Fossil fuel power station | Be a Seed for Change

Two years ago, some of the biggest banks announced the Carbon Principles. Heralded as a new path for the banking industry, The Carbon Principles were supposed to make it “tougher to finance conventional coal-fired plants in the U.S.”

Today, we release our new report http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=gjkLELXGRCm6e1kZE68om7Z7zdTXIu4B examining the implementation and impact of these Principles, and the role that banks play in financing filthy new coal plants. The news is not good.

Our research reveals that, while the broader economy has been shifting away from new coal power plants, the banks signed on to the Carbon Principles are continuing with business as usual in regards to financing dirty coal.

Tell the banks to stop funding coal-fired power plants.

Coal-fired power plants provide nearly 50 percent of our electricity and, pound for pound, are the planet’s dirtiest source of energy. Burning coal is the nation’s top source of air pollution and toxic mercury, and is responsible for one third of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions – nearly 2 billion tons per year.

Yesterday, activists paid a well-deserved visit to Duke Energy’s Cliffside coal power plant in North Carolina, which received almost $1 billion in financing from the banks that adopted The Carbon Principles. It’s high time for banks to stop funding climate change.

Demand that the bankrolling of dirty coal be stopped!

We have delivered copies of our report to all the banks this morning. Please join us in telling the banking sector that the Carbon Principles just don’t cut it. Ask the banks to phase out support for all new and existing coal-fired power plants.

For clean air and a healthy planet,

Amanda Starbuck

Energy Finance Campaign

CREDO Action | more than a network. a movement.

Tell the EPA: Don’t let the TransAlta power plant off the hook.

Haze pollution from coal harms our air and our health.

Send a message to the Pacific Northwest office of the EPA:

The proposed haze pollution plan from the Washington Department of Ecology is insufficient to create significant reductions in NOx pollution.

The EPA must submit stronger regulations to hold the TransAlta plant accountable, and reduce harmful haze pollution in Washington.

The TransAlta coal power plant near Mr. Rainier is Washington’s single largest air polluter. Every year it’s responsible for 10,000 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution which causes haze damage to twelve protected public lands — and poses threats to public health.

The Clean Air Act mandates that Washington submits a plan to control haze pollution from coal fired power plants like TransAlta by January 15th.

However, the current plan proposed by the Washington State Department of Ecology fails to create meaningful pollution controls for TransAlta, and has been criticized by the National Park Service and the EPA as being unacceptably weak.

The EPA has the authority to reject the plan and enforce stronger measures by the January 15th deadline. That’s what they must do.

Send a message to the EPA: Issue a strong plan to meaningfully reduce haze pollution at TransAlta.

Haze is isn’t the only problem with NOx pollution. It can cause respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, aggravates existing heart disease, and can contribute to premature death.

The TransAlta coal plant shouldn’t be allowed to continue pumping these levels of NOx pollution into our air.

But that’s essentially what will happen under the current plan, unless the EPA steps in and proposes a stronger regulations to reduce haze pollution.

Tell the EPA: TransAlta cannot be let off the hook. Submit a strong plan to reduce haze pollution before the January 15th deadline.

Thanks for fighting for clean air.

Elijah Zarlin, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action