I hope everyone comes out! Ahimsa On 11/17/08 10:27 AM, "Eric Brooks" <brookse32@aim.com> wrote:
Hi all,
It is urgent that you each call Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi's office today at 415-554-7630 (please mention your group affiliation) with the following message:
"Please introduce amendments to Sophie Maxwell's Power Plant Conditional Use legislation to make certain that any Combustion Turbine 'Peaker' installation would have to face the same series of conditional use hearings as all other power plants, and that renewable energy projects will be protected."
Here's why this phone call is so critical..
The deeply flawed legislation discussed below is going to the full Board of Supervisors tomorrow!
Last Wednesday, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, in a very cleverly manipulated hearing on her legislation for conditional use requirements on power plants, got the Planning Department to make statements which created the illusion that the measure will put the Combustion Turbine 'Peaker'(CTs) project through the same conditional use process at Planning as all other plants. This is simply not the case.
Planning asserted only that Maxwell's legislation 'applies' to the CTs. They were referring to the final clause of the measure which says that the Supervisors have to use the same -criteria- when considering the CTs. However, this in no way whatsoever forces the CTs through full CU hearings at the Planning Commission. This language simply leaves it up to the Supervisors, with no requirement for hearings of any kind, to decide autonomously that previous flawed State approvals are adequate and immediately pass a polluting CT contract with a simple majority vote.
And it will be even easier for them to do this if Maxwell's measure successfully blocks all other alternatives, while the State once again lays pressure on the City to have fossil fuel generation. The polluting Peakers would then be the -only- option left. And the last time that the Supervisors were faced with a no-other-options vote like that, they voted 8-3 to pass the Peaker contract.
The legislation also has serious flaws that will interfere with the rapid construction of renewable energy projects which are crucial to stopping the Peakers and closing the Mirant plant quickly.
This is all very dangerous to the fight to stop and close fossil power plants in San Francisco.
The SF Green Party has helped write an amendment that will repair the legislation and make certain that the Peakers would indeed have to face the same series of conditional use hearings as all other power plants, and that renewable energy projects will be protected.
But we have a very serious problem. We have asked Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi to introduce the amendment, however he is reluctant to do so because he watched the hearing and received the mistaken impression from a couple of public comments that the entire Southeast side of the City has joined with Potrero Hill residents in unity to support Maxwell's legislation.
It is absolutely crucial that your groups notify Supervisor Mirkarimi today and ask him to:
"Please introduce amendments to Sophie Maxwell's Power Plant Conditional Use legislation to make certain that any Combustion Turbine 'Peaker' installation would have to face the same series of conditional use hearings as all other power plants, and that renewable energy projects will be protected."
You can reach Supervisor Mirkarimi's office at: 415-554-7630
If you have questions, please call me at any time this weekend through Monday.
peace
Eric Brooks San Francisco Green Party 415-756-8844