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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
cleanair-l-bounces@list.web.net [mailto:cleanair-l-bounces@list.web.net]<B>On
Behalf Of </B>Ontario Clean Air Alliance<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, June 13, 2006
3:49 PM<BR><B>To:</B> cleanair-l@list.web.net<BR><B>Subject:</B> [cleanair-l]
McGuinty breaks coal phase-out promise<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>June 13, 2006 -
Today Dalton McGuinty broke his promise to phase-out Ontario's four remaining
dirty coal-fired power plants by 2009. This is a huge betrayal of the
people of Ontario and a huge step backwards for public health -- our coal plants
kill 668 people per year in this province and cost us billions in health
costs. Moreover, McGuinty's broken promise will prevent Ontario from
meeting its Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gas emission reduction target in
2010.<BR> <BR>When Ernie Eves was Premier, the Government of Ontario was
committed to phasing-out all of Ontario's dirty coal-fired power plants by
2015. As of today, Premier McGuinty is not even committed to achieving
Ernie Eves' 2015 coal-phase-out date.<BR> <BR>According to a report issued
on Friday by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the Government
was on track to achieve its goal of phasing-out the Atikokan and Thunder Bay
coal-fired power plants by 2007. However, today the McGuinty Government
cancelled its contract with Union Gas to build a gas pipeline that would permit
the conversion of the Thunder Bay coal plant to natural gas. As a result,
the McGuinty Government appears to have deliberately sabotaged its ability to
phase-out coal-burning at the Atikokan and Thunder Bay Generating Stations in
2007.<BR> <BR>The McGuinty Government's "balanced" plan for Ontario's
energy future released today is all about increasing our dependence on high
cost, high risk nuclear power while continuing to rely on coal as a back-up for
the unreliable nuclear units. The commitments to improving efficiency and
conservation in the new plan are so weak that Ontario's already excessive
electricity consumption will climb by another 10% over the next 20 years <I>if
the plan is successful! </I>In other words, Premier McGuinty is running --
not walking -- away from his commitment to create a conservation culture in
Ontario. <BR> <BR>Despite the Liberal's window dressing, this plan is
directly about increasing our nuclear capacity by 23% from our existing
installed capacity of 11,397 MW to 14,000 MW. Instead of investing in
increased efficiency, clean renewable power and combined heat and power, the
Liberals want to throw more money down the drain on nuclear power and
ineffective end-of-pipe scrubbers for coal plants they once promised to close --
while standing by as the electricity productivity gap with our major competitors
opens even wider.<BR> <BR>It's not acceptable. We urge you to
immediately phone the Premier's office at <FONT
color=#ff0000><B>416-325-1941</B></FONT>, and tell Dalton McGuinty that he has
lost your confidence on this issue. This is an action we are requesting
with deep regret, but the fiasco of an energy plan presented today by his
government leaves us with no other choice.<BR><FONT
size=4> <BR></FONT>Please pass this message on to your
friends.<BR> <BR>Thank you.<BR> <BR>Jack Gibbons<BR>Chair, Ontario
Clean Air Alliance<BR><BR><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Ontario Clean Air
Alliance<BR>402-625 Church St, Toronto M4Y 2G1<BR>Phone: 416-926-1907 ext.
245<BR>Fax: 416-926-1601<BR>Email: <A
href="mailto:contact@cleanairalliance.org">contact@cleanairalliance.org</A>
<BR>Website: <A
href="http://www.cleanairalliance.org">www.cleanairalliance.org</A> <BR>
<HR>
The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is a coalition of health, environmental and
consumer organizations, faith communities, unions, utilities, municipalities and
individuals working for cleaner air through a coal phase-out and the shift to a
renewable electricity future. Our partner organizations represent more
than six million Ontarians.<BR><BR><A
href="http://www.cleanairalliance.org/getin">To subscribe or unsubscribe to this
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