Progressive Democrat Issue 98: CLEAN, LOCAL ENERGY FOR NEVADA

Came across this through an ad on Culture Kitchen.

In Nevada there is a plan to meet future energy needs by biulding a coal-burning power plant and bringing in coal from other parts of the nation. This is using old technology when new, cleaner technology would allow development of local energy resources.

About the Sempra coal-powered Plant:

Sempra’s 2 billion dollar plant will emit more than 50 dangerous pollutants into Nevada’s pristine air and use over 14 million gallons of precious desert ground water each day in order to provide power to Southern California. Now I have nothing against more energy for So. California, but let's do it sanely and cleanly! The only reason this coal-buriung plant is being built in Nevada is because California doesn't allow this kind of plant to be built! This is a case of exporting pollution-producing industries.

With the Sempra coal plant, hundreds of pounds of mercury, arsenic and other nasty chemicals will be released annually by the Sempra plant. Returning as rain and snow, these chemicals will contaminate water and soil. The plant will consume 14.2 millions of gallons of scarce desert ground water every day—over 5 billion gallons a year—diverting water from plants and drinking holes relied upon by deer, elk and wild horses.

There are alternatives:

I have been saying now for awhile that the time is NOW to develop clean, local energy sources that will mitigate global warming. And the Democratic Party is pushing that way. So why mess around with dirty coal in a place that doesn't even have any coal resources? Get clean, America!

Economic studies by the California Energy Commission and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have documented several thousand megawatts ofeconomically viable renewable energy in northwest Nevada. The development of these clean energy sources would provide hundreds of long-term jobs and millions of dollars in local tax revenue.

However, construction of the Sempra coal plant will block the development of these renewable resources by taking up all the unused transmission capacity on the existing transmission lines. For every megawatt of power the Sempra coal plant would generate and ship out of state via the existing main power line that runs through Gerlach, one megawatt less of clean Nevada geothermal and wind power could be developed and shipped on the same line. This is because the transmission line's capacity is limited and can now handle just another 1,000-2,000 megawatts of power, or the size of the coal plant.

Building new lines to transport renewable energy to western markets would be prohibitively expensive. Therefore, by reserving the Gerlach line, known as the Pacific Direct Current Intertie, for geothermal and wind resources, Nevada can develop clean, indigenous Nevada resources for the benefit of the state and export most of the power to markets that are desperately seeking renewable power. Many private utilities, such as those in California, are required to derive 20% of their power from renewable sources by 2017. Nevada can either use its renewable assets for the benefit of its citizens or let Sempra despoil our air and water to enhance the profits of Sempra's stockholders.

Nevada HAS geothermal resources (not all places do!) and wind resources. These are clean and relatively cheap compared with clean coal plants (though more expensive than dirty coal plants). Coal would have be transported from afar and even clean coal puts out pollution and carbon dioxide.

Help Nevada develop local, clean energy resources. Visit the Nevada Clean Energy Coalitoin.

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