National Civil Disobedience Inspires Local Education on Energy Issues

Media Release

WHO: Everglades Earth First! and the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition
WHAT: Educational event on grassroots renewable energy options
WHERE: At the Friends Quaker Meeting, 823 North A Street, Lake Worth
WHEN: March 2, 2009 from 5:00 P.M to 7:00 P.M.
WHY: In solidarity with the growing grassroots movement around climate change solutions


On March 2, 2009 thousands of activists will gather in Washington, D.C. to demand comprehensive and serious action on climate change by this administration.They will hold our elected officials accountable for reclaiming and safeguarding our future by taking significant initiatives toward tackling the climate crisis and providing an opportunity for a shift to truly clean energy and new clean, green employment. Thousands will engage in civil disobedience actions at the coal-fired capitol power plant which powers Congress with dirty energy. Activists have organized, lobbied, taken actions to pass policies, have educated and agitated and yet our government has failed to recognize the reality, scope and urgency of global warming and climate change. Capitol Climate Action activists will send a powerful message of the urgency through mass peaceful civil disobedience and other peaceful actions. Local representatives from Palm Beach County will be attending in D.C.

In support of and in solidarity with these actions in Washington, D.C., Everglades Earth First! will be promoting and providing a local action in which people can participate to show their support. A training workshop on clean, green energy initiatives and solar power education will be offered which will show ways that we can make the transformation to a clean, green lifestyle economically feasible for everyone. The training workshop is "A Handy-Person's Guide to Setting up and Equipping your Home for Solar Power and how to Save Money Doing It". The workshop will provide an overview of principles of electrical energy and solar power, and serve as an introduction to a follow-up, hands-on workshop on building solar panels and solar water heaters. The workshop will take place on March 2, 2009 from 5:00 P.M to 7:00 P.M. at the Friends Quaker Meeting House at 823 North "A" Street in Lake Worth and is free and open to the general public.

Links:
www.capitolclimateaction.com
www.powershift09.org

Solidarity actions with Everglades Earth First! Political Prisoners, Feb 18-24

February 18 – 24 Call in week to FPL and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in opposition to continued permitting of the West County Energy Center

February 24 Demonstration at DEP Southeast Regional Office 3-5pm at 400 N. Congress, West Palm Beach

On February 18, 2008, over a hundred Earth First! activists gathered at the entrance to the construction site of the largest new fossil fuel power plant in the county, Florida Power & Light’s West County Energy Center (WCEC). Twenty-six activists were arrested for blockading the construction entrance to the 3800 megawatt power plant adjacent to headwaters of both the Everglades and Loxahatchee River. The WCEC is permitted by the DEP to use over 7 billion gallons of water a year, drawn from surface, aquifer and re-use sources in and near the Everglades. It has also been permitted to emit over 12 million tons of C02 annually—an amount greater than the thirty least polluting nations on Earth.

On February 2, 2009, two of the activists, Lynne Purvis and Panagioti Tsolkas, were sentenced to 30 days and 60 days, respectively, for their participation in the blockade. Judge Laura Johnson’s punitive sentencing for civil disobedience is seen as an attempt to silence and chill dissent. As environmental activists are sentenced to jail, the criminal activity of FPL and the DEP continues in the continued permitting for the West County Energy Center.

Local residents filed an administrative petition to challenge the DEP permit which would allow an increased amount of contaminated power plant water to be injected into our aquifer. Their hearing scheduled to begin February 24 was denied. DEP has given FPL a green light permit to inject up to 21 million gallons of contaminated wastewater underground every day. The water would cycle through the plant and be re-injected into our aquifer, containing poisonous elements such as Chromium. These systems have a documented history of failure.

For technical and legal background documents on the case, see Division of Administrative Hearings, docket #08-6427: http://www.doah.state.fl.us/internet/search/docket.cfm?CaseNo=08-006427

Call FPL and the DEP, tell them that we will continue to fight against their expansion of fossil fuel power plants and destruction of the Everglades:

FPL’s environmental licensing specialist:
Barbara Linkiewicz, office (561) 691-7005, cell (561) 371-5351

Call DEP representatives:
Jack Long, southeast office (561) 681-6661, Mike Sole, DEP secretary, (850) 245-2011

xxx

PBC Environmental Coalition Monday Meeting Reminder and Feb Announcements

Tomorrow, 7pm at the Quaker Meeting House, 823 North A Street, Lake Worth, will be the monthly PBCEC meeting.

