On July 5, 2009 the PBCEC hosted its first ever Environmental Summer Summit. We chose July 5, 2009, the day after Independence Day, to call attention to the need for energy independence from fossil fuels and foreign governments. This dependence on foreign oil is a major cause of global warming, and compromises our ability to stand up to regimes that support terrorism, many of whom possess the oil we so slavishly depend upon to fuel our economy and our greed. To view WPTV News Channel 5's Report, follow this link: http://www.wptv.com/default.aspx?articleID=13365
Unfortunately, Palm Beach County and the State of Florida have decided to ignore all such concerns and take us down a deadly path of further reliance upon fossil fuels with their decision to construct and operate the West County Energy Center in western Palm Beach County. This plant will spew over 12.5 million tons of greenhouse gases per year into an already threatened atmosphere, consume approximately 6.5 billion tons of water per year and discharge its contaminated water into our aquifer with unknown and scary consequences, and will emit many toxins and pollutants in and around the Everglades, the Corbett, and the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
In addition to Global Warming, we confronted other “burning” issues that have been heating up over the summer. We heard from Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, student activists, animal rights groups, vendors of solar heating products, and others who shared with us their list of priorities for the summer.
My sincere thanks are extended to all who braved the heat and the mosquitoes, and my special kudos go to Danny Bicknell for his tireless and outstanding efforts in putting together this Environmental Summit, as well as to Lauren Graham for her talent and creativity in designing the new Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition T-Shirts.
T-shirts are available at cost for $5 by calling Barry Silver at (561) 483-6900 or e-mailing him at barryboca@aol.com. You can also obtain a T-Shirt at our next monthly meeting which will take place on September 14, 2009 (the first Monday of September is Labor Day) at 7:00 p.m. at the Quaker House in Lake Worth, address 822 North A Street. If you have news to report or would like more information about the PBCEC, please contact the Environmental Coalition at (561) 588-9666 or pbcenvirocoalition@gmail.com.
Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting!
-Barry Silver
Monday, July 13, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
PBC Environmental Summit on July 5th
from 2-4 at Patch Reef Park in Boca Raton
There will be food, music, sports and plans for environmental activism.
We will be discussing:
-The new Scripps fight brewing at FAU Jupiter Campus,
-Our ongoing battle with FPL (including lawsuit updates),
-Banning plastic bags in PBC
-Addressing climate change at the grassroots level
-And any other topics those in attendance would like to discuss.
Anyone who is interested in helping to organize this event, contact
Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition: Barry Silver (561)483-6900
There will be food, music, sports and plans for environmental activism.
We will be discussing:
-The new Scripps fight brewing at FAU Jupiter Campus,
-Our ongoing battle with FPL (including lawsuit updates),
-Banning plastic bags in PBC
-Addressing climate change at the grassroots level
-And any other topics those in attendance would like to discuss.
Anyone who is interested in helping to organize this event, contact
Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition: Barry Silver (561)483-6900
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Critics take aim at FPL natural gas pipeline during open house in Indiantown
By Alex Tiegen
Monday, April 27, 2009
INDIANTOWN — Critics Monday night expressed disapproval for a proposed 300-mile natural gas pipeline as representatives of Florida Power & Light presented the project at an open house.
FPL’s open house at the Indiantown Civic Cneter was the third in a week. The pipeline will go from the Martin Plant in Indiantown to Bradford County, where it will receive natural gas from deposits out of state.
The $1.5 billion pipeline project is intended to increase the natural gas supply to FPL plants in Cape Canaveral and Riviera Beach and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the two locations. The project must be approved by the state Public Services Commission before it can begin.
FPL employees showed guests maps of the new project, an example of the pipe to be used and information about the economic and environmental impact of the project. Another display indicated how many of the 7,500 jobs, 3,500 of which are in construction, will be located in each county and how much tax revenue the project could generate in each county in 40 years. Treasure Coast counties could receive $102 million in property taxes from FPL over the period.
Ed Luscinskas, a Stuart resident, said he was glad FPL was investing in clean-burning natural gas, although he also believes in investing in alternative energy sources.
“This is a good step in the right direction,” Luscinskas said.
