[All] Quick Action: Contact Ont. Energy Min. to say no to coal

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Ontario Clean Air Alliance is asking people  to contact Ontario's Energy Minister, Gerry Phillips, to take the following steps to phase out coal by 2010. 
 
1 Ban non-emergency coal-fired electricity exports to the United States: We should only export or import coal-fired electricity if it is essential to keep the lights on in the U.S. or Ontario. Dirty power exports that ignore the heavy health and climate costs of burning coal are a bad deal for both us and our neighbours. Currently, however, the OPA is recommending that in 2010, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) should export 50% of its coal-fired generation to the U.S.
 
2 Use cleaner generation before firing up dirty coal-fired generators: Despite the fact that the OPA has contracted for 10,636 MW of new supply, the OPA is recommending that Ontario should continue to operate its dirty coal plants in 2010. Once again, the OPA's recommended actions will protect OPG's profits at the expense of reducing smog and fighting dangerous climate change. Energy Minister Phillips needs to direct OPG to cease operating its dirty coal plants when all our needs can be met by cleaner sources (e.g., wind, water, solar, biomass and natural gas-fired power plants)
If Minister Phillips takes these actions, Ontario's electricity rates could rise by up to 3.3% in 2010; but this is a small price to pay to obtain major public health and environmental benefits:

save close to 700 lives in Ontario alone;
prevent more than 300,000 asthma attacks per year; and
provide 50-80% of the total greenhouse gas emission reductions that Ontario needs to achieve compliance with its Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gas emission reduction target for 2010.
Please contact Energy Minister Phillips and ask him to take the necessary steps to ensure that we can phase-out our dirty coal plants by 2010.
 
Contact information:
The Honourable Gerry Phillips 
Minister of Energy 
Hearst Block, 900 Bay Street 
Toronto M7A 2E1 
Phone: 416-327-6758, Fax: 416-327-0033 
Email: gphillips.mpp at liberal.ola.org
 
For More information please visit:
http://www.cleanairalliance.org/knockout_coal
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