The University of Florida has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2025. Despite this, the University is considering a fracked gas power plant set to begin construction in 2023.

The 34- megawatt Central Energy Plant would draw its energy from fossil fuels extracted through dangerous process of hydraulic fracturing. Fracking poses a serious threat to public health, the environment and to the very future of our climate. It will be the university’s largest source of energy posing huge risks to the air and water of the local community -- and worsening our climate crisis by burning dirty fossil fuels around the clock.

On its own, the Central Energy Plant Project fracked gas project would make it virtually impossible to hit the climate goals the City of Gainesville has committed to by 2040. In addition, in the midst of the coronavirus, it is a death sentence for at-risk individuals.

While science tells us that climate change is irrefutable, science also tells us that it is not too late to take action to avoid or reduce the worst impacts. The University of Florida, hailed as the sixth best public school in the nation, should be leading the way toward advanced, innovative energy that has a positive impact for the community and state! UF should not be constructing an outdated, harmful power plant to meet so much of our energy needs.

Sign below to tell Gov. DeSantis and the University of Florida Board of Trustees to reject the dirty Central Energy Plant Project and all other fracked gas infrastructure and to honor its commitment to renewable energy.