From The Greater Baden Aquasco Citizens Association (see letter to share with neighbors below after the intro):
The Greater Baden Aquasco Citizens Association supports efforts to appeal the planned construction of the 3rd fossil fuel power plant in the immediate area of Brandywine (and the 5th in the local area), named “Mattawoman Energy”. This gas fired power plant will be located near the intersection of Brandywine Rd and Air Force Rd, near the Brandywine Fire Hall, Brandywine Elementary School, Post Office and The Chapel of the Incarnation. This will have a significant impact on all aspect of our lives in the rural tier from air pollution, health, local tourism and agricultural economic progress, property values, increased traffic congestion and quality of life!
CleanAirPrinceGeorges.org is a group of local citizens who are committed to stopping this 3rd power plant for Brandywine through legal means. Individuals have been funding this community effort and seek donations to help continue this fight.
The Greater Baden Aquasco Citizens Association is a party to the litigation, we support the efforts of Clean Air Prince Georges, and encourage individual donations. 100% of donations received are used to pay legal fees to keep a 3rd power plant out of our community. (Clean Air Prince George’s (CAPG) is a committee/ campaign under the auspices of the Patuxent Riverkeeper Organization (501c3). The Patuxent Riverkeeper holds an isolated account for funds contributed to the CAPG campaign efforts.)
Checks can be made out to: Clean Air Prince George’s
Mailing address: Clean Air Prince George’s, P.O. Box 616, Cheltenham, MD 20623
For more information, call Joanne at 301-502-3261 or email jflynn1111@me.com
More information on this issue, the law suit and info on how to make a tax – deductible donation go to:
www.cleanairprincegeorges.org
Facebook: Stop Additional Brandywine MD Power Plants
A fact sheet/letter from Clean Air Prince George’s is attached and also pasted below:
Dear Neighbor,
We are writing to ask for your help. We have launched a legal challenge to stop the construction of a third power plant in the immediate Brandywine area. Both the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) and our own County Council have pushed these pollution sources forward without regard to public health and have undermined community efforts to participate in the decision-making process. If the Keys and Mattawoman power plants are built we will have five major fossil fuel plants within 13 miles of Brandywine. (See map in attachment below.) These two new plants would be located right in Brandywine!
Enough Bad Air: According to U.S. EPA, the ozone in Prince George’s County already exceeds air quality standards designed to protect our health. Elevated levels of ozone and other pollutants—even for a few hours—can lead to asthma attacks in children, and endanger people with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular disease. The very old and the very young are at greatest risk. Breathing polluted air can lead to health problems for healthy individuals too.
Power plants boost ozone levels: Coal and gas-fired power plants are major emitters of the nitrogen oxides (NOx), a toxic pollutant that reacts in the atmosphere with hydrocarbons (also emitted by power plants) to form ozone.
Not Needed: Despite the threats to our air and our health, and questions about the need for more fossil fuel plants and their contributions to the climate crisis, both the County and the PSC, have made their deals with developers and are pushing ahead. Make no mistake, if we do not act, these obsolete polluters will be with us for the next 30+ years, despite the surge in renewable energy. These power plants are a bad investment for all of our futures.
There are additional reasons why our legal action is critical:
The energy companies, Public Service Commission and Prince George’s County Government have effectively shut down public participation. County officials from the outset promoted the plants for their tax revenues with little regard to the objections of Brandywine-area residents, those most affected by the project. As a result residents in the Brandywine area can expect more traffic, more pollution, lower property values, and a frontal attack on the quality of our lives, in essence Brandywine is a “sacrifice zone” for an obsolete source of energy. Senator President Mike Miller severely criticized the PSC and company for their woefully inadequate notification and public involvement processes.
Traffic Congestion: During construction, hundreds of employees and lines of big trucks will travel to the Mattawoman and Keys Plants along Brandywine Road—already congested during peak periods – especially if two plants are built at the same time. Stop and go truck traffic will spew maximum amounts of highly toxic diesel exhaust into the air. The World Health Organization designates diesel emissions as a cause of human cancer.
Children: Apparently neither County officials nor the Public Service Commission have considered how heavy construction-related traffic along Brandywine and North Keys Roads will affect the health and safety of children who live in and near Brandywine, go to Brandywine Elementary School or play on the North Keys baseball fields.
Our legal appeal: For these reasons we are challenging the Public Service Commission’s approval of the Mattawoman Plant in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. This legal appeal may be our only opportunity to stop a power plant being located in the heart of Brandywine. Parties to our legal action include many individuals and organizations including Patuxent Riverkeeper, Greater Baden Aquasco Citizens Association and Mattawoman Watershed Society.
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Members of the Greater Baden Aquasco Citizens Association are helping to support Clean Air Prince George’s efforts. We encourage individual donations. Thank you
