corners of the country, maximizing the multifold benefits of trees in combating climate change.
This is a partial list of national health and medical organizations that support the Inflation Reduction Act: American Lung Association, American Public Health Association, Association of American Medical Colleges, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and National Medical Association
Omaha Heat Campaign Report, UNMC
OPPD PowerPoint slides on North Omaha Outreach & Engagement, March 2023
OPPD hosts public meeting to discuss future of the coal burning North Omaha power plant, KPTM News, Feb. 21, 2023
OPPD continues conversations with North Omaha residents about power station, KMTV News, Feb. 21, 2023
February 9, 2023 media coverage of the North Omaha ad hoc group :
WOWT - New at 4:00
North Omaha OPPD plant’s continued use of coal concerning neighbors
Two of the five units at the plant in question still operate on coal.
By John Chapman
WOWT - Live at 6:30
North Omaha OPPD plant’s continued use of coal concerning neighbors
Two of the five units at the plant in question still operate on coal.
By John Chapman
KETV 7 News Updated: 6:06 PM CST
North Omaha leaders discuss next steps with OPPD on coal burning
Members of a 50-person community committee for North Omaha say their goal is singular: stop the burning
by Josh Kristianto, Multimedia Journalist
KMTV 3 News Now - Posted at 7:27 PM
North Omaha group meets with OPPD leadership on coal use at power plant
By: Aaron Hegarty
KPTM Fox 42 News at 9:00 PM - The lead story!
North Omaha leaders give update on OPPD meeting about coal burning at North O plant
by Rose Todd
Citizen group says dialogue is now 'open' with OPPD over North Omaha coal plant, Omaha World-Herald, by Nancy Gaarder, published online, Feb. 9
Please consider writing to OPPD directors and CEO using this link.
Ask them to access federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) and Environmental Protection Agency grants
More Than 175 Groups Urge Equitable Oversight of Inflation Reduction Act Funds
https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2023/02/more-175-groups-urge-equitable-oversight-inflation-reduction-act-funds
- Statement on Importance of Federal Oversight of Inflation Reduction Act’s Labor, Equity, and Environmental Goals
https://cepr.net/inflation-reduction-act-oversight/
- Really smart piece from @350's @moredower and Daniel Hunter on how activists need to work the IRA climate bill to spread the money where it should go https://t.co/6IWhWQrbow
https://twitter.com/billmckibben/status/1628921066364993536
Conversation with Cheryl -David Corbin and Graham Jordison discuss when is an IRA not an Individual Retirement Account and how approximately $91 million dollars could help Nebraskans save money through Clean Energy, Reduce Harmful Pollution and Create Good Paying jobs.
OPPD Board of Directors' meeting video where the vote was made to continue burning coal at units 4 & 5 at the North Omaha Station until 2026 instead of the planned 2023 date (discussion on this topic begins at 27:51)
The text of OPPD's resolution 6518
OPPD board approves North Omaha Station extension, The Wire (Energy News from OPPD), August 18, 2022
OPPD Board Approves Recommendation To Delay Retirement, Conversion Of Plant Units, American Public Power Association, August 23, 2022
Link to a video from 2014 about the initial campaign to stop burning coal at the North Omaha Station.
Get Off Coal music video performed by Omahans David Corbin with lyrics by John Pollack
Love Your History: The OPPD Fire and Coal Plant with Preston Love, Jr. YouTube video.
OPPD board votes to delay sunsetting of North Omaha coal units, KETV news, August 18, 2022
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Coal will burn three years longer at OPPD’s North Omaha Station, WOWT News, August 18, 2022.
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Despite health concerns OPPD delays coal plant's shutdown, News Channel Nebraska, August 18, 2022
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Locals unhappy about OPPD's decision to delay station's switch to natural gas, KPTM news, August 19, 2022
The letter above appeared in The Public Pulse, Omaha World-Herald, August 24, 2022
OPPD board votes to continue coal use at North Omaha plant — for now, Omaha World-Herald, August 18, 2022.
Nebraska coal-fired power plant latest to delay closure, Reuters, August 19, 2022
OPPD Slows Coal Conversion, News Radio 1040, August 19, 2022
Before the Board Vote
OPPD Recommends Delaying Transition of North Omaha Station (OPPD media release)
OPPD All Committee meeting video, August 16, 2022 (the discussion of the extension of the use of the coal plant begins at 2:07:55.
Amidst rising heat, are redlined neighborhoods hotter than the rest? by Addie Costello, Flatwater Press, July 8, 2022. (This article has a segment about OPPD's proposal).
OPPD proposes burning coal at North Omaha plant for three more years, WOWT news, June 24, 2022. (Nebraska Sierra Club)
North Omaha Station Could Be Burning Coal Until 2026 Instead of Stopping in 2023, NOISE, July 21, 2022, by Kietry Zychal
North Omaha Could Burn Coal Until 2026, NOISE, by Kietryn Zychal (interview with OPPD Director Eric Williams) pdf version
Midlands Voices: It is 'imperative' OPPD decarbonizes day-to-day energy usage, by Alison Freifeld, Katherine Finnegan, Jennifer Glazer and Sandy Lehr, Omaha World-Herald, July 28, 2022.
Why Omaha Public Power District's coal plant closure has been delayed, KETV News, by Joey Safchik, August 9, 2022
Sierra Club: OPPD delay ripe with health problems, News Channel Nebraska, by Joe Jordan, August 9, 2022
U.S. coal plants delay closures in hurdle for clean energy transition, Reuters, by Timothy Gardner, August 10, 2022
Coal Plants Are Being Kept Online To Prevent Blackouts As Green Transition Falters, Daily Caller, by Jack McEvoy, August 10, 2022
In a twist, OPPD could keep burning coal as renewable projects undergo study, Nebraska Public Media, by Kavahn Mansouri, August 11, 2011
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Click here to see a video that summarizes the campaign in 2014 when OPPD converted North Omaha Station's units 1,2 & 3 from coal to natural gas.
Sierra Club's Beyond Coal call to action: Click here.
Click this link to view various segments of OPPD Director Eric Williams' Town Hall meeting on Facebook
Below are links to media coverage of OPPD Director Eric Williams' Town Hall meeting on July 24, 2022
Public meeting for north Omaha power plant plans, July 24, 2022, WOWT news, by Ron Johnson.
Community shares opinions on possible coal-burning extension at OPPD plant in North Omaha, July 24, 2022, WOWT news, by Marlo Lundak.
North Omaha residents ask questions, voice concerns over OPPD, KMTV news, July 24, 2022