Five Day Countdown to the
September 25th Board of Supervisors’ Meeting
In August, we put the Board on notice. We want an answer as to whether or not they will hold a public hearing on the gas plant!
Their deadline to respond is Wednesday, Sepember 25th.
Over the next five days, we’ll be sending daily reminders to Chairman Jim Holland and the rest of the Board demanding a hearing and a vote on Dominion’s dirty gas plant.
BONUS POINTS: Instead of emailing the supervisors, you can use the Board’s web based portal to make your comments part of the official record of the September 25th Board meeting.
Clearly, our supervisors have not gotten the message: We deserve a public hearing and a vote on this massive dirty gas power plant Dominion Energy wants to build in Chesterfield County.
That’s why we ask that you send an email and/or call Chairman Jim Holland and your own supervisor (or all of them) each day until the Board meeting on September 25th. Each day we’ll email a different reason why we deserve that hearing that you can communicate to our supervisors–or you can express your own reasons. If you have time, please personalize the message. If you don’t have time, just cut and paste and send! If you can’t do all five days, that’s OK, too. Just do what you can. Together we will Stop Dominion’s dirty gas power plant.
1. Find your Supervisor below.
2. Keep scrolling for the email templates!
5-4-3-2-1 Email Templates
Day T-5 Message- Friday, September 20th
Subject: Why does Dominion get preferential treatment?
Dear Supervisor Holland,
The residents of Chesterfield County deserve a hearing and a vote on Dominion Energy’s dirty gas power plant. I do not understand how such a massive energy project with all the air pollution it will spew can be approved by the county without any public discussion by our Board of Supervisors. This inaction by the Board raises serious questions whether Dominion Energy is unfairly getting preferential treatment when an ordinary resident may be subjected to a hearing if they want to build an oversized garage in their backyard. This makes no sense.
On September 25th, I expect the board to announce that it will schedule a hearing and a vote on Dominion’s dirty gas plant.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Day T-4 Message- Saturday, September 21
Subject: Say NO to 40 Years Gas Plant Air Pollution
Dear Supervisor Holland,
The residents of Chesterfield County deserve a hearing and a vote on Dominion Energy’s dirty gas power plant. Our neighbors who live especially close to the proposed gas plant have endured almost eighty years of toxic air pollution from Dominion’s coal plant which was just retired last year. Why should they, why should all of us be subjected to another 30 or 40 years of toxic air pollutants from this gas plant when Dominion Energy can invest in solar, wind, energy storage and efficiency to meet our future energy needs.
On September 25th, I expect the board to announce that it will schedule a hearing and a vote on Dominion’s dirty gas plant.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Day T-3 Message- Sunday, September 22
Subject: Don’t let Dominion raise our electric bills for a new gas plant
Dear Supervisor Holland,
The residents of Chesterfield County deserve a hearing and a vote on Dominion Energy’s dirty gas power plant. Dominion Energy has repeatedly stated that this gas plant is needed to serve the electricity demands of data centers mostly concentrated in Northern Virginia. Why should we see our electric bills increase to subsidize some of the richest and biggest tech firms in the world? I realize that Chesterfield County has no control over our electric bills, but you do control whether Dominion can build this dirty gas plant in our backyard.
On September 25th, I expect the board to announce that it will schedule a hearing and a vote on Dominion’s dirty gas plant.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Day T-2 Message- Monday, September 23
Subject: We deserve to be heard!
Dear Supervisor Holland,
The residents of Chesterfield County deserve a hearing and a vote on Dominion Energy’s dirty gas power plant. Under state law, the Virginia Clean Economy Act, Dominion Energy is supposed to phase out its reliance on gas and coal fired power plants by 2045 to address climate change. This new gas plant with an expected operational lifespan through 2060 and beyond is inconsistent with that law. With all the concerns raised by residents regarding this gas plant, why is the county signing off on this project that raises serious questions as to its compliance with state law. Residents deserve to have their concerns heard by their supervisors in a county public hearing.
On September 25th, I expect the board to announce that it will schedule a hearing and a vote on Dominion’s dirty gas plant.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Day T-1 Message- Tuesday, September 24
Subject: Environmental Justice Now for Chesterfield residents
Dear Supervisor Holland,
The residents of Chesterfield County deserve a hearing and a vote on Dominion Energy’s dirty gas power plant. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality requires counties to determine the suitability of major pollution sources like this gas plant in local communities before it will grant an air pollution permit. Chesterfield County has greenlighted this gas plant without determining the suitability of the site and its impact on the surrounding community of largely lower income and people of color. Dominion’s gas plant raises serious questions related to environmental justice that our county has an obligation to consider in determining if this site is suitable. Friends of Chesterfield has also raised serious questions whether Dominion has the necessary zoning approval for this gas plant. Chesterfield County residents deserve a hearing and a vote on both the zoning and the suitability of this gas plant.
On September 25th, I expect the board to announce that it will schedule a hearing and a vote on Dominion’s dirty gas plant.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Thanks for your help! We hope to see Wednesday evening, September 25 at 6:30 PM at the Board of Supervisors meeting-please RSVP.