Enviros score major win in Texas coal-plant fight

Posted by Tara Lohan at 12:05 PM on February 23, 2007.

Tara Lohan: It seems Gov. Perry is actually suppose to work for Texans and not TXU.

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Texas Governor Rick Perry tried to pull a fast one on Texans this year as he fast-tracked the permitting process of 11 new coal-fired power plants proposed by energy giant TXU.

But now it seems Perry may not have been within the bounds of his power.

"... a state district judge ruled Gov. Rick Perry overstepped his authority by ordering the State Office of Administrative Hearings to speed up the hearings process by which citizens can challenge state permits. State District Judge Stephen Yelenosky's Tuesday ruling directed the judges to consider delaying the hearings," the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Shortly following the ruling, a group of state judges decided to delay the hearings four months -- good news for the coalition of environmentalists, business people, mayors, and local residents who are opposing the project.

The coal plants would emit 78 million tons of CO2 per year -- larger than the total greenhouse gas emissions of countries such as Ireland and Sweden; more than 80 percent of the UK's pledged reduction of GHG under the Kyoto treaty; and the equivalent of putting 14 million new cars on the road.

The Austin American-Statesmen's editorial said the "the state will be better off for" the decision -- arguing that four more months of weighing the pros and cons of this proposal could only be helpful to Texans.

They're right. But a stumbling block for dirty energy is a win not just for Texans, but for the rest of us who are hoping to breathe clean air and work for energy solutions that address the reality of global warming.

Tagged as: coal, txu, global warming, climate change

Tara Lohan is a managing editor at AlterNet.

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Good [Report this comment] Posted by: NoPCZone on Feb 23, 2007 3:10 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Once it hits the courts with a stay, the back door game is up, Drag it out until the next election and it's all over. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] TXU going to be bought by private investors. [Report this comment] Posted by: albrechtkrausse on Feb 26, 2007 10:27 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Who claim that they are against the new coal plants. Sure this is 'good' for the enviroment. Of course, who would want to bring more powerplants online and therefore have more energy capacity and therefore lower rates? Especially if you've just paid $32billion for the right to gouge Texas's energy consumers. Privatisation of energy has proven BAD in Texas. Austin, which kept its energy public, has far cheaper rates than cities that privatised. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Texas Pacific Group led a group that included Goldman Sachs & Co. and three other Wall Street firms that will pay $69.25 per share for TXU. They will also assume about $13 billion in debt. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Surprise, Surprise, Surprise [Report this comment] Posted by: james2021 on Feb 26, 2007 6:39 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Not to take the wind our of anyone's sails, Here is an alternative scenario. TXU CEO - We want to build three huge Coal Fired plants, to better gouge the State of Texas citizens. Now how shall we go about it. Coal is cheap, but a little dirty, and the Conservationists will never allow us to build any coal fired plants. Hmmmm how to get around this. We need a lot of smoke and mirrors to get this approved. Eureaka, how about we release a news story that we are planning to build 21 mega coal fired plants. Push this aggressively, get the Govenor involved, He is a good devious Republican, not as good as ole GW Bush, but he will do. Need lots of advertising, Good excuse to raise electric rates to boot. Then after a lot of huffing and puffing, we cut the number to 3, and the Conservationists will swoon all over our feet, and help sell this to the public. TXU CFO - That will never work, 21 plants are too many, costs will be excessive, and the finamcial bloodhounds will know we aren't serious. 15 is a more likely number to sell to the financial markets. But do like the deviousness of asking for the moon, and then settling for what we really wanted in the first place. TXU - CEO - 15 is still too big, how about 11, that will seem reasonable to the Financial Markets, and enought to scare the daylights out of the Conservationists, and then We can settle on 3, which we wanted in the first place. TXU board of Directors unanimously agrees and retires to feast on the Hugh Shrimp Cocktails. May be fiction, but seems how TXU is going to get what it wants in Texas, regardless of the what Conservationists, the General Public or anyone else for that matter wants. Big Business has learned how to manipulate everyone for their own benefit. Beware of the Corporate Smoke and Mirrors game. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise Posted by: albrechtkrausse xanax [Report this comment] Posted by: vados on Mar 17, 2007 6:16 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] a href="http://tabletka.sitesfree.com/Avoid-using-other-medicines-that-make-you-sleepy-such-as-cold-medicine-pain-medication-muscle-relaxers-and-medicine-for-seizures-depression-or-anxiety-They-can-increase-some-of-the-side-effects-of-Xanax.html">Avoid using other medicines that make you sleepy such as cold medicine pain medication muscle relaxers and medicine for seizures depression or anxiety They can increase some of the side effects of Xanax Before taking Xanax tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs Panic Disorder drowsiness dizziness edit Pharmacology muscle weakness lack of balance or coordination How should I take Xanax XANAX weight gain XANAX prozac XANAX xr XANAX during pregnancy what does XANAX look like [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] pharma [Report this comment] Posted by: vados on Mar 17, 2007 6:17 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] rivotril death methylphenidate rivotril rivotril on line effects of rivotril rivotril site sys kcn ru what is rivotril meridia and weight meridia on line meridia results meridia side meridia 15 meridia online meridia reductil meridia hotel [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

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» RE: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise Posted by: albrechtkrausse