Hey, Thanks Owen

To read the full Folioweekly article referenced below, "Other People's Property," please click here. And a very special thanks to Owen Holmes (no relation to Owen Wilson) for providing the article, and, heck, for writing it in the first place. This topic isn't getting reported on much, if at all, in the local media.

JEA Gives Taylor County an iPod, While We're Still Listening to an Eight-Track

The title is clearly an analogy. But city-owned JEA is building a cleaner plant with better technology in Taylor County than the plant they operate right here in Jacksonville. That's right, according to Mark McCain, spokesperson for the JEA-developed project, "The plant...will emit a third of the sulfur dioxide and half of the nitrogen dioxide of JEA's Northside Generating Station." He goes on to say, "This is not your grandfather's coal plant." (source: Other People's Property: JEA wants to pollute one of Florida's dirtiest counties, Folio Weekly, 06/19/07)

Why are we stuck with "your grandfather's coal plant"? Why do we get twice the nitrogen dioxide pollution (which has been linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and three times the sulfur dioxide (which causes acid rain) of JEA's plant in Taylor County. We own JEA, it is city-owned! If anything, JEA should clean up our plant in our city first. We should have the best, cleanest technology. We own JEA!

But there's really another issue here. Why is JEA building another dirty, coal-fired plant at all? They are really just exporting our pollution to Taylor County. "There's a lot of sick people in Taylor County," Joy Towles Ezell, a fifth-generation Taylor County resident said, "We don't need another mercury source."

Building a dirty plant in Taylor County that provides no electricity to its residents is a raw deal. We should know, Florida Power & Light does it to us by operating a coal-fired plant in Jacksonville that provides no local electricity. Let's not do it to our own neighbors. But at the same time, let's clean up our own act. If cleaner technology is good for JEA's plant in Taylor County, its good for JEA's plant in Jacksonville.

Taylor County doesn't want our mercury emissions either

Hello JEA Board Members,
I have learned that you have a rate increase hearing going on right now - and I'd like to complain.
I am writing to you from Taylor County, FL - where JEA has decided to export its pollution and stomp its carbon footprint on us. It is quite obvious that JEA needs a rate increase to cover the increased and unexpected costs of the Taylor Emphysema Center, without having to reveal such to your customers.
Since your customers don't know about your involvement with this Edsel-era pulverized coal burner, (nothing's been in the newspaper in JAX about it - so far) - guess I'll just have to let them know myself. I sure hope this message goes into the public record of your meeting.
There are more problems arising that JEA's pr folks didn't expect (that Buckeye buddies didn't tell you) - problems like railroad access, lack of water, problems with permits, getting yourselves involved with Buckeye's toxic effluent (you'll own it when you pipe it- are you sure you want YOU want to own that nasty dioxin-laden stink?), increased attorneys fees, problems over at the PSC, the governor's office, outlying counties not accepting JEA's toxic wastes, outlying counties not wanting the air pollution - or the mercury, and a lack of support by nearly everyone in Taylor county except for that of five politicians and their little pseudo friends clique. That's all you've got. If a vote were taken in Taylor County on whether or not to have a coal fired power plant here, you'd lose, and you know it, and our county commissioners know it. We will remove three of them from office in 2008.
Wouldn't it be smarter of JEA to stop this ridiculous proposal right now? You are going to lose, and we will make sure that your loss will be very shameful for you. I attempted to tell your first pr guy, Ron Whittington, that he was barking up the wrong tree. He should have listened. Are you listening to the world-wide movement and opinions concerning climate change? Aren't you concerned about global warming? Are you sure that you want to be associated with causing the problem, do you want to be blamed for adding to the problem, instead of working to solve the problem? Come on, get on the right track.
Wouldn't it be smarter of JEA to increase its solar program? JEA is so proud of the current solar program - forced upon JEA , not by the utilities' goodness of heart, but by an environmental lawsuit.
How about some ocean current just off JAX Beach? How about some wind energy - you have plenty of wind and open space over there in Duval County - it's a big county, and JAX covers the whole county. How about some good conservation measures?
We know that JAX is in danger of losing your federal highway funds?. Yes, we know you are at the level of attainment (caused by your coal fired power plant), and are in danger of JAX losing its federal highway funds if you built another coal fired power plant in Duval County - so you'd rather little ol' poor Taylor County lost its federal highway funds. Well, that is beginning to dawn upon our poor little county fathers over here......and they might be just a little bit upset at that thought. It all comes down to money You may have more money, but more people in Florida are on our side. Go away, JEA.
Just thought I'd let you know.
I don't expect a response, though one would be nice.

thanks,
Joy Towles Ezell

See the light

You know the story: Change your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) and it's a win-win situation: you save money on your electric bill and JEA doesn't need to burn as much mercury-emitting coal. But, as some people have noted, CFLs themselves contain some mercury. So, are they still a smart choice? Outside magazine says:

"CFLs contain only five milligrams of mercury, less than what's released from a coal-fired plant producing the energy used by an incandescent bulb during one year."

And, everyone knows, JEA burns A LOT of coal to power Jacksonville. So the answer is, switch to CFLs, save money, and hopefully cut down on the massive amounts of mercury that JEA emits. And when it comes time to throwing out a CFL (which shouldn't be anytime soon since they last 10 times longer than traditional bulbs), Outside magazine notes:

"Still, don't go throwing CFLs in your household trash. Check earth911.org for safe, local disposal options."