Capitol Climate Action: Mass Civil Disobedience in DC Against Use of Coal at Capitol Hill Power Plant

Last Thursday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid called for the plant to eliminate coal and completely switch to natural gas, which produces about half the greenhouse gas emissions as coal. They called the plant “the number one source of air pollution and carbon emissions” in the nation"s capital.

It currently burns about 35 percent coal and the rest natural gas. Earlier efforts to remove coal from the plant’s fuel mixture were thwarted by pro-coal legislators like Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Democratic Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia.

I’m joined now from Washington DC by two well-known environmental advocates who will be at today’s non-violent direct action at the Capitol power plant, willing to be arrested.

Bill McKibben is an environmentalist who frequently writes about global warming and alternative energy. He is the author of nine books, including “Deep Economy: the Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.” He is a co-founder of an environmental mobilization campaign called 350.org.

Julia “Judy” Bonds is an Appalachian environmental activist from West Virginia and the director of Coal River Mountain Watch. She comes from a family of coal miners and won the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2003 for leading the fight against mountaintop removal mining.

Julia "Judy" Bonds, Appalachian environmental activist from West Virginia and the director of Coal River Mountain Watch. She comes from a family of coal miners and won the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2003 for leading the fight against mountaintop removal mining.

Bill McKibben, environmentalist and author who frequently writes about global warming and alternative energy. He is the author of nine books, including “Deep Economy: the Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.” He is a co-founder of an environmental mobilization campaign called 350.org.

Related Links

• 350.org