Mountain Justice Blacksburg

The momentum to pass a meaningful energy efficiency bill in Virginia is growing at a rapid pace.

Last Monday, more than 200 people from across Virginia traveled to Richmond to meet with their state delegates and senators as part of a Grassroots Energy Efficiency Lobbying Day.

And hundreds of supporters of Wise Energy for Virginia have sent emails to let decision makers in Richmond know that the support for energy efficiency in our state is strong.

Now, we’re hearing indications that an energy efficiency bill is likely to move forward in the state capitol soon.

That’s why we’re building on the growing momentum with a Statewide Call In Day this Wednesday, January 28th.

There are competing bills that are likely to move forward in Richmond. We need every legislator to know that their constituents support true energy efficiency in Viginia.

Will you just take a moment to call your delegate and senator in Richmond on Wednesday? Tell them:

• To support the McEachin-Herring-Pollard energy efficiency legislation. This legislation calls for a 19% reduction of energy use below 2025 levels while rewarding utilities for their efficiency investments, and creates jobs while lowering electricity bills.
• To oppose the Wagner-Kilgore so called “efficiency” legislation. The Wagner-Kilgore bill would actually roll back efficiency measures and make it easier to pollute our air.

For additional information on what to tell your legislators, click here:
http://wiseenergyforvirginia.org/call-your-legislator-about-energy-efficiency/

To find your legislators’ phone numbers, click on this link. Be sure to call their Richmond (804) numbers:

http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

If all of us take action by calling on Wednesday, we can light up the phones in Richmond — and brighten the prospects for a clean energy future in Virginia.

Thank you for taking action this Wednesday.

In Prenter, a small mining community in southern West Virginia, well water strongly suspected to be contaminated with the waste water from coal processing is having devastating and often deadly health effects.  Residents and organizers have come together to provide emergency drinking water, fight for municipal water and demand an accounting.  Come learn more about coal slurry, underground injection, mountain top removal mining, and the effects of these destructive industry practices, and what people are doing about it.

Prenter Water Fund

Tuesday, January 27th at 8:30 pm

Squires 219

A flyer for the event lives here, so spread the word!

Sierra Club Fly Ash Presentation, January 21, 7 p.m. at the Blacksburg Public Library, Draper Rd. James McGrath, Chair of the Concerned Citizens of Giles County, will report on the group’s efforts to stop the dumping of fly ash into the landfill adjacent to the New River.

Contact Maria Bowling at 239-5283 or <maria.bowling@gmail.com> for more info.

Mountain Lovers,

The first meeting of 2009 is Monday night (Jan. 19) at 7pm in Squires 236! We will be discussing the Prenter Water Fund, annual funding, non-violent direct action workshops, People United, and the Earth First! Roadshow.  Come on out!

For the complete spring meeting schedule, see the “Schedule” tab above.