This will be my last meeting for a few months. as i will be joining the cross-country Earth First! Spring Roadshow to spread the word far and wide about our grassroots movement down here in the swamps and on the coasts of South Florida
www.earthfirstroadshow.wordpress.com

So, it would be great to see you all there, and of course, there is plenty to talk about..

panagioti tsolkas
co-chair, PBCEC

(for those who didn't know, i just back back from Maine, where i was able to help the local grassroots activists with Native Forest Network expose Plum Creek's destruction of the North Woods. Check the call to action, press releaseand some photos here: http://pbcec.blogspot.com/2009/01/help-defend-north-woods-from-plum-creek.html

--------------------------------
UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

*FPL Protest Sentancing Hearing, 2/2 (Monday), 1:30pm at WPB Courthouse, 9th floor, courtroom 9E
IT IS NOT AT 9AM AS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED.. IF YOU ARE COMING, PLEASE BE THERE AT 1:30PM!!
for background on this: http://pbcec.blogspot.com/2009/02/support-earth-first-activists-at.html

*Our Federal lawsuit against FPL's West County Energy Center has been postponed. There is not a trial date of Feb 18, as we are awaiting Judge Middlebrook's ruling on the Motions to Dismiss filed against us. Please stay tuned.

*'Respect Yer Mama' activist-folk music tour will be here on February 16th at 609 Lake Ave. 6pm - workshop on building music collectives. 7pm show! Contact: respectyermama@gmail.com to connect with us while we're in town! To see other FL tour dates check: http://www.riotfolk.org/tours.php?tour_id=32

*Capitol City Coal Action in D.C. March 2 DO folks from PBC want to carpool up for this action?
"There are moments in a nation’s — and a planet’s — history when it may be necessary for some to break the law in order to bear witness to an evil, bring it to wider attention, and push for its correction. We think such a time has arrived, and we are writing to say that we hope some of you will join us in Washington, D.C. on Monday, March 2, in order to take part in a civil act of civil disobedience outside a coal-fired power plant near Capitol Hill."
-Bill McKibben and Wendell Berry
For more info: http://climateimc.org/en/climate-actions/2009/01/25/us-coal-action-join-us-march-2

*There is another fight brewing off our coasts.. Help us generate comments tothe DEP in opposition to the Breakers proposed dredge & fill project. Here is a link to a suggested letter:
http://pbcec.blogspot.com/2009/02/breakers-beach-project-in-palm-beach.html

Breaker's Beach Project in Palm Beach Unacceptable!!!

Greetings...

To all those interested in preserving and protecting our fragile coastal ecosystem from ridiculous dredge and fill projects (allegedly beach restoration), we need your help.

The Breaker's Hotel in Palm Beach has received a permit to "rehabilitate" and add additional T-groins in the ocean seaward of their property. In order to receive a notice to proceed, they must get a sovereign submerged land easement from DEP.

We believe the project is outrageous and poses substantial, irretrievable and irreparable harm to our fragile ocean ecosystem including endangered and threatened species. There is absolutely no doubt that this project will seriously jeopardize the resources observed on the infamous Breaker's Pier/Rock Pile including corals, turtles, fish and wildlife and their habitats.

We consider this project nothing more than a land grab (of public land) by the upland private property owners at the expense of the resources.

In an attempt to ensure that this project does not receive a notice to proceed, we are asking the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection to elevate this issue to the Governor and the Cabinet so that we may receive due process (notice and opportunity to be heard). We simply wish to share our concerns with the decisionmakers.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Below is a letter that I have sent off to Michael Sole. We are hoping that you can help us by sending a letter as well. Every echo of our request will help. So, please take a few moments to send a note off to the Secretary. We'd appreciate if you would send us a copy as well.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

Sent via email to Michael.Sole@dep.state.fl.us

January 28, 2009

The Honorable Michael W. Sole
Secretary
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Marjory Stoneman Douglas Building
3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS #35
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000


RE: Breaker's Application for Sovereign Submerged Lands Easement BOT 500222499, Easement #30606A, DEP File No. 0173170-003-JC, Breakers T-Groin Reconditioning, Palm Beach County


Dear Mr. Secretary:


In a nutshell, we are writing to you today to respectfully request that you elevate this matter to the Governor and Cabinet acting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the State of Florida given the heightened public concern about the irreplaceable and irreparable harm that will ensue to our precious natural ocean resources and water quality at the project site and inherent negative impacts to both the public and private portions of the coastal
ecosystem as they will be denied necessary natural drifts of sand and therefore suffer increased erosion thereby diminishing the use and enjoyment of these public waters and public land.

As you may know, your Department, in your notice of intent, determined that the proposed activity (because of its size, potential effect on the environment or the public, controversial nature or
location) is likely to have a heightened public concern. As people become aware of this project and the application for Sovereign Submerged Lands Easement, there is indeed this heightened public
concern.

As you may also know, the permit and sovereign submerged lands easement applications have gone through many iterations since it was originally filed back in 2001 (or before). The modifications to thisproject over the years to its current proposed activity has changed dramatically. However, since the changes were dealt with as modifications (not a new application), due process (notice and opportunity to be heard) was unfortunately not provided.

