The Citizens For Clean and Fair Power Speak: Retire the Schiller Plant!

Recently, I've had the privilege of attending a press conference held by the Citizens for Clean and Fair Power (CCFP). There was a small crowd there, mixed with a combination of media representatives and speakers for the conference. The main focus of the press conference was to give a shout out to the scores of local businesses that support the CCFP's mission. Some of those businesses are: The Green Alliance, Smuttynose Brewery, Flatbread Company, Eyelook Optical, Ceres Bakery and more. The scenery of the park and the ocean in the background was rugged and beautiful, something that New Hampshire often prides itself on. The purpose of the press conference was so that we could keep it that way by responsibly retiring the Schiller Coal-burning Power Plant.

One of the main reasons the CCFP and many others want the plant to be retired is the effect that it has on the environment. One of the speakers, Joan Karos, told about how the plant has affected her life. "Despite the fact that I have never been a smoker, I am a victim of lung cancer. I believe that Schiller Station contributed to my cancer." The coal being burnt at the plant released a large variety of toxins into the air, including lead, mercury, soot, smog and more. Even though Joan did not live near the plant at the time, the toxins still went all over for an unknown distance." Her message to the crowd was to retire the plant now, so that others would not end up like her.

The next speaker, Jim Splaine, had mentioned that he lived in the Oriental Gardens, which was only a few hundred yards from the plant. He describes that he could taste, see and smell the pollution coming from the plant and as a result, his asthma became worse. He believed that although the plant must be retired soon, the impact on Portsmouth should be as small as possible. Possible plans were to use the land for tourism, commerce or recreation.

In the 60's and the 70's, the city of LA was perpetually covered in a thick blanket of brown smog. The pollution was so bad, children would come in from recess and complain of stabbing chest pains and watering eyes, and it was considered normal. Today, although the blanket isn't completely gone, it has improved greatly since the earlier days, primarily because people got together and demanded action. This is the same of action that the CCFP and the citizens of Portsmouth have demanded today.

Currently, the CCFP is petitioning Governor Maggie Hassan to help retire the plant. The petition itself has 645 out of a goal of 1200 signatures. They are hoping to achieve their goal by the end of the fall. According to the CCFP, not only is the Schiller Plant harmful to the environment, but it is also extremely ineffective and way too costly, especially considering that the demand for coal has plummeted. To learn more about how you can help the community of Portsmouth and many others, you can visit www.toxicsaction.org

The Green Alliance is one of the many supporters of the CCFP's initiative to retire the Schiller Plant. To learn more about the Green Alliance, visit their website at www.greenalliance.biz