Pasadena Beyond Coal
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Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign endorses Coal-Free Pasadena
The Renewable Energy Accountability Project (REAP) has launched the "Pasadena End Coal Electricity Educational Project," which will educate people about the hazards and costs of mining and burning coal for electricity.
We support a dialogue in Pasadena about the harmful effects of coal-fired electricity. The best science tells us that we must swiftly reduce and eliminate coal plant emissions to moderate the severity of climate change. Coal mining and combustion harm the land, pollute our water, and
intensify global warming.
The Sierra Club, as part of its national focus on climate change, has made the elimination of dirty coal-fired power plants a priority. Increased energy efficiency and cleaner sources of energy can replace coal and benefit local economies. We believe that strong leadership is needed to achieve this goal.
That leadership must come from all parts of our society. Increasingly, Americans recognize the risks of coal. According to a recent public opinion survey conducted by REAP, 68% of Pasadena residents support their city divesting its long-term coal power purchase agreements. That support reflects Pasadena's legacy of environmental leadership. The 2009 Integrated Resource Plan adopted by the City of Pasadena in March puts Pasadena on the path toward cleaner energy by having 40% of the city's electricity come from renewable sources by 2020 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. Coal would account for 23% of electricity sales by Pasadena Water and Power by 2020, and its use would continue through at least 2027. Phasing out coal power more quickly will require a strong commitment from city officials, leaders, and residents.
The "Pasadena End Coal Electricity Educational Project" will further public understanding of the true price of coal. The Sierra Club believes it is time to move beyond coal and toward a cleaner future that invests energy dollars as locally as possible
Coal Free Commitment
The Pasadena End Dirty Coal Electricity Education Project will urge Pasadena to more aggressively phase-out its owner
ship interests, and 18 year contracts, for out-of-state coal generated electricity.
Although Pasadena’s 2009 Integrated Resource Plan seeks to reduce current coal electricity usage to 23% by 2020, clearer and more consistent annual progress needs to be made.
Pasadena, through its municipally-owned utility –Pasadena Water and Power – obtains 59% of its electricity by burning dirty coal- (recently this use rose to 61%). Pasadena retains a 4.4% ownership interest in the Intermountain Coal Plant, located in Millard County Utah.
In 2006, the Intermountain Coal Plant was the 20th largest CO2 polluter in the United States, out of 614 existing coal plants. Each year, the Intermountain Coal Plant emits the following pollutants: 16,035,530 tons of CO2; 28,911 tons of Nitrogen Oxides; 4,239 tons of Sulfur Dioxide; and 226 pounds of Mercury.
This official Power Content Label from Pasadena Water and Power documents Pasadena’s use of dirty coal electricity for 59% of its power
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