Tom Bogenschutz, 812-205-4706
EVANSVILLE, IN -- Several faith, environmental, social justice and consumer advocacy groups have formed a coalition, Energy for All, in response to the widespread distress and hardship in our community caused by exorbitant CenterPoint bills and the utility’s intent to raise rates even more.
Evansville area residents have long been burdened by the highest electric bills in the state, but this winter’s energy bills have reached a crisis point for area families. To add more pain, CenterPoint has requested a rate increase to cover more than $800 million for a gas pipeline and two gas-fueled “peaker plants” for which more cost effective and less environmentally harmful alternatives exist. By Centerpoint’s own analysis, this plan would add an additional $23 per month to a typical bill.
This investment will subject CenterPoint customers to a precarious energy future and the possibility of ever-increasing rates due to the impact of extreme weather and global events on energy supplies. Furthermore, when the world is experiencing the ravaging effects of a warming planet, any further long-term investment in fossil fuels is not only folly, it is immoral.
This coalition challenges CenterPoint to:
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Immediately take steps to alleviate the burden their exorbitant rates have caused this community.
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Provide full transparency on the details of the utility billing process and full transparency in the cost basis for those bills.
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Abandon their ill-conceived and expensive gas fueled plants as the means to meet the future energy needs of our community.
We deserve and demand a more affordable and clean energy future.
Members of Energy for All include:
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Tri-State Creation Care
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Congregations Acting for Empowerment and Justice (CAJE)
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Daughters of Charity - Evansville
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Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy (DAACE)
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Evansville Audubon Society
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Indivisible Evansville
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League of Women Voters of Southwestern Indiana
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NAACP
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Valley Watch
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Veterans for Peace
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Ohio Valley Beyond Coal
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Sierra Club, Southwest Indiana Local Network
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Citizens Action Coalition
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Confront the Climate Crisis
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, 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.