April 15, 2008 - In
gristmill.grist.org article "The
education of Warren Buffett - why did the guru cancel six coal plants?"
by Ted Nace (Guest
Contributor), the LessCoal.com petition is specifically cited as among
likely influences of the change in direction. How cool is that!
It shows that sober engagement can make a difference.
December 11, 2007 - Rocky Mountain Power announces
it will not build another coal fired power plant for the next 10 years!
Way to go Rocky Mountain Power!! From the
Salt Lake Tribune:
Rocky
Mountain Power and its parent company, PacifiCorp, have
abandoned efforts to build new coal-fired power plants
for the next decade. The utility says that
decision is due to the likelihood of coming federal
regulations that would limit or tax carbon dioxide
emissions.
The
electric power company filed its decision with utility
regulators in Oregon and Utah, saying “it has become
apparent that Congress will enact some restriction upon
carbon emissions, ” which made attempts to calculate the
cost of new coal-fired generation “futile.”
Now we citizens must follow their lead to reduce our emissions and lighten
the load on our air.
December 8, 2007 - Rocky Mountain Power makes
the right choice and decides
against coal plant in Millard County! The following is an excerpt from
a
DeseretNews.com article by Jasen Lee (Dec 8. 2007)
After opposition to its plans to put another
coal-fired power plant in the state, PacifiCorp, Utah's
top electricity provider, has decided to focus on
developing a power plant fueled by wind or natural gas
rather than coal.
The company, owned by MidAmerican Energy Holdings,
has withdrawn its filing for the development of a
coal-fired power plant in Millard County.
"Because of the time-frame and the uncertainty around
coal, based on climate change issues, (the company is)
looking at a combination of natural gas and wind power
projects," PacifiCorp spokesman David Eskelsen said
Friday.
December 2007 - The medical community
speaks out in force: The Utah Medical
Association, the Utah Nurses
Association and The
American Lung Association of Utah have elected to join the Utah Clean
Air Alliance, joining the Utah Physicians for
a Healthy Environment and
Utah Moms for Clean Air.
November 8, 2007 - Announcing
The Utah Clean Air Alliance - Utah Moms for Clean Air
assembles a broad based group of people and organizations concerned with the
ever-deteriorating air quality of the Salt Lake Valley to form a coalition
with the sole purpose of improving our air quality. LessCoal.com
joins to help emphasize bad air quality's potential impact on business and
our region's economic competitiveness. Attended by Salt Lake City
Mayor-elect David Becker and Dr. Laura Nelson, Governor Huntsman's Energy
Director.
Click here to listen to KUER's synopsis of this event.
September 30, 2007 - Salt Lake Tribune article
on the petition picked up by the World News Network
September 6, 2007 - LessCoal accompanies the
Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment and Utah Moms for Clean Air to
Sevier County to provide health and economic impact input to Sevier County
officials, and later to an open citizens' assembly, on the proposed merchant
built coal-fired power plant by a group called Sevier Power. See some
of the coverage on
KTVX, ABC channel4 (Orem).
August 30, 2007 - LessCoal submits the Petition
and a memo of critical points to the Public Service Commission for
consideration in their deliberations on Rocky Mountain Power's Integrated
Resource Plan (the new power generation plan).
August 9, 2007 - LessCoal receives
written response from David Sokol, CEO
of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, parent of Rocky Mountain Power.
Says Sokol:
"We are currently working to permit hundreds of
megawatts of additional wind resources in the Rocky Mountain Power
service area in addition to the expansion of our geothermal resource
base already under construction in Utah.... We appreciate your
input as well as those represented by your petitions and we will remain
mindful of your thoughts as we move forward."
August 7, 2007 - LessCoal interviewed live by
Blair Feulner on KPCW covering the
petition submission, the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment visit to
Park City, coal power and water usage, other energy sources in Utah, air
quality monitoring, Governor Huntsman's energy and air quality focus, and
the public input period on Rocky Mountain Power's new power generation
proposal.
Petition story picked up by
KCSG Television serving
Cedar City, St. George and Mesquite, NV and interviews LessCoal.com founder
Alexander Lofft via telephone.
"In 2006, 90 percent of
electricity generated in Utah came from coal. Coal fired power is one of
the cheapest of all resources...but also one of the dirtiest and least
efficient. That's what sparked Alexander Lofft, founder of
lesscoal-dot-com, to circulate a petition asking billionaire Warren Buffett
to cut Rocky Mountain Power's dependence on coal-generated electricity."
August 6, 2007 -
CNBC's "Warren Buffett Watch"
picks up petition story, citing
"The Salt Lake Tribune
reports that a commercial real estate broker in Utah collected 1600
signatures
on a letter to Warren Buffett, asking that
Rocky
Mountain Power cut down on the amount of coal it uses to make
electricity, on "climate, health and economic" grounds."
August 5, 2007 -
The
Deseret News,
The Daily Herald, Energy Industry News,
Local News 8 (Pocatello, ID), The Beatrice Sun (Beatrice, NE) pick up
story on the petition to Warren Buffett through the Associated Press
encouraging energy diversification in Utah.
August 4, 2007 -
The Salt Lake Tribune
reports on the LessCoal petition submission, picked up by
KPVI News Channel 6
in Southern Idaho, channels in the Dakotas, Colorado, and even
KMTV Channel 3 in Omaha, NE (home of Berkshire Hathaway)!
