Sunday, December 13, 2009

Fasting activists inspiring others in Copenhagen to hang tough and demand Climate Justice NOW!

"I support Climate Justice Fast!" sent you a message on Facebook...‏
From: Facebook (notification+pu1pu1md@facebookmail.com)
Sent: Sun 12/13/09 4:23 PM
To: Aubrey James Shepherd (aubreyshepherd@hotmail.com)
Anna C Keenan sent a message to the members of I support Climate Justice Fast!

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Subject: Hunger for Survival - Thursday 17 December 2009

Hello, Climate Justice Fast supporters,

http://www.facebook.com/anna.c.keenan?ref=profile#/event.php?eid=227106867068&ref=mf

During the COP15 conference, the Climate Justice Fast here in Copenhagen has inspired people around the world to higher levels of activism, and has generated a huge number of media hits from Turkey to Japan to Greece to Korea and all around the world!

Due to the inspiration that the fasters have provided to - in particular - the 1000-strong youth activist contingent at the conference, the youth groups and a number of large environmental organisations have decided that they would like to invite their members to fast for one day - THIS THURSDAY 17 DECEMBER - in support of the CJF, and solidarity with the millions who have and will lose their lives due to the preventable and involuntary hunger, disease and conflict resulting from climate change.

We have created a facebook event here - sign up if you are willing to join the day of fasting and reflection: http://www.facebook.com/anna.c.keenan?ref=profile#/event.php?eid=227106867068&ref=mf

Many notable climate and sustainability leaders, including Vandana Shiva, will also be joining in this fast and moral call.

“If not us then who, and if not now then when?”

One day before the Heads of State arrive to finalise the deal in Copenhagen, we are calling for all people, everywhere across the world, to join a single global day of fasting – voluntarily going without food – and personal reflection on the climate crisis, and what we as humanity need to do to solve it.

Commit to join the day of fasting by joining this facebook event - and inviting all of your friends!

http://www.facebook.com/anna.c.keenan?ref=profile#/event.php?eid=227106867068&ref=mf

Now, we must be done with trying to persuade politicians with debates and intellectual argument. They have heard it all already. Now they face a decision about what is simply morally right.

On Thursday 17th December, we will therefore not yell, but instead quiet our voices and raise up our hearts in silence, not telling our leaders what they should do, but instead use the historically symbolic and powerful act of the fast to ask our leaders to reflect on the gravity of the choices they are about to make.

http://www.facebook.com/anna.c.keenan?ref=profile#/event.php?eid=227106867068&ref=mf




*** UPDATE on the fasters ***

Sara Svensson, Anna Keenan and Paul Connor are all now on the 39th day of their fast, having started on the 6th of November. Matthieu Balle, a solar panel installer from Paris who joined us immediately after hearing about us on French radio, is now reaching his 22nd day. Daniel Lau and Michael Morphett have both bravely decided to end their fasts, following medical advice, after both passing 30 days without food - a heroic feat.

The fasters are all in high spirits and good health, and are under appropriate medical supervision.

****

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

SWEPCO raises rate but gets only half what it requested from the PSC

Swepco Raises Rates for Arkansas Customers
By The Associated Press - 11/25/2009 12:24:00 PM


LITTLE ROCK - Southwestern Electric Power Co. has won regulatory approval for two rate hikes for its Arkansas customers.

Swepco said Wednesday that a base rate increase in December will raise residential bills by 5 percent, or $3.84 for a customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month. A second increase will go into effect upon completion next summer of a 508-megawatt, natural gas-fueled power plant in Shreveport, La. To help pay for the $386 million plant, Arkansas customers will see an increase of 4¼ percent, or $3.17 a month for 1,000 kilowatt users.

Combined, Swepco customers will pay 9.41 percent more for electricity, or $7.01 per month for 1,000 kilowatt users. That comes to $84 per year. The total is less than half that SWEPCO originally sought.

Swepco withdrew an increase it requested to pay for the $1.6 billion coal-fired electric generation plant it is building in southwest Arkansas. The Arkansas Court of Appeals in June rejected the permit the PSC granted for the John W. Turk plant in Fulton County.

"If the certificate for the Turk Plant is confirmed by the Arkansas Supreme Court, Swepco will return to the APSC with a request for recovery of financing costs during construction of the plant," the company said in a news release.

The PSC approved a settlement agreement that provided lower rate hikes than Swepco had sought. Swepco originally wanted $53.9 million, including $25.3 million for cost-of-service and $28.6 million for recovery of financing costs for building the Stall Unit in Shreveport and the 600-megawatt Turk Plant. Customers would have paid 17.7 percent more - $15.43 per month or $185 per year - under the original request.

Swepco has 113,500 Arkansas customers.

The 5 percent increase is for the utility's base rate, which covers costs of building, maintaining and operating the company's electric system. Fuel cost isn't included in that rate, which is the sou rce of most rate hikes.

Swepco says the base rate increase is its first since 1985.

(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast published, rewritten, or redistributed.)