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Students from across Virginia rallied Sunday to remove the Virginia Tech coal plant.
“We’re asking the school to move off coal by 2020,” said Kara Dodson, a senior environmental resource management major and the Beyond Coal program director. “They’re making steps but aren’t moving fast enough.”
Dodson was one of more than 50 students who rallied outside Squires Student Center wearing hard hats and shirts which spelled out “we stand for clean energy.”
The rally was the final event of Virginia Power Shift, a weekend-long summit to promote clean energy in Virginia.
Virginia Power Shift, which was hosted at Tech this year, featured workshops and training sessions to educate students about the advantages of green energy and how to successfully raise awareness, according to information from Virginia Power Shift leaders.
Students from Tech and the University of Richmond spoke about their personal experiences with the Tech coal plant, as well as what they want to see in the future.
Madeline Rigatti, a sophomore human development major, talked about her time living in Thomas Hall, the residence hall closest to the coal plant.
“When I first toured Virginia Tech as a junior in high school, the location and beauty of the mountains surrounding campus won me over instantly,” she said. “However, when I arrived at the beginning of my freshman year, I quickly realized I would have very different scenery surrounding me.”
Rigatti recalled having frequent headaches, as well as hearing loud noises that prevented sleeping and studying. She also said dust from the coal plant blew into rooms in Thomas Hall.
“Breathing in coal dust and being in such close proximity to a power plant can have serious health consequences, especially for someone like myself who suffers from asthma,” Rigatti said.
During the speeches, students walked through a symbolic coal plant and wore doctor’s breathing masks.
“We have been working hard to get our campus off coal and onto cleaner energy,” said Jenni Swegan, a student from the UR who came to Blacksburg for Virginia Power Shift. “I think it’s really important that all the schools in Virginia and the country come together and make that movement happen peacefully.”
There is also a coal plant on the UR campus, and students there have formed groups to get it removed.
Dodson said biomass, a renewable energy source, is the best probable clean energy solution for Tech. While steps are being made in that direction, she said she thinks it should be working faster.
Tech has yet to publish the results of a test it did over the summer of possible ways to transition into biomass, Dodson said.
One of the goals of Virginia Power Shift was to form the Virginia Alliance for Cleaner Energy, according to the event’s website. VACE aims to unite the entire state to make a stronger effort to bring clean energy solutions across the commonwealth.
A version of this article appeared in the Oct 4 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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One thing I'd like to reiterate is that Beyond Coal advocates for a transition from coal to renewable energy (solar thermal, geothermal, biomass combustion). We do not advocate for the "removal" of the physical coal plant.
Also, the most important issue is the health of Thomas Hall residents. The University has not taken appropriate measures to ensure that students are protected from coal dust inhiliation. The coal piles outside of the plant are uncovered and the dust blows into students rooms during coal delivery, removal, and high winds.
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Awesome points about living in Thomas. I totally understand that covering the open coal piles might be expensive, but these are paying, living students. Nothing should come before their health! If, as a university community, we can do nothing else, we should really commit to covering those coal piles so that students can breathe easier.
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It's not about going green and following this "green trend" as everyone seems to be doing. It's about health, it's about sustaining these beautiful mountains for our children's children, it's about changing the paradigm of what it means to be human in this world.
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You know, we've been burning coal at Tech decades. I really don't think it's had much of an effect on the scenery around here. Yes, we need to switch, but don't be so dramatic. Be practical.
The "green trend" has a lot to do with health. Health of the planet, as well as the health of its inhabitants. It is a novel concept, and one that we should strive towards as a society. But Blacksburg is a tough spot to try to eliminate coal use, as we are in the middle of coal country. Our area is and will continue to be affected by the switch from coal nationally, as much of our industry is heavily influenced by coal. And there is not a lot else to do around here.
Let's say we get off coal. Okay, fantastic - what are we switching to? Who is going to fund it (and it WILL be expensive) in the middle of a recession? Who is going to do the work to make it happen? Where are all of the industry's current employees going to work? Who will pay for their training? They don't know anything else. We need to come up with a local plan for the displaced coal industry workers that will be affected by a switch, and that will not happen overnight (or even in 9 years).
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Mark, I'll try and answer some of your questions (these are constant ones Beyond Coal has strived to answer over the past two years):
what are we switching to? **Biomass is combustable and can be co-fired with coal until a full switch is achievable (money and technology wise). the school has begun co-firing tests which have been positive. This is something Beyond Coal supports and works with the University on. We can't exclude efficiency either; retro-fitting our old buildings and changing end-user behavior are answers too.
Who is going to fund it (and it WILL be expensive) in the middle of a recession? **The funding will come from the state. Many of our school construction projects are part of stimulus packages or state job creation plans. The plant is no exception. We have spent millions of dollars improving the steam tunnels in the last 4 years. We have allocated over $500 million to construction last year. Our school spends over $3 million BUYING coal to burn every year (43,000 tons * $70/ton).
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Who is going to do the work to make it happen? **Students, researchers, faculty, Administrators, community members: we can all play a part to solve this issue.
Where are all of the industry's current employees going to work? **The plant won't be physically removed unless we have to expand to a new plant outside of campus grounds (the school has looked into this several times, just look for the 2006 Master Plan approved by the Board of Visitors). The plant workers won't be losing their jobs but can work withe new technology (which may hire more people, not a bad thing).
Who will pay for their training? **There are several state and local programs that train construction and utility personnel energy efficiency and renewable technology skills. We don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Peak coal is 2020 in Appalachia according to the USGS. Job losses will result not primarily from switching to renewables but from the exhaustion of depletable resources. Let's start diversifying Appalachian economies NOW and not wait for peak coal to force us into a dire situation.
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Good (and thorough) answers to my questions, although in my last one I was referring more toward the coal industry as a whole than those just working at Tech's facility.
I, too, am quite passionate about switching off of coal, but I have lived in this area for close to ten years. We do need folks like you driving things forward, but I believe being off coal in 9 years is highly unrealistic, given the effect it will have on this area.
The hoops that we will need to jump through as a community are pretty daunting, government funding or not. Switching to biomass is one thing, but funding for other alt. engergy facilities has to come from somewhere, and the money is just flat out not there. Yes, government money will help, but it will not cover the overall cost of converting. And convincing any community, let alone a coal-dependent community, of the benefits of converting to new, more expensive, technologies (at least for now) is a hard sell - especially coming from an organization like the Sierra Club. Let's be honest - no coal community wants to hear anything from them. Talk about a personality clash!
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One more thing...
As for the USGS's prediction of "peak coal" being 2020, I wouldn't put money on it. Look at what has happened to oil. We were supposed to have peaked out already, and production is still going quite strong. I don't put much faith in predictions, but I suppose the USGS is as reputable a source for one as any.
I'm not trying to be negative, but I AM trying to be practical. Keep up the campaign, but don't get frustrated if 2020 rolls around and we're still burning that nasty black stuff on campus.
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