Lofft noted that his effort is not to shut
down all coal plants - that would be radical, considering coal plants
supply more than 93 percent of the state's electricity, he said.
Instead, he intends to appeal to the company to step up its efforts to
diversify its energy portfolio to sources that cause less pollution...
August 1, 2007 -
The Park Record
business section article:
"Air problems mean economic problems
- Lofft sent
petition to Warren Buffet in an attempt to further exploration of renewable
energy sources." "I'm worried about Utah's economic
competitiveness..." said Lofft.
July 31, 2007 -
KSL TV Channel 5
speaks with LessCoal.com in
connection with their coverage on Governor Huntsman's Blue Ribbon Advisory
Committee on Climate Change, the Governor's energy policy working group
whose members include representatives on various sides of the energy issues.
Alex Lofft, founder of LessCoal.com, said, "We need to address these environmental issues because
they are becoming business issues. And the business impact
is that if we don't do something about the deteriorating air
quality in this region, we could potentially drive
businesses looking at Utah away and drive businesses that
are here out of state."
July 30, 2007 - LessCoal petition submission
discussed with Ori Hoffer on Park City Television's "Mountain Views Live" (PCTV).
July 28, 2007 -
Energy Diversification Appeal and Petition submitted to Warren E.
Buffett, Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, majority owner of
MidAmerican Energy which owns Rocky Mountain Power. Petition included
nearly 1,600 signatures from around Utah.
June 26, 2007 - LessCoal.com coordinates and em-cee's a presentation by
the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment
(UPHE) to leaders in Park City, Summit and surrounding counties,
business and organization leaders. Hosted at Park City Mountain
Resort, UPHE illustrated the stark acute and chronic health effects of
airborne toxins and particulate on our population - especially the physical,
developmental and genetic impacts on our children.
This event was broadcast live for 90 minutes on
KPCW (a copy of the broadcast is
available upon request). Event sponsors included
Park City Municipal, the Park City
Board of Realtors, Cole Sport,
Corporate Real Estate Group,
The Jack Johnson Company,
Park City Mountain Resort,
Tom Ward - Ecobroker and US Bank's
Park City office.
June 22, 2007 - Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky
Anderson signs the energy diversification petition following the advice of
his environmental advisor, Jordan Gates (who signed on June 12).
June 1, 2007 - With the endorsement of the
City Council of Park City, Mayor Dana Williams signs the LessCoal.com energy
diversification petition to Warren Buffett (on official Park City
letterhead). Copies available upon request.
Excerpt from the Park City Manager's Report of May 31, 2007:
Staff, [Councilwoman] Marianne Cone and [Mayor] Dana
Williams (liaisons for the City's Environmental Initiatives goal)
reviewed his information and advise sending a letter in support of his
efforts would meet Council's goals as outlined in the Environmental
Strategic Plan.
May 22, 2007 - Brent Giles, Director of
Operations for Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) and Director of
Environmental Affairs for PCMR's parent company, Powdr Corp, signs the
energy diversification petition.
May 10, 2007 - LessCoal
presents its case and credentials to the Board Members of the Park City
Board of Realtors and receives a unanimous endorsement.
May 2, 2007 - Francois Goulet, President of
Quicksilver Rossignol Group, endorses the LessCoal.com petition.
April 21, 2007 - Drs. Gerald Ross, Thomas
Kennedy and Zell McGee of the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, and
Cherise Udell of the newly formed
Utah Moms for Clean Air, endorse the LessCoal.com energy diversification petition.
April 20, 2007 - Pete Ashdown, CEO of
XMission.com and Peter Metcalf, President of Black Diamond Equipment, and
Jack Walzer, GM of Jans Mountain Outfitters and White Pine Touring all sign
onto the energy diversification petition, demonstrating early and broad
interest in this effort..
April 9, 2007 - Alexander Lofft meets with
officers with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the Joseph
Smith Memorial Building to discuss energy, air quality, economic growth and
energy efficiency. Is introduced to the Interfaith Power and Light
organization of ecclesiastical representatives concerned with power and air
quality issues.
March 20, 2007 - Alexander Lofft attends the
Governor's Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee on Climate Change meeting held at
the Department of Air Quality.
March 8, 2007 - Park City Board of Realtors
hosts a 200 person Realtors luncheon meeting focused on the environment.
Alexander Lofft speaks to the group about energy efficiency, linking energy
consumption to coal consumption and consequent carbon emissions output.
Moving away from incandescent lightbulbs to higher efficiency alternatives
like compact fluorescent and LED bulbs is emphasized as an easy and cost
effective way to quickly reduce consumption and individuals' power bills.
www.LessCoal.com is introduced, as is
the energy diversification petition to Rocky Mountain power's ownership.
March 6, 2007 - LessCoal's
Alexander Lofft discusses the issues around coal fired power on KPCW with
Blair Feulner. That afternoon, meets with,
and introduces the energy diversification petition to a
Rocky Mountain
Power senior executive at their Salt Lake City headquarters in an overall
discussion on power, air quality and regional economic growth.
March 5, 2007 -
www.LessCoal.com established as an
information resource about stationary power, energy efficiency and particularly
the ill effects of coal combustion emissions. Site
includes a link to the petition to Rocky Mountain Power at
ThePetitionSite.com to gather electronic signatures to support the hard
copy signature effort.
