Anti-Coal Documentary and Panel Discussion Tomorrow

Sep 08, 2008 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) A new documentary follows the grassroots movement that convinced a Texas utility to drop plans for eight coal-fired power plants, and local clean air activists say the film is especially timely for Utah audiences. Tim Wagner of the Utah Smart Energy Campaign says activists here are in a similar fight.

"We've got three significant power plants proposed here in Utah, and three very large, huge plants proposed just over the border in Nevada that will have direct impacts on our air quality and environment here in Utah, as well," Wagner says.

A panel discussion will follow tomorrow's free screening of the Redford Center at the Sundance Preserve's new release, "Fighting Goliath: Texas Coal Wars." Similar events will be staged throughout Utah and Nevada. The Salt Lake City panel includes Mayor Ralph Becker's sustainability coordinator, a representative from Rainforest Action Network, the League of Women Voters and the Utah Medical Association. The film begins at 7 p.m. at Tower Theater in Salt Lake City.

Wagner says the Texas activists were successful in halting construction on eight of the 11 proposed plants because they represented a diverse group of stakeholders.

"When you've got mayors from the city of Dallas, and Irvine and Houston sitting at the table with mayors from smaller communities of 1,000 to 500 people, along with ranchers, who were very concerned about the impacts of this on the operations of their cattle, that's when I think the Governor of Texas realized, we need to take notice of this because maybe we need to take a step back and reexamine it," he says.

Utah's clean air movement is growing and becoming more diverse, Wager claims. However, Utah's anti-coal activists have yet to convince state leaders to put a stop to new coal-fired power plants.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW