PROHIBIT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT IN BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL.
PROHIBIT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT IN BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL.
The Issue
[WHETHER YOU ARE FROM BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL OR NOT PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION AND ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO SIGN IT AS WELL BY SHARING THIS PETITION-POST WITH THEM.]
WE, THE PEOPLE OF BALINGASAG, PETITION THE MUNICIPAL MAYOR, MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF BALINGASAG, THE GOVERNOR AND THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL TO
PROHIBIT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT IN BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL:
WHEREAS; Balingasag is a 2nd class municipality with a population 68,000 in the Province of Misamis Oriental, Philippines’ island of Mindanao. Balingasag is awarded as the Cleanest and Greenest LGU in 2007 and 2010. It has total registered voters of 38,408 in 2010. The 49.17% economic livelihood is from farming, forestry and fishery industry. It is a major source of bangus, vegetables, rice and other agricultural products for the people and tourists of Misamis Oriental. Its vision and mission is to become an agri-industrial and eco-tourism municipality with robust and vibrant economy, wholesome, safe and ecologically balanced environment within the framework of a Sustainable Development.
WHEREAS, the people of Balingasag prohibit the construction and operation of a coal-powered power plant in its area for the following reasons, to wit;
1. The construction and operation of a coal-fired power plant is against the mission and vision of the municipality of Balingasag and its people.
2. Coal-fired power plants are polluting our air, rivers and the sea, which will directly impact the economic livelihood of farming and fishery industry and a great health hazard to the people. As evidence to some reports from other municipalities in the Philippines;
a) The coal-powered plants of Iloilo is now a source of stationary pollution as noted by no less than Iloilo’s City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in its ‘State of Iloilo City’s Environment’ report."
b)"The residents of Calaca, Batangas complain about the foul smell, pollution and ill-effects to their health and livelihood due to the coal-powered plant in their area yet government authorities continue to disbelieve their complaints."
c)“Kumakain pa rin kami sa loob ng kulambo para mabawasan ang abo na dadapo sa aming pagkain (We still take our meals under the mosquito net to prevent the ash from falling on our food),” said residents of Barangay San Rafael, Quisumbing, Pag-asa and Baclaran - the villages surrounding the coal-fired power plant in Calaca. Isidro de los Reyes, Barangay Dacanlao councilor, could only sigh and comment, “Dapat matuto na ang mga kababayan natin sa aming karanasan. Tingnan ninyo, nasira na nga ang mga bukid at ilog namin, pati hangin, nasira na’t dumumi, nawalan pa ng trabaho ang mga taga-rito (People should learn from our sad experience. Look, our farms and rivers are gone. We lost not only the air we breathe but also our jobs.)."
3. Reliance on coal moved into focus at the talks after a UN report indicated that humans already burned more than half the amount of fossil fuels that could lead to dangerous changes in the climate. Coal generated 30.3 percent of the world’s primary energy in 2011, the highest level since 1969, according to the World Coal Association.
4. Coal makes people sick. Doctors, nurses, and scientists from around the world reported through a study conducted by the organization. Physicians for Social Responsibility, a Nobel Peace Prize awardee, concluded that pollutants from coal affect all major body organ systems and contribute to four of the five leading causes of mortality in the U.S.: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.
5. In 2010, “two-thirds of all airborne mercury pollution in the United States came from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. In other words, power plants generate more airborne mercury pollution than all other industrial sources combined.”
Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin that can damage the brain and nervous system.
6. A U.S. government agency has cited carbon dioxide emissions as the reason for rejecting an air-quality permit to build coal-fired power plants. Roderick Bremby, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), explained his October 18 decision saying, “I believe it would be irresponsible to ignore emerging information about the contribution of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to climate change and the potential harm to our environment and health if we do nothing.”
WHEREAS, the people of Balingasag has been sidetracked by the truth of the information regarding the construction and operation of the proposed 110-MW coal-fired power plant in Mandangoa, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and its effect to the environment, livelihood and health of the people.
WHEREAS, The CEPALCO-MINERGY ENERGY SYSTEM (the proposed coal-fired power plant’s operator), recently received an approval from the Energy Regulatory Commission dated October 8, 2013 to supply a 138-kv line to connect the proposed MINERGY power plant in Balingasag to its distribution system.
WHEREAS, to protect the people of Balingasag and its generations to come from the dangers of coal-fired power plant, promoting clean and green environment, sustaining its natural resources and developing its economic livelihood.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THIS PETITION THAT THE MUNICIPAL MAYOR, THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF BALINGASAG, THE GOVERNOR AND THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL PROHIBIT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A COAL-FIRED ELECTRIC POWER PLANT IN BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL.
PETITION STARTED: November 23, 2013
Electronic Signatures Attached.
References:
1. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5422
3. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/coal
4. http://www.edf.org/climate/report-foreclosing-future
5. http://www.chicagopsr.org/environment-health/coal.html
6. http://www.naacp.org/press/entry/naacp-report-reveals-disparate-impact-of-coal-fired-power-plants
7.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/coal-fired-plants
8.http://www.pilsenperro.org/coalpower.htm
9.http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/22695857-418/new-emissions-limits-on-coal-fired-power-plants.html
10.http://www.lungchicago.org/air-quality-power-plants/
11.http://www.env-health.org/news/latest-news/article/the-unpaid-health-bill-how-coal
The Issue
[WHETHER YOU ARE FROM BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL OR NOT PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION AND ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO SIGN IT AS WELL BY SHARING THIS PETITION-POST WITH THEM.]
