PBCEC News from the Earth First! Round River Rendezvous in Ohio, and more

Hey y'all, i just got home from the Earth First! National Round River Rendezvous in Ohio.. As some groups slide down the slope of compromise and greenwashing, it is encouraging to see that others are taking even stronger stances, it seems that environmental direct action is on the rise around the US, and i would like to think that the PBCEC is among the groups who are considering all the tools in the toolbox for protecting the environment.

There was a crew of us from FL at the protest in Ohio [details below]... They could really use our support up there, if you have the chance to offer it. Many of these same folks helped us out a lot with our action here in the Everglades in February.

We need to see more of this sort of action around here!! (minus the pepper spray, preferably)

Below is also news from a similar, inspiring Earth First! protest in Virginia the week before..

Sorry that i have missed several PBCEC meetings; i have been traveling with the intent of gaining more support from activists around the country for our efforts down here in the year to come.. i think it will be an interesting fall/winter here, to say the least.

Hopefully there are some ideas here to get our creative juices flowing for the coming season.

And don't forget: the local Everglades Earth First! group will be camping out near the power plant site this weekend and the next round of FPL protest trials begins on Tuesday July 15...


-panagioti
co-chair, PBCEC

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[Please re-post far and wide, asap]

Earth First! action in Ohio July 7 shuts down American Municipal Power HQ for the day to expose the company's new coal proposals in the region..


For details, updates, photos, etc...
http://columbus.indymedia.org/node/13900

**All are out of jail. Help offset bail costs by donating!**

Several are facing trumped up charges, including "Rioting".. Stay tuned for details.

Money will be collected care of the Earth First! Journal at
www.earthfirstjournal.org


News/TV Coverage:
http://www.wsyx6.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/wsyx_vid_741.shtml

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/07/07/plant_protest.html?sid=102

http://athensnews.com/news/local/2008/jul/10/columbus-protest-against-meigs-county-power-plant-/#comments


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ALSO: Earth First! blockade in Virginia. 12 jailed and needing support

Hey all—Please circulate this e-mail on your list serves and pass it along to supportive friends and family. I'm in Richmond Va. where there was a lockdown

...at Dominion's downtown HQ. Four women locked down with lockboxes and a concrete full barrel, while a male climber dangled off a suspension bridge anchored by the barrel. Last week, Virginia's Air Board voted to permit the Wise County plant and now Earth First! and Mountain Justice have responded in kind.


The action backed up traffic into downtown Richmond...and they swept up eight support people (who didn't intend to get picked up) as well. Coverage in the Richmond Times Disbatch can be veiwed by following this link:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/search.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-01-0061.html

Right now, the media support and jail support teams are working on getting our arrestees out of jail and getting the story out.

Thats all for now more updates to come as situation develops...

To donate to BREF! please login to your https://www.paypal.com/ account and send your
donation to Drumplaya112@yahoo.com

Spend Next Weekend Standing up for the Loxahatchee

As the Gulfstream Natural Gas pipeline extension nears completion despite legal challenges, and construction on the West County Energy Center chugs ahead despite a federal lawsuit and the on-the-job death of a construction worker, it is imperative that we keep the pressure on FPL to halt these destructive projects.

This coming weekend, everyone is invited to join Everglades Earth First! in an energetic protest & overnight vigil near the construction sites of both the Gulfstream Pipeline and the West County Energy Center. We will be:

* Camping out on highly visible, public land to carry the message that both projects should be immediately halted and all permits & certification revoked.
* Launching canoes and kayaks on public waterways to monitor and document the progress of the pipeline, since our government agencies do not seem to be doing an adequate job. Remember, it was the PBCEC that helped identify unmarked gopher tortoise sites in peril and pointed out several permit violations, NOT the agencies assigned to the job.
* Taking field trips to the nearby Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and recently opened Stormwater Treatment Area 1, where last month Governor Charlie Crist came to announce plans for reviving Everglades restoration efforts - even though just a few miles up the road, the nation's largest fossil fuel power plant was being constructed smack in the middle of CERP projects!
* Having fun!

Four more activists will be facing trial the following Tuesday for their part in the action against the WCEC on February 18th. Let's show a little support and let FPL know that we will not back down!

If you want to join us, please email or call for more information! Bring canoes if you got 'em, signs, banners & costumes, sunscreen, bugspray if you need it, a tent and sleeping gear, and some food to contribute!

See you there!

Call 561-588-9666 for more information before the event starts or call 916-284-1911 on the day of the event for details and directions!

West County Energy Center Construction Worker Killed on the Job

Palm Beach Post reported:

A 61-year-old construction worker building FPL's WCEC power plant in western Palm Beach County was killed on June 27 after a pipe fell on him.

The 24-inch-wide pipe fell on the man while he was working on a scaffolding about 20 feet high, said county Fire-Rescue Capt. Don DeLucia. FPL employees used a crane to lower the worker to the ground, on a stretcher. But the man, whose name has not been released, was dead by the time rescuers arrived, DeLucia said.

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Sgt. Pete Palenzuela said the sheriff's office was investigating, standard procedure for all industrial accidents resulting in deaths in the county.

The man, was an employee of the Zachary Construction Company, a contractor hired to help build the West County Energy Center, said FPL spokeswoman Heather Kirkendall. The natural gas-burning plant is rising off Southern Boulevard, west of Loxahatchee.

"Our thoughts go out to the family of the Zachary Construction Company worker," FPL spokeswoman Kirkendall said. "An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the accident. At FPL the safety of our employees and our contractors is our number one priority."

Kirkendall said that constructions workers were sent home for the day, but she did not know if construction would be put on hold during the investigation.