On Monday March 5th the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative received local zoning approval for what would be the largest coal-fired power plant in the state if built. The Dendron Town Council voted to approve local zoning unanimously and without once discussing the proposal publicly.
Both locals and people from the downwind communities of Hampton Roads were overwhelmingly opposed at every major public hearing (six in total) leading up to this final vote. The council is ignoring their own vocal constituents as well as the desires of the region. To date the town of Surry, Isle of Wight County, and Southampton County have come out opposed to the proposed coal plant because of the expected negative health and economic effects that another coal-fired power plant would have on the region. The press leading up to and resulting from the most recent vote definitely caught on to the fact that democracy has been put aside by the Dendron Town Council. Below is a list of recent press:
March 8
Daily Press: “Town council keeps mum on coal-fueled plant vote”
March 7
TV -Channel 10 -“Coal plant approval divides residents”
WY Daily: “Coal plant receives approval for second time”
Va Pilot (in depth): “Dendron reaffirms approval of $5 coal-fired plant”
Smithfield Times (short version): “Dendron votes again for ODEC plant”
Power Engineering: “Zoning plan approved for planned coal-fired power plant”
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Blog: “A Farmers war against a coal-fired power plant”
March 6
TV Hampton Roads Channel 10 (WAVY): “Council Moves Coal Plant Forward”
Daily Press: “Dendron unanimously re-approves land-use changes for power plant”
Va Gazette: “Without comment, Dendron council reaffirms coal plant”
TV Hampton Roads Channel 13: “Dendron town council approves land use for coal-fired power plant ”
Richmond Times Dispatch: “Dendron reaffirms approval of coal-fired plant”
Canadian Business: “Va Town Reaffirms Approval of Coal Fired Plant”
Penn Energy: “ODEC’s proposed coal-fired power plant secures land-use approval”
March 4
EDITORIAL from Virginian Pilot: “Coal plant harm swamps benefits”
March 1
EDITORIAL from Daily Press: “Notables”
Feb 28
Daily Press: “Surry planners recommend adding coal plant restrictions”
Feb 27
OP ED Alt Daily: Op-ed: The Surry Coal Plant Would Drag Hampton Roads Back into the 19th Century”
Daily Press: “Surry coal plant meeting Feb. 27”
Feb 17
Daily Press: “Isle of Wight supervisors will uphold coal resolution”
Mike McCoyMike served as the Virginia Campaign Coordinator from 2007 to 2012, working on such issues as stopping the Wise County and Surrey County, Va., proposed coal plants and promoting energy efficiency in the Commonwealth.
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