[SDCPJ] NO PIO PICO IN SAN YSIDRO! Pio Pico EPA hearing - Tuesday Dec 17 6:30-8:30

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Emily Wier <emily.wier@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 21, 2013 at 5:17 PM
Subject: Pio Pico EPA hearing - Tuesday Dec 17 6:30-8:30

Pio Pico would be a 300MW gas-fired peaker power plant installed near the border in San Ysidro. This plant would cost ratepayers $1.6 billion, emit greenhouse gasses, contribute to worsening air quality in our border region, and take us a step backwards in the fight against climate change. This plant may be familiar to many of you, as we (along with our allies) successfully got the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to deny this application (and the Quail Brush) back in March of this year. Now - SDG&E says that because San Onofre is no longer in operation, we need the power - when in fact, our energy demands have stayed constant. We don't need this power!

There is an EPA hearing on Tuesday, December 17 from 6:30-8:30 pm 

Where: San Ysidro Middle School (4353 Otay Mesa Rd, San Diego 92173)

When: Tuesday December 17, 6:30-8:30 pm

What: US EPA Hearing on the Pio Pico Power Plant

What's Our Role? Permits for the 300 MW Pio Pico Power Plant have been granted by the CPUC, CEC (CA Energy Commission), and the EPA. However, the EPA is considering their permit that stated that it would reconsider its permit. This is the only missing link between this dirty power plant from being built, and our partners need us to rally the troops! 

Here's more information -

How You Can Prevent Pio Pico & Other Dirty Power Plants
And Make Way for More Clean Energy

 

Action List for Individuals

 

BACKGROUND:

·   Pio Pico is a dirty gas power plant proposed by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E).

·   Pio Pico would be located in Otay Mesa in an area that already fails to meet state particulate matter standards and is among the 20% most polluted zip codes in CA. If permitted, Pio Pico will continue to pollute for the 25 years of the contract.

·   Pio Pico would saddle SDG&E customers with the $1.6 Billion bill.

·   SDG&E wants the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to fast track approval Pio Pico at the end of 2013 or Jan 2014.

·   Pio Pico was previously granted permits from the California Energy Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but the U.S. EPA announced it will reconsider its permit and reopen public comments, which are due on Dec 17. There will be a hearing at San Ysidro Middle School on Dec 17 at 6:30pm. 

·   The CPUC said NO to Pio Pico in March due to lack of need through at least 2018.

·   Now SDG&E is using the closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) as a reason it is reapplying for Pio Pico just 3 months after the NO decision.

·   SDG&E's request ignores the CPUC's separate and more appropriate comprehensive planning process (the Long-Term Procurement Plan-- LTPP) to evaluate SONGS replacement needs, it ignores the fact that we don't need the energy, and it exemplifies SDG&E's total disregard for clean energy solutions.

·   In addition to Pio Pico, the CPUC is also considering (as part of the LTPP) a whole line of new fossil fuel power plants in San Diego and the Los Angeles Basin to replace SONGS with 50% fossil fuels.

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

 

·   Sign CEJA's Petition 'No Pio Pico; Yes to Clean Energy to Replace SONGS':  http://bit.ly/HHl6P8

 ·   Sign Sierra Club's Petition 'No Dirty Gas Plants; Yes to 100% Clean Energy to Peplace SONGS': https://secure.sierraclub.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=12338

 

·   Promote the CEJA Petition, share the Pio Pico Fact Sheet, and Share CEJA's Blog and CEJA's/EHC's Tweets and FB Posts with your members and friends via email, social media, meetings, etc

o (Pio Pico Fact Sheet: http://caleja.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Pio-Pico-Fact-Sheet-FINAL.pdf)

o CEJA Blog: http://caleja.org/news/

o EHC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EHCSanDiego

o CEJA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaEnvironmentalJusticeAlliance

--
Emily Wier 

pachamama