A cold mist was in the air and the sun did not shine but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of more than 200 children, men and women who demanded that Vectren, the local electric utility, drop their plans for two new coal plants.

Encouraged by speeches from representative of three groups who have officially "intervened" in Vectren's proposal before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission seeking permission to build a very expensive coal plant at Edwardsport, Indiana in partnership with Duke Energy, the protesters surrounded Vectren Headquarters chanting, "cut carbon now-no new coal."

The peaceful protest ended with a group picture of most who attended in front of Vectren's main entrance.

Vectren and Duke are proposing to build a new 630 megawatt plant they say will be cleaner than conventional plants and is capable of capturing carbon dioxide. Although it is capable, the utilities have no plans to do so at this time and it is known that capturing and storing carbon (CCS) will add approximately 50% to the capital cost of the plant which has already experienced huge cost increases without a spade of dirt being turned to build it.

At the first of 2006, the utilities said the plant without CSC would cost $1 billion but papers filed this month indicated the cost had risen nearly double in just one year to $1.985 billion.

In Vectern's case that would indicate a rate increase to pay for the additional 10% generating capacity would be 40.8%. If CCS were added, that cost would rise even further to 61% making it electrons some of the most expensive in the US.

"We felt the economics issues were nearly equal to the environmental issues in prompting people to the rally," asserted John Blair, president of the environmental health group, Valley Watch and one of the event's primary organizers. "The Climate crisis is real and it is caused largely by the use of coal, you certainly do not solve the problem by exacerbating it."

Indiana is the number on state in the nation for release of carbon dioxide from coal, emitting more than 134,000,000 tons in 2004, the most recent data available. The Duke/Vectren proposal would increase that amount by more than 4,000,000 tons if it were to be built.

Groups intervening to stop the plant from being built are:

Citizens Action Coalition, Save the Valley, Sierra Club (Hoosier Chapter), and Valley Watch.

www.valleywatch.net

Despite the cold weather lots of people came out and there were several great speakers including; Biologist, Sam LaBudde. We chanted and marched to Vectren. I believe it was a great turnout and we are making a lot of progress!

Around 200 people turned up in the cold, wind and drizzle with great homemade signs and banners, including an artist who made a lovely sun out of streamers and a young man dressed as the Grim Reaper. Our speakers included Grant Smith, exec. director of Citizens Action Coalition; Peter Fritz of Hoosier Sierra Club, John Blair and myself of Valley Watch (the sponsoring organization); biologist/activist Sam LaBudde; and Heidi Krause of Urban Sisterhood. After a rousing rally, we marched to Vectren headquarters chanting "No New Coal! Cut Carbon Now!" Once there, we surrounded the building and chanted, and then gathered for our group picture. We were so inspired by the turnout. Our action rocked!

We had great media coverage. Adding more links.