Feature story - June 29, 2005
Last year, Greenpeace activists turned world attention on a dirty little secret: coal-burning power plants were getting away with murder. Six activists risked their lives to expose the truth when they climbed a 700-foot smokestack in Pennsylvania - the heart of coal country. Their aim was to bring attention to the dangers of a dirty power plant and to protest President Bush's energy plan. Now, a year after our protest, five states have accomplished what Bush refused to do: file a federal lawsuit against corporate polluters for violations of the Clean Air Act.
Greenpeace activists hang a banner at Hatfield's Ferry power plant. The banner reads, "Warning - The Bush Energy Plan Kills - Clean Energy Now!"
The "Smokestack Six" chose the Hatfield's Ferry power plant as the site of their dramatic protest. This plant - owned by Allegheny Energy - is one of the dirtiest in the country, accounting for 237 premature deaths in Southwestern Pennsylvania each year. While our activists served time in jail for their peaceful actions, Allegheny Energy continued its polluting practices without fear of prosecution.
We asked for your help to bring the real criminal to justice. More than 4,000 of you appealed to Kathleen McGinty, Pennsylvania Environmental Secretary, to stop Allegheny Energy in its tracks. Months after our efforts began, McGinty has finally made the first move. On June 29, the states of Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Maryland and New Jersey filed a federal lawsuit against Allegheny Energy and its subsidiaries. The lawsuit claims that the corporate owners of Hatfield's Ferry and two other large coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania have violated the Clean Air Act. Some of the plants have been operating since the 1950s with inadequate air pollution controls. McGinty called on Allegheny Energy to "meet the highest standards for environmental protection."
The same researchers that found that Hatfield's Ferry accounts for 237 premature deaths a year were commissioned by the Bush administration to evaluate its energy plan. This plan is allowing dirty power plants to continue unabated, causing pollution and health problems nationwide. As if that weren't bad enough, the plan also includes nuclear subsidies and allows seismic testing in our waters, putting the fate of our marine mammals in jeopardy.
As the Bush administration continues to bow to corporate interests, we are counting on local and state governments to lead us into a clean energy future. Thanks to your continued efforts, these politicians are beginning to answer our pleas. This lawsuit against Allegheny Energy sends a clear message to dirty polluters everywhere, that Americans have had enough of their out-dated, dangerous practices. We can do better.