Across the center’s parking lot, a small group of environmental advocates that included members of the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition and Everglades Earth First waited with a sign reading Florida’s Pollution Legacy (FPL) and a ream of flyers claiming the state’s largest utility is using the allure of jobs to draw support for projects that will increase pollution.
The flyers stated the 1,100 jobs offered as part of FPL’s Solar Power Plant, slated to start construction next year in Martin County, and the solar energy project were just marketing strategies for “power-hungry executives.”
And the natural gas pipeline?
“FPL’s creating a regional dependence on natural gas, which is going to be depleted pretty soon,” said Peter Shultz, a Hobe Sound resident and member of Everglades Earth First.
Shultz said money should instead be invested in renewable energy instead of gas.
Jackie Anderson, a spokeswoman for FPL, refuted the group’s claims. She said the company needs to diversify its investment in energy sources because there was no single silver bullet to preventing energy waste. The group protesting the project could be using its efforts on other issues, she said.
“We just feel that their claims are baseless,” she said.
Source:
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/apr/27/critics-take-aim-fpl-natural-gas-pipeline-during-o/?feedback=1#comments
Monday, April 27, 2009
INDIANTOWN — Critics Monday night expressed disapproval for a proposed 300-mile natural gas pipeline as representatives of Florida Power & Light presented the project at an open house.
FPL’s open house at the Indiantown Civic Cneter was the third in a week. The pipeline will go from the Martin Plant in Indiantown to Bradford County, where it will receive natural gas from deposits out of state.
The $1.5 billion pipeline project is intended to increase the natural gas supply to FPL plants in Cape Canaveral and Riviera Beach and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the two locations. The project must be approved by the state Public Services Commission before it can begin.
FPL employees showed guests maps of the new project, an example of the pipe to be used and information about the economic and environmental impact of the project. Another display indicated how many of the 7,500 jobs, 3,500 of which are in construction, will be located in each county and how much tax revenue the project could generate in each county in 40 years. Treasure Coast counties could receive $102 million in property taxes from FPL over the period.
Ed Luscinskas, a Stuart resident, said he was glad FPL was investing in clean-burning natural gas, although he also believes in investing in alternative energy sources.
“This is a good step in the right direction,” Luscinskas said.
Across the center’s parking lot, a small group of environmental advocates that included members of the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition and Everglades Earth First waited with a sign reading Florida’s Pollution Legacy (FPL) and a ream of flyers claiming the state’s largest utility is using the allure of jobs to draw support for projects that will increase pollution.
The flyers stated the 1,100 jobs offered as part of FPL’s Solar Power Plant, slated to start construction next year in Martin County, and the solar energy project were just marketing strategies for “power-hungry executives.”
And the natural gas pipeline?
“FPL’s creating a regional dependence on natural gas, which is going to be depleted pretty soon,” said Peter Shultz, a Hobe Sound resident and member of Everglades Earth First.
Shultz said money should instead be invested in renewable energy instead of gas.
Jackie Anderson, a spokeswoman for FPL, refuted the group’s claims. She said the company needs to diversify its investment in energy sources because there was no single silver bullet to preventing energy waste. The group protesting the project could be using its efforts on other issues, she said.
“We just feel that their claims are baseless,” she said.
Source:
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/apr/27/critics-take-aim-fpl-natural-gas-pipeline-during-o/?feedback=1#comments
Monday, June 1, 2009
Support Barley Barber Swamp Defender Brittany Pottle!
On May 29th, one of the Barley Barber 17, Brittany, was sentenced to 30 days in Martin County Jail. She plead no-contest to three charges. Back in January, Brittany bravely defied law enforcement officers as well as Florida Power & Light security guards by crossing into Barley Barber Swamp through a water way that is both waters of the State and waters of the U.S. Brittany carried out a swamp occupation attempting to protect and call attention to the old growth cypress swamp with 1000 year old cypress trees. Barley Barber is a gem, a primeval landscape, and one of the only old-growth cypress forests left in the Southeast Coast. FPL's Martin Power Plant, the largest fossil fuel power plant in the U.S. is pulling water from below the forest causing soil subsidence and the eventual collapse of the entire ecosystem.
