Also, here’s an interesting TV interview about the bill that Mike Tidwell conducted with John Passacantando, former director of Greenpeace USA. The interview is part of a cable-access show called The Coffee House that is viewed on stations nationwide.

During that meeting, an economic analysis was publicly released for the first time. The analysis estimates that during the height of construction, only 3 Dendron residents would be employed to build the plant and only 14% of those temporary construction jobs would go to Surry County residents. Even fewer locals would be permanently employed if the plant is built due to the highly specific skills required for the jobs needed. You have to wonder how half of the Town Council and the Mayor could still vote in favor of such a destructive project with so few jobs coming to the local community.

Nevertheless, coal plant opponents are winning. You may be scratching your head wondering how I came to that conclusion, so let me tell you. ODEC submitted its applications for this project to DEQ in December 2008. A year and 3 months later they are just now getting the local permits so that that application can begin moving forward. What should have been the easiest part of this lengthy process for them took over a year. ODEC should be wondering if this is how long the EASIEST part is going to take, how long will the more in-depth applications take? Only time will tell, but we will be there along with thousands of other Virginians to stop this plant in its tracks. They may have won this battle but we prolonged it and we WILL win the war!

I just read the transcript of the State of the Union Address and don’t really know what to say. So here goes.

I’m running on empty. I’m exhausted. School plus my job plus the all of the environmental organizations I’m involved with equals something that’s probably not sustainable. But I’m going to keep working. Along with all of the rest of you amazing people, I’m going to keep making sure that my voice is heard.

Some (okay, many) of the things in the President’s address were disappointing. Coal and nuclear will never be clean sources of energy. But the fact that the President spoke about clean energy at all gives me hope. In his own words, he called for, “a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.”

I’m going to go ahead and call that one a success.

The White House is listening. We knew that before this speech, when they set up a meeting with youth environmentalists, three Cabinet secretaries and the head of the EPA. We knew that when Obama finally decided to go to Copenhagen. And know we now because the President addressed the nation on the issue of climate change.

The President is listening, so let’s keep getting louder. Let’s call for a clean energy revolution. Let’s build coalitions within our communities. Let’s work from the ground up to “Define Our Decade” and each ask our leaders to “Show Me Democracy.” Let’s reach out to each other. Let’s be an all inclusive movement, because the issues we’re facing don’t discriminate. Our President responded to our asks, so let’s keep asking.

I was exhausted before; I’m energized now. And I know that I’m going to keep working. I’m going to keep protesting and calling and petitioning and organizing and inviting and recruiting. Because now I am certain that my voice is being heard.

Who’s with me? Let’s start a non-violent, all inclusive clean energy revolution. We know we have power. The last election had the largest youth voter turnout, ever. (And ever is a pretty long time). Our government is listening, and we need to tell them what we want.

Let’s call for clean energy. Now.

Check out the video from CCAN’s 5th plunge to Keep Winter Cold below (it’s my first video). Enjoy!