Additionally, since the original application was filed so long ago, much of the information provided to you has changed and is now outdated and stale. For example, consultants for the Breakers stated that the Breakers Rock Pile/Pier was exposed starting at approximately 350 feet from shore when in fact surveys of the area conducted November 28, 2008 show the Breakers Rock Pile/Pier exposed starting at 35 feet from shore. It is essential that the information provided to you be updated accordingly to avert burial and/or damage of the resources.


For the following "top ten" reasons we respectfully request an opportunity to be heard by the Board of Trustees.

We believe this project, among other things:

1. is contrary to the public interest as it will interfere with public access and the public use, enjoyment, recreation and navigation of this public land

2. will cause significant irreplaceable and irreparable harm to marine turtles and/or their nests and/or nesting habitat as well as the coastal ecosystem

3. will adversely affect the conservation of fish and wildlife resources, including endangered and threatened species and/or their habitats

4. will adversely affect fishing and/or fishing or recreational values or marine productivity

5. will cause significant irreplaceable and irreparable harm to the coral reef ecosystem

6. is not consistent with the goals and objectives of the "Conceptual State Lands Management Plan" adopted by the Board of Trustees on March 17, 1981 as modified on March 15, 1983

7. will adversely affect the public health, safety and/or welfare on both public and private property

8. will dramatically increase turbidity in the area substantially reducing water quality and thereby adversely affecting the coastal ecosystem

9. will adversely affect navigation and/or the flow of water and/or cause harmful erosion or shoaling

10. will disturb and/or destroy existing beach topography thereby not maintaining essentially natural conditions, and interfering with littoral rights of adjacent and downdrift property owners


Mr. Secretary, while we appreciate the work your Department has done on this project, we fear that the modifications made along the way do not provide the best protection for our public land and our coastal ecosystem. We simply request a public vetting of the issues so that those of us who have grave concerns about the project can share them with you and the Board of Trustees.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to a favorable reply to our request.

On behalf of the environment that we strive to preserve and protect every day,

Sincerely,

Brenda Lee Chalifour, Esq.
2001 S. Surf Road, Suite 4B
Hollywood, FL 33019
...
Email: BrendaLeeChali4@aol.com

Support Earth First! Activists at Sentencing This Monday Afternoon for FPL Blockade

Friends and Fellow Activists,

We are asking for support for the seven activists who put their bodies the line to stand up to corporate power and protect our fragile Everglades. They are scheduled for sentencing on Monday afternoon, February 2, 2009 at 1:30pm. at the courthouse in West Palm Beach on the 9th Floor, room 9E. We are asking as many as possible to attend the sentencing to show their support for the activists.

On February 18, 2008, while attempting to peacefully halt construction of the monstrous West County Energy Center being built by FPL, 25 environmental activists were arrested. This came after years of civil protest, lawsuits, and public involvement in permitting processes that had little effect in stopping the power plant. They had exhausted every legal means to protest the building of the plant, and to no avail. Their pleas and the pleas of many others in the community appeared to fall on deaf ears.

This past December, this last group of seven activists went to trial using the defense of necessity. Necessity, as you well know, is a legal defense akin to self defense, differing in that it states that the defendants committed the alleged crime out of necessity to prevent harm to another person, or, in this case, a whole community. They stood up for their actions and brought in scientific experts to attest to the harm the power plant was, and would be, bringing to our community and planet, via emissions, enormous water usage, and wastewater injection into our aquifer. They had the help of very impassioned public defenders, as well as testimony from several committed activist-defendants. In the end, they were all found guilty of the counts of trespassing, resisting an officer without violence, and unlawful public assembly.

This February 2nd they face sentencing, and the state prosecutor is seeking jail time for two of the defendants, in addition to harsh fines and probation for all of the defendants. The prosecutor also is trying to seek $21,000 in costs from them for the amount of money the police misspent in arresting them. This additional cost in itself is ridiculous, as it is now well known by most people that the Sheriff's Department arbitrarily shut down S.R. 80 and the shutdown was not in any way related to, caused by or planned by the activists. It was executed by the Sheriff's Department alone and they are the ones who should stand up and take responsibility for that misadventure. But all of the charges and proceedings are ridiculous for such petty charges against activists who were following a well worn path of standing up against injustice at great risk to their own safety , freedom and to their very lives. Many, including myself, believe they are being
persecuted for challenging the status quo of environmental pillage and for defending the environmental health of their community.

So PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THESE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS AT 1:30 P.M., MONDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 2, ON THE 9TH FLOOR OF THE COURTHOUSE IN WEST PALM BEACH.

Thank you,
Marie Zwicker