Fwd: [cleanair-l] McGuinty breaks coal phase-out promise

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June 13, 2006 - Today Dalton McGuinty broke his

promise tophase-out Ontario's four remaining dirty

coal-fired power plants by2009. This is a huge

betrayal of the people of Ontario and a hugestep

backwards for public health -- our coal plants kill

668 people peryear in this province and cost us

billions in health costs. Moreover, McGuinty's broken

promise will prevent Ontario from meeting itsKyoto

Protocol greenhouse gas emission reduction target in

2010.

 

When Ernie Eves was Premier, the Government of Ontario

was committed tophasing-out all of Ontario's dirty

coal-fired power plants by 2015. As of today, Premier

McGuinty is not even committed to achieving ErnieEves'

2015 coal-phase-out date.

 

According to a report issued on Friday by the

Independent ElectricitySystem Operator (IESO), the

Government was on track to achieve its goalof

phasing-out the Atikokan and Thunder Bay coal-fired

power plants by2007. However, today the McGuinty

Government cancelled its contractwith Union Gas to

build a gas pipeline that would permit the

conversionof the Thunder Bay coal plant to natural

gas. As a result, theMcGuinty Government appears to

have deliberately sabotaged its ability tophase-out

coal-burning at the Atikokan and Thunder Bay

GeneratingStations in 2007.

 

The McGuinty Government's " balanced " plan for

Ontario's energyfuture released today is all about

increasing our dependence on highcost, high risk

nuclear power while continuing to rely on coal as

aback-up for the unreliable nuclear units. The

commitments toimproving efficiency and conservation in

the new plan are so weak thatOntario's already

excessive electricity consumption will climb by

another10% over the next 20 years if the plan is

successful! Inother words, Premier McGuinty is

running -- not walking -- away from hiscommitment to

create a conservation culture in Ontario.

 

Despite the Liberal's window dressing, this plan is

directly aboutincreasing our nuclear capacity by 23%

from our existing installedcapacity of 11,397 MW to

14,000 MW. Instead of investing inincreased

efficiency, clean renewable power and combined heat

and power,the Liberals want to throw more money down

the drain on nuclear power andineffective end-of-pipe

scrubbers for coal plants they once promised toclose

-- while standing by as the electricity productivity

gap with ourmajor competitors opens even wider.

 

It's not acceptable. We urge you to immediately phone

the Premier'soffice at 416-325-1941, and tellDalton

McGuinty that he has lost your confidence on this

issue. This is an action we are requesting with deep

regret, but the fiasco ofan energy plan presented

today by his government leaves us with no otherchoice.

 

Please pass this message on to your friends.

 

Thank you.

 

Jack Gibbons

Chair, Ontario Clean Air Alliance

 

Ontario Clean Air Alliance

402-625 Church St, Toronto M4Y 2G1

Phone: 416-926-1907 ext. 245

Fax: 416-926-1601

Email:contact

Website:www.cleanairalliance.org

 

 

The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is a coalition of

health, environmentaland consumer organizations, faith

communities, unions, utilities,municipalities and

individuals working for cleaner air through a

coalphase-out and the shift to a renewable electricity

future. Ourpartner organizations represent more than

six million Ontarians.

 

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