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Ask Utility to Put an End to Deadly Energy at San Juan Generating Station
Contact: Jeremy Nichols (505) 988-9126 x1303

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Concerned over the health, environment, and economy of New Mexico, localresidents, students and mothers, led by WildEarth Guardians, protested in a newway today. A dozen attendees in creative costumes told Public Service Companyof New Mexico (PNM) to stop the “criminal activity” and consider clean air andpublic health by voluntarily retiring its coal burning San Juan GeneratingStation.

Students covered the public sidewalks outside of PNM’sAlbuquerque office with body outlines symbolizing the 33 deaths a year causedby air pollution from the San Juan Generating Station. The first publicchalk-art protest of its kind in the state, PNM employees were not only greetedby a creative “crime scene,” activists also stood outside PNM headquartersdressed in convict costumes and wearing PNM CEO Pat-Vincent Collawn facemasks. Theycovered PNM’s sign with mock police tape reading “Global Warming Crime Scene” andcarried banners telling the utility to “Stop the Murder” and calling PNM “CoalCriminals.”

WildEarth Guardiansactivists stood in formation, banners behind images of body outlines on thestreet. Albuquerque Police (APD) came on segways and peacefully monitored theprotest. Activists told the story of San Juan coal to officers, who seemedsympathetic. PNM employeeswere seen watching from their office windows above.

“Coal is criminal,” said attendee Leia Barnett,local student and PNM ratepayer. “PNM says they want to protect the bestinterest of ratepayers, but if they really cared about us, they would stop poisoningthe air with deadly energy.”

Spurred by reports attributing 33 deaths a year to San Juan coal, as well as 600 asthmaattacks, 31 asthma-related emergency room visits, and other health impacts, andwith news that PNM intends to force ratepayers to pay for more pollution fromthe San Juan Generating Station, citizens gathered to convey the harrowingeffects of the utility’s actions as it jeopardizes the lives and clean air ofthe state and beyond.

“WildEarthGuardians has been vigilantly protecting clean air throughout the West,” saidJeremy Nichols, Climate and Energy Program Director of WildEarth Guardians.“Today we are asking that PNM see the San Juan Generating Station for theliability it truly is and power past coal.”

The estimatedhealth costs associated with San Juan Generating Station total more than $250million dollars a year, and with leaked reports that PNM intends to pass a bill in the 2012 Legislature to guaranteecost recovery from ratepayers in order to cover the continued operation of thecoal plant, activists are asking PNM to start pursuing sound investmentsinstead of San Juan coal.

Elizabeth Hatrick of Albuquerque, NM held an enlarged mockblank check addressed to PNM from the state of New Mexico with a slash goingthrough it. “We won’t pay PNM to pollute,” she said. Nine months pregnant, sheadded, “I don’t want my kids growing up in a toxic air zone.”

WildEarth Guardians today also delivered a letter to PNMCEO Pat-Vincent Collawn signed by over 400 New Mexicans asking the utilityconsider alternatives to San Juan coal when faced with clean up.

“PNM has been fighting the EPA’s clean up plan for the SanJuan Generating Station thinking they don’t have to comply with federal cleanair laws,” added Nichols. “If PNM thinks the costs of coal are too expensive, thenit’s time to make smarter investments in clean energy.”

NewMexico has a 20% renewable energy requirement that PNM is not on target formeeting. Reportsshow a combination of rooftop solar and wind energy could supply New Mexico’spower needs by more than seventy-fold. And while utilities in Colorado and other states are retiring coal-firedpower plants, opting against investing millions in the face of mountingenvironmental liability, New Mexicans are wondering why their state is laggingbehind.

Operatedand primarily owned by PNM, the San Juan Generation Station is an 1,800megawatt power plant that every year releases thousands of tons of toxic air pollutionfrom its smokestacks. Located 15 miles west of Farmington, the plantconsists of four boilers and releases more than 18,000 tons of smog formingnitrogen oxide gases, 51 pounds of mercury, and more than 13,000,000 tons ofcarbon dioxide—as much as is released by more than 2.3 million passengervehicles.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildearth_guardians/sets/72157628085147820/

Raw video footage: http://youtu.be/MK7XRmmERZI, downloadable: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/1279704710/fd0eb89d1178dff87b422c763bfbd466

Twitter: OccupyPNM