[Sustain] 20 Orgs Demand Halt To SF Power Plant - May 5, '08

[Eric Brooks]

For Release: Monday, May 5, 2008

attachments: PDF of Release; PDF of Anti-Plant Letter To City Hall

Contact:
Eric Brooks 415-756-8844
Marie Harrison 415-720-3139

20 Environmental & Social Justice Organizations, Public Officials
Demand Halt To Polluting Power Plant Project
Groups call upon the city to come up with a green alternative

San Francisco, CA, May 5, 2008 - Today, a coalition of twenty
environmental, civic, and social justice organizations along with state
and local elected leaders, called upon the Board of Supervisors and the
Mayor to halt the plan to build a natural gas power plant project in San
Francisco. The group cited problems with pollution, environmental
justice, and global warming.

The group rallied in front of City Hall before an upcoming Board of
Supervisors Government Audit and Oversight Committee vote on a contract
to build and operate three natural gas turbines in Bayview-Hunters
Point, the most environmentally impacted neighborhood in the city, and a
fourth natural gas turbine at the San Francisco Airport.

The Committee is set to also take up legislation by Supervisor Michela
Alioto-Pier, which would require environmental and economic studies of
the plant proposal and would seek clean-energy alternatives. Groups at
the rally called upon the Committee to support Alioto-Pier?s
legislation and vote down the contract.

Advocates and elected officials called upon the Mayor and the Board of
Supervisors to create a new energy reliability plan that takes into
account recent increases in solar power, conservation, and transmission
capacity, and which doesn't contribute to global warming and air pollution.

Ian Kim, Green-Collar Jobs Campaigns Director of Ella Baker Center for
Human Rights said "Building fossil fuel power plants in Southeast San
Francisco limits the city's ability to invest in renewable energy and
efficiency strategies that would increase green-collar job opportunities
for San Francisco."

"The designs for this polluting power plant project, and the outdated
energy plan that goes with it, were developed seven years ago," said
Alioto-Pier. "Since then we've installed more renewable energy and
efficiency projects. At a time when global warming is getting worse, we
need to scrap this fossil fuel project and develop a 2008 energy action
plan for San Francisco that will lead the world to a clean energy future."

"The current strategy is still excessively fossil fuel driven. Why can't
that be supplemented by renewables?" said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi in
recent hearings. "I'm still not sold on the idea that we need the
peakers at all."

State Senator Carole Migden authored the 2002 Community Choice energy
legislation that allows California cities to purchase renewable energy
and build their own renewable power facilities. "The time of fossil fuel
is over. The people want 100% clean energy now and shutting down the
Mirant Plant for another fossil fuel burning plant just makes no sense.
This neighborhood has suffered under the toxic air of the current plant,
San Francisco needs to stand together and build something that is
renewable and clean for the families of the Bay View and Potrero Hill."

John Rizzo of the Sierra Club said "At a time when the governor is
adding resources to fight global warming, San Francisco is putting $250
million to contribute to global warming."

Marie Harrison of Greenaction said "This power plant project would not
even be on the table if it had been proposed for any other community in
the city. Asthma and cancer rates in the Bayview-Hunters Point are some
of the highest in the nation. We will not stand for any more of this."

Eric Brooks with San Francisco Green Party added "The city claims this
will benefit the Bayview-Hunters Point Community. A plant that must pay
for itself by burning fossil fuel for eighteen years, is not a benefit
to any community."

Endorsing Organizations

Ella Baker Center For Human Rights
Sierra Club
Greenaction For Health And Environmental Justice
SPUR (San Francisco Planning And Urban Research Association)
Global Exchange
Green For All
Environmental Defense
The San Francisco Green Party
The San Francisco Bayview Newspaper
Huntersview Mothers Committee For Health And Environmental Justice
Women?s Energy Matters
Latino Issues Forum
Center On Race, Poverty And The Environment
Greenwood Earth Alliance
Environmental Justice Air Quality Coalition
Defend Bayview-Hunters Point
Idriss Stelley Foundation
The San Francisco Green Party Sustainability Working Group
Our City
Brightline Defense Project

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