October 3, 2008

Grassroots Groups and Clean Air Bike Brigades
to Deliver Message to DAQ October 15:
Opposition to Cliffside power plant intensifies

On Wednesday, October 15, at least nine major social justice and environmental organizations will deliver a letter to the NC Division of Air Quality (DAQ) demanding the withdrawal of Duke Energy's construction permit for expansion of its Cliffside coal-burning power plant in Rutherford County, fifty miles southeast of Asheville. The Title V permit for the mammoth 800 megawatt plant is due for review this fall and the groups are asking for multiple public hearings around the state to provide fair access to the process for all citizens and members of the news media. Dozens of similar coal plants around the nation have been canceled due to health and environmental concerns and the emergence of renewable technologies and energy efficiency programs that provide cleaner, safer viable alternatives. The groups involved will hold a press conference, 11 A.M. at the DAQ headquarters, 2090 Hwy 70, in Swannanoa, explaining the contents of the letter to DAQ including the legal, health, environmental and practical basis for the demand to stop construction at Cliffside. The letter to the DAQ itself will be posted on www.stopcliffside.org for public view on October 15.

Two groups of bicycle riders, one leaving from the Vance Monument in downtown Asheville at 9:15 A.M., and another departing from Warren Wilson College, will descend on the Swannanoa DAQ headquarters to join those at the press conference in expressing their opposition to Cliffside.

Speakers at the press conference will also outline a series of ongoing and planned actions to mobilize opposition to the construction at Cliffside. Representatives from Asheville Rising Tide, Canary Coalition, Carolinas Clean Air Coalition, Mountain Voices Alliance, NC Interfaith Power & Light (a program of the NC Council of Churches), NC Waste and Reduction Network, Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Southern Energy Network, Western North Carolina Alliance and other organizations will be present. These groups represent thousands of the most politically active and concerned citizens, community leaders, academics, students, members of the clergy, business and medical communities in western North Carolina.
The month of October is recognized as National Child Health Month by the American Academy of Pediatrics and as Healthy Lung Month by the American Lung Association. Since pollution from coal plants can cause mercury toxicity in pregnant women resulting in neurological impairment in children and soot from coal plants contributes to respiratory illness, the press conference will address community health issues associated with coal burning power plants such as Cliffside.

Social justice, environmental and community organizations in Raleigh and the Triangle area are planning similar activities, on October 15, in this statewide effort.

Asheville Rising Tide, Abigail Singer, 828-280-3462
Canary Coalition, Avram Friedman, 828-631-3447
Carolinas Clean Air Coalition, June Blotnick, 704-342-9161
Mountain Voices Alliance, Elaine Lite, 828-255-8537
NC Interfaith Power & Light, A program of the NC Council of Churches, Jill Rios, 828-252-1794
NC Waste Awareness and Reduction Network, Jim Warren, 919-416-5077
Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Mary Olson, 828-675-1792
Southern Energy Network, Russ Anderson, 229-269-1986
Western North Carolina Alliance, Julie Mayfield, 828-258-8737