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Crystal River Coal Plant, Citrus County source: theenergycollective.com |
Most Floridians don’t intuitively make the connection between power plants and climate disruption. We have to be reminded that coal plants like Crystal River in Citrus County are not only a threat to families that breathe in their pollutants directly, but to all Floridians in the form of sea level rise, superstorms and drought.
Miami Beach salt-water flooding, photo by Jon Ullman |
That time is ending. During
the next few months, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be crafting
carbon pollution protections for existing power plants. Coal and gas-fired
power plants, which emit approximately 40% of total US energy-related carbon
pollution –a major source of rising temperatures and seas -- would finally be regulated.
In Florida there’s only
one glitch: Governor Rick Scott has said he doesn’t believe in climate disruption,
and he hasn't shown support for EPA safeguards.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott Source: flgov.com |
That’s a big problem for
Florida.
First, let’s look at
coal pollution without the climate implications:
According to the Clean Air Task Force, coal pollution in the
United States costs us more than $100 billion annually in health costs and
results in more than 12,000 emergency room visits per year. Northern and
Central Florida is still dotted with coal plants, and increasingly we’re seeing
large natural gas plants in the South Florida with their own set of health
risks.
Now add in the carbon:
Last December was the hottest on record in Palm Beach County and
nearly the hottest in Miami-Dade and Broward. Recently, the City of Miami Beach
voted to spend nearly half a billion dollars just to keep pace with sea level
rise. Despite record rains in South Florida last fall, the Everglades is
increasingly subject to drought threatening the water supply for seven million
people.
Florida should be in the front row calling on the EPA to regulate
carbon from power plants. Instead, we’re hiding beneath the bleachers.
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Rooftop Solar, http://www.sierraclub.org/greenjobs/ |
The Sunshine State generates less
than one percent of its power from solar. Travel the country, and you’ll see
solar panels popping up everywhere, except in the state that has the most to
lose from climate change.
The new EPA carbon safeguards will spark a wave of 21st century energy innovation and
modernization for Florida as we battle climate change and transition to a clean
energy economy, but we have to act fast.
Be a part of Florida’s
carbon solution. Join our statewide action team. Email Jonathan Ullman at jonathan.ullman@sierraclub.org Include your name, address and phone number,
and tell us why you want to help stop carbon pollution. We’ll respond as soon
as possible with details on how you can help.
Maggie Fernandez, LEED Green Associate, is a civic
entrepreneur driven by her passion to ensure a sustainable future for
Miami-Dade County. As president of Sustainable Miami, she provides the
business, governmental and non-profit community a network and access to
partnerships that result in innovative solutions to civic, environmental and
social problems.

Jonathan Ullman is the South Florida/Everglades Senior Organizing Representative for the Sierra Club. He has been building coalitions and
organizing activists to restore the Everglades for more than 15 years. Ullman is highly-knowledgeable about climate
impacts to South Florida and the Everglades and is an accomplished writer and
blogger.