Today, the Florida Public Service Commission voted 4-0 to deny Florida Power & Light’s permits for a proposed coal-fired power plant in Glades County. The $5.7 billion proposed plant would have been located just 68 miles from Everglades National Park heavily polluting the Glades and surrounding area. This plant would use 26 million tons of water daily, emit 180 pounds of toxic mercury every year, and further fuel climate change by releasing an estimated 16 million tons of C02 annually.
FPL faced a huge opposition from both local and national groups who recognize that energy efficiency and renewables like solar and wind should be our priority – NOT dirty fossil-fuels. While this is a great victory in stopping new coal development – Florida is still facing at least 8 more coal-fired power plants, and 150 more are planned around the US.
Earlier this spring, Citigroup and Bank of America gave $2.5 billion to FPL for new construction – and a big thanks to everyone who helped last week by calling in to Citigroup and letting them know that FPL was a bad investment! Your support makes a huge difference as we work to make sure Wall Street stops funding climate change!
-Matt
Twitter Updates
1 down, another 8 to go in FL and 150 nationwide. Let us stop EVERY SINGLE ONE of these poison producers!
TIME TO BE THE LEADER and not the follower. GREEN energy!
We’ve been thinking about putting up a big poster of 150 coal plants and crossing them off one by one.
It’s important to note, however, that there will hopefully be a cultural tipping point where banks (and the rest of the business world) realize that coal just isn’t a good idea. Certainly this unanimous decision is a step in the right direction.