WE, THE PEOPLE OF BALINGASAG, PETITION THE MUNICIPAL MAYOR, MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF BALINGASAG, THE GOVERNOR AND THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL TO
PROHIBIT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT IN BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL:
WHEREAS; Balingasag is a 2nd class municipality with a population 68,000 in the Province of Misamis Oriental, Philippines’ island of Mindanao. Balingasag is awarded as the Cleanest and Greenest LGU in 2007 and 2010. It has total registered voters of 38,408 in 2010. The 49.17% economic livelihood is from farming, forestry and fishery industry. It is a major source of bangus, vegetables, rice and other agricultural products for the people and tourists of Misamis Oriental. Its vision and mission is to become an agri-industrial and eco-tourism municipality with robust and vibrant economy, wholesome, safe and ecologically balanced environment within the framework of a Sustainable Development.
WHEREAS, the people of Balingasag prohibit the construction and operation of a coal-powered power plant in its area for the following reasons, to wit;
1. The construction and operation of a coal-fired power plant is against the mission and vision of the municipality of Balingasag and its people.
2. Coal-fired power plants are polluting our air, rivers and the sea, which will directly impact the economic livelihood of farming and fishery industry and a great health hazard to the people. As evidence to some reports from other municipalities in the Philippines;
a) The coal-powered plants of Iloilo is now a source of stationary pollution as noted by no less than Iloilo’s City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in its ‘State of Iloilo City’s Environment’ report."
b)"The residents of Calaca, Batangas complain about the foul smell, pollution and ill-effects to their health and livelihood due to the coal-powered plant in their area yet government authorities continue to disbelieve their complaints."
c)“Kumakain pa rin kami sa loob ng kulambo para mabawasan ang abo na dadapo sa aming pagkain (We still take our meals under the mosquito net to prevent the ash from falling on our food),” said residents of Barangay San Rafael, Quisumbing, Pag-asa and Baclaran - the villages surrounding the coal-fired power plant in Calaca. Isidro de los Reyes, Barangay Dacanlao councilor, could only sigh and comment, “Dapat matuto na ang mga kababayan natin sa aming karanasan. Tingnan ninyo, nasira na nga ang mga bukid at ilog namin, pati hangin, nasira na’t dumumi, nawalan pa ng trabaho ang mga taga-rito (People should learn from our sad experience. Look, our farms and rivers are gone. We lost not only the air we breathe but also our jobs.)."
3. Reliance on coal moved into focus at the talks after a UN report indicated that humans already burned more than half the amount of fossil fuels that could lead to dangerous changes in the climate. Coal generated 30.3 percent of the world’s primary energy in 2011, the highest level since 1969, according to the World Coal Association.
4. Coal makes people sick. Doctors, nurses, and scientists from around the world reported through a study conducted by the organization. Physicians for Social Responsibility, a Nobel Peace Prize awardee, concluded that pollutants from coal affect all major body organ systems and contribute to four of the five leading causes of mortality in the U.S.: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.
5. In 2010, “two-thirds of all airborne mercury pollution in the United States came from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. In other words, power plants generate more airborne mercury pollution than all other industrial sources combined.”
Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin that can damage the brain and nervous system.
6. A U.S. government agency has cited carbon dioxide emissions as the reason for rejecting an air-quality permit to build coal-fired power plants. Roderick Bremby, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), explained his October 18 decision saying, “I believe it would be irresponsible to ignore emerging information about the contribution of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to climate change and the potential harm to our environment and health if we do nothing.”
WHEREAS, the people of Balingasag has been sidetracked by the truth of the information regarding the construction and operation of the proposed 110-MW coal-fired power plant in Mandangoa, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and its effect to the environment, livelihood and health of the people.
WHEREAS, The CEPALCO-MINERGY ENERGY SYSTEM (the proposed coal-fired power plant’s operator), recently received an approval from the Energy Regulatory Commission dated October 8, 2013 to supply a 138-kv line to connect the proposed MINERGY power plant in Balingasag to its distribution system.
WHEREAS, to protect the people of Balingasag and its generations to come from the dangers of coal-fired power plant, promoting clean and green environment, sustaining its natural resources and developing its economic livelihood.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THIS PETITION THAT THE MUNICIPAL MAYOR, THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF BALINGASAG, THE GOVERNOR AND THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL PROHIBIT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A COAL-FIRED ELECTRIC POWER PLANT IN BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL.
PETITION STARTED: November 23, 2013
Electronic Signatures Attached.
References:
1. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5422
3. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/coal
4. http://www.edf.org/climate/report-foreclosing-future
5. http://www.chicagopsr.org/environment-health/coal.html
6. http://www.naacp.org/press/entry/naacp-report-reveals-disparate-impact-of-coal-fired-power-plants
7.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/coal-fired-plants
8.http://www.pilsenperro.org/coalpower.htm
9.http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/22695857-418/new-emissions-limits-on-coal-fired-power-plants.html
10.http://www.lungchicago.org/air-quality-power-plants/
11.http://www.env-health.org/news/latest-news/article/the-unpaid-health-bill-how-coal
Petition Closed
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Petition created on November 23, 2013