Dear
The clock is ticking to protect our environment and Hoosier consumers from the Leucadia Tax.
The House Utilities and Energy Committee must act on Wednesday to protect Hoosier families from Wall Street's plan to build a dirty coal-to-gas plant in Rockport. We've dubbed it the Leucadia Tax because it will mean Hoosier families, small businesses, and seniors will be taxed with higher natural gas bills for as long as 30 years.
This plant will also tax our environment -- it will mean 30 more years of dirty coal barges on the Ohio River and add another source of toxic pollution to the already burdened town of Rockport. Hundreds of Spencer County residents have already signed petitions against this dirty coal gasification plant, but the state legislature still hasn't taken action to protect Hoosiers from this untested, dirty, and expensive project.
Send a message to your representative today, before Wedesday's critical vote, to stand up for Indiana's environment and Hoosier consumers.
Sincerely,
Andy Bean
Indiana Beyond Coal Campaign
Sierra Club
P.S.
Can you make it to the statehouse on Wednesday at noon? We'll be on hand at the committee hearing with "No Leucadia Tax" stickers, encouraging representatives to act before it is too late.
P.P.S. Check out Thomas's message below for more information on The Leucadia Tax.
You may want to save that tax refund for a rainy day.
If the Indiana House doesn't act soon, Hoosier families and small businesses will be taxed with higher gas bills.1 Over eight years, $375 will be taken from each residential consumer's gas bill and up to $2000 from each small business to recoup the state's losses from a a deal to build a dirty, expensive, and untested coal gasification plant in Rockport.
Indiana senators refused to stand up for consumers, removing guarantees of ratepayer savings from Senate Bill 510 and replacing them with empty promises. That means a tax hike is on its way in the form of a new Leucadia Tax that will soon start appearing on all Indiana natural gas bills.
Our families take on all the risk, while Leucadia Corporation and their investors reap all the rewards.
Tell your representative -- amend Senate Bill 510