Bexar County Green Party

San Antonio, Texas

City Public Service is Addicted to Coal!

CPS has a problem. Their dependence on the "rock" has hurt them, their families, and all of San Antonio.

They just want more, more, more, including a new 750 MW coal plant. But it's not too late.

Recovery is possible! Help CPS kick the coal habit and find alternatives to the dirty coal that threatens our health. CPS coal dependence could lead to dirtier air, a $1 billion coal plant boondoggle, and huge bills for San Antonio residents unless something is done now.

CPS needs a 12-step recovery plan:

1. CPS is dependent on coal, and must face the problem. A 180-day moratorium on a new coal plant should be put in place to fully research healthier options for meeting future energy needs.

2. Protect consumer's pocketbooks. High rates are due to fuel costs, an ongoing expense with coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power. There are no fuel costs with energy efficiency or from solar or wind energy. 1000 MW of wind energy is available now, from turbines that have already been built. The construction of additional transmission lines for this affordable energy has just been approved by the legislature.

3. Avoid costly boondoggles. CPS estimates that a new 750 MW plant could cost $750 million. However, it is likely that the plant would cost $900 million or even over $1 billion, which would considerably impact consumer utility bills.

4. Research energy efficiency programs that include low-interest loans and rebates for more efficient air conditioners and lighting in homes and businesses- which could prevent the need for a new power plant and cost 4-6 times less.

5. Respect the needs of consumers. Energy efficiency means more comfort in homes and businesses with better air conditioning and insulation. Adopt greenbuilding measures like those in Frisco, Texas where homeowners save $436 every year in utility bills, while living in comfort. If they put the money saved each year into paying off their mortgage it would cut the average homeowner's payments short by 2 years valued at $31,000!

6. CPS bills are going up by 30%, but they should and could come back down. If fuel costs are the problem, it's time to avoid fuel costs altogether. Enact energy efficiency programs will lower bills for consumers, that include air conditioning, weatherization and appliance rebates and loans.

7. Stop harming citizens. In San Antonio, 93 people die premature deaths each year from particle pollution from coal-burning power plants. 1,700 asthma attacks are due to this pollution as well. The 50% reduction in NOx pollution at Deely is of little use if it is replaced by more pollution from a new plant! Power plants in Dallas and Houston are having to reduce NOx by 80%, so why not more significan clean up in San Antonio?

8. Clean up their act. The existing power plants are Calaveras Lake contribute 64% (almost 2/3) of San Antonio's industrial smog-forming pollution NOx- or nitrogen oxides. CPS is a major contributor to ozone and the ozone exceedances which have been frequent already this summer. San Antonio is already struggling with dirty air. It will be nearly impossible to meet San Antonio's clean air goals the State Implementation Plan or SIP if a new coal plant is built.

9. 646 pounds of toxic mercury are released each year from Calaveras Lake power plants- "Dirty Deely" and Spruce. Mercury contaminates fish, making them unsafe to eat, and posing risks for brain damage and learning disabilities for exposed children. No mercury reductions are planned for existing plants and a new plant would drastically add to mercury pollution.

10. End their existing opacity or "smoke" violations. "Dirty Deely" had over 6000 opacity violations in just 3 recent years. Smoke particles harm our health, carrying toxic compounds with them deep into our lungs.

11. Protect San Antonio's economy. Dallas has extremely poor air quality and lost both Toyota and Boeing as a result. Clean air means more jobs and a healthier economy.

12. Be accountable to the public. Increase public accessibility of the board. Explain to all of San Antonio why power for 470,000 homes is needed if the projected growth is 400,000 people in 20 years. Do they all need more than one house, even young children? Come clean about how much a new coal plant will cost and how much pollution it would produce, information that has not been made publicly available!

CPS should stop burning the rock now!
No more new coal plants. It's time to quit - cold turkey.
Adopt a moratorium on new coal plants.
Plan instead for a healthier, more economically sound, clean energy future including renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Clean up existing plants to the same standards now being used Dallas and Houston- 80% NOx reductions, not just 50%

Read the related San Antonio Express-News article.