Please support Barley Barber Swamp, Brittany, and eco-defense by writing to her at the following address. She could also use lots of books! Also, consider donating to Everglades Earth First! to help with legal funds! Check out the paypal link on www.evergladesearthfirst.org home page.
Martin County Jail
Brittany Pottle
800 SE Monterey Rd.
Stuart, Florida 34994
Martin County Jail Regulations on published materials:
"Inmates may receive Newspapers, magazines, books and periodicals sent directly from the publisher or approved vendor such as a retail book seller, internet distributor or book club via the US Postal Service or private delivery service. Inmates may receive educational, and reference books through the U.S. mail system, provided they are mailed directly from the publisher or bookstore. There are no limitations on religious material. All reading material must be in paperback form."
from: http://www.evergladesearthfirst.org/legal.htm
Please support Barley Barber Swamp, Brittany, and eco-defense by writing to her at the following address. She could also use lots of books! Also, consider donating to Everglades Earth First! to help with legal funds! Check out the paypal link on www.evergladesearthfirst.org home page.
Martin County Jail
Brittany Pottle
800 SE Monterey Rd.
Stuart, Florida 34994
Martin County Jail Regulations on published materials:
"Inmates may receive Newspapers, magazines, books and periodicals sent directly from the publisher or approved vendor such as a retail book seller, internet distributor or book club via the US Postal Service or private delivery service. Inmates may receive educational, and reference books through the U.S. mail system, provided they are mailed directly from the publisher or bookstore. There are no limitations on religious material. All reading material must be in paperback form."
from: http://www.evergladesearthfirst.org/legal.htm
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Fighter for Barley Barber Swamp jailed in Martin County
Folks far and wide, an Everglades Earth First!er, Cory, was sentenced to 30 days in the Martin County Jail this week.
Cory fought for Barley Barber Swamp, a 440 acre old growth cypress swamp with thousand year old trees.
Cory entered Barley Barber Swamp and locked himself there during the 5 day EEF! standoff at Barley Barber back in January.
The swamp is completely surrounded by the 17 mile cooling pond of FPL's Martin Plant. At 3705 megaWatts, the Martin Plant is the largest fossil fuel power plant in the entire nation. The Barley Barber swamp, one of the last remaining old growth swamps in Florida is being killed by FPL and the soil subsidence caused by the power plant. It is literally being sucked dry from below.
Cory is a young defender of the wild and could really use your support in the form of letters and commissary donations. Please write him, whether you know him or not, and remind him that people from around the world support him and his actions.
His address is:
Cory Cockerham, # 877396
Martin County Jail
800 SE Monterey Rd
Stuart, FL 34994
You are also invited to send paperback books mailed directly from a publisher/bookstore (such as from AK Press, Microcosm, or Amazon). Please do not delay as time in jail without letters or books is very boring!
Keep the fire of resistance burning by supporting Cory. Please write to him often.
Until its all wild,
Everglades Earth First!
Cory fought for Barley Barber Swamp, a 440 acre old growth cypress swamp with thousand year old trees.
Cory entered Barley Barber Swamp and locked himself there during the 5 day EEF! standoff at Barley Barber back in January.
The swamp is completely surrounded by the 17 mile cooling pond of FPL's Martin Plant. At 3705 megaWatts, the Martin Plant is the largest fossil fuel power plant in the entire nation. The Barley Barber swamp, one of the last remaining old growth swamps in Florida is being killed by FPL and the soil subsidence caused by the power plant. It is literally being sucked dry from below.
Cory is a young defender of the wild and could really use your support in the form of letters and commissary donations. Please write him, whether you know him or not, and remind him that people from around the world support him and his actions.
His address is:
Cory Cockerham, # 877396
Martin County Jail
800 SE Monterey Rd
Stuart, FL 34994
You are also invited to send paperback books mailed directly from a publisher/bookstore (such as from AK Press, Microcosm, or Amazon). Please do not delay as time in jail without letters or books is very boring!
Keep the fire of resistance burning by supporting Cory. Please write to him often.
Until its all wild,
Everglades Earth First!
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