We’re already getting push-back from coal industry on account of the ReEnergize Texas Rally at the capitol Monday morning. When the coal industry’s “clean coal” PR machine is running scared and feels the need to release official press releases… you’re doin’ it right.
Original post found at Burnt Orange Report:
This weekend 170+ students from more than 25 colleges and five high schools descended on Austin for the ReEnergize Texas Summit to demand bold clean energy solutions.
The students held a rally at the Texas Capitol Monday morning and followed up with more than 50 visits to their legislators. Students rallied behind calls to end dependence on coal and nuclear power and to create new green jobs with investments in wind, solar and energy efficiency.
While the event went largely unnoticed by the media, the coal industry was apparently watching. The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity issued a statement following the event:
“The Re-energize Texas Summit rallies behind laudable goals including the continued development of renewable energy sources and increased energy efficiency measures; however the group’s support of legislation to place a moratorium on new coal plants in Texas is misguided, economically unfeasible and environmentally unnecessary,” said Joe Lucas, Senior Vice President of Communications at ACCCE.
The ACCCE statement appears to come in response to the students’ support of legislation placing a temporary moratorium on coal-fired power plants without carbon capture and sequestration (SB 126, sponsored by state Sen. Rodney Ellis and its companion bill HB 4384, sponsored by Rep. Allen Vaught).
According to the National Wildlife Federation’s Praween Dayananda:
“Halting the construction of proposed coal plants will help curb climate change and protect local communities from dangerous health impacts. Texas has incredible potential to produce renewable energy, clean up its skies, and become a leader in the new energy economy.”
Speakers at the rally that scared the coal industry were Senator Leticia Van de Putte, Representative Tara Rios Ybarra, Doug Lewin from Senator Ellis’ office and Public Citizen’s own Director Tom “Smitty” Smith.
For more information about the summit, visit www.reenergizetexas.org.
Check out more photos from the rally and more from the ReEnergize Texas Flickr photo pool.
Senator Fraser was the first legislator to speak, proclaiming that this would be Texas’ solar session. Chairman of the Business and Commerce Committee, Fraser is well positioned to be an effective solar champion. As such, Fraser was particularly proud to forecast a sunny session for solar power. He joked that there are so many solar bills being filed this session, they are going to have to lay them all out at once and have a “solar day” where they can pick out the best bills and key components of each (this is the second time I’ve heard him say this though, so he may be serious. If so, you better bet I’ll be there with bells on!)
Senator Van de Putte was then called up to champion CPS Energy’s new distributed energy commitment and her own solar in schools bill, 
