Ricky Junquera: ricky.junquera@sierraclub.org, 617.599.7048
Today, the City of Indianapolis released its Thrive sustainability action plan.
In response, Wendy Bredhold, Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Indiana issued the following statement:
“Sierra Club supports the Thrive Indianapolis vision that ‘Energy comes from clean, renewable sources that are affordable and accessible to all members of our community.’ We believe this is a vision that all residents and businesses in Indianapolis can endorse and work to achieve. We want to see the Thrive plan implemented - not put on a shelf.
"Indianapolis Power & Light can support this plan by committing, through their 20-year planning process this year, to retire their Petersburg Super Polluter coal-burning power plant by 2030. IPL’s Petersburg Super Polluter is a barrier to a 100 percent renewable electricity future for Indianapolis, and the City should engage in IPL’s planning process, calling for a retirement announcement this year - as well as clean closure of IPL’s coal ash ponds.
"Mayor Joe Hogsett cites the toll of climate change and extreme weather events as providing the imperative for the Thrive plan, and Sierra Club agrees. Our climate is in crisis, and the most vital step we can take is for IPL to commit to retire the Petersburg coal plant by 2030. The City should get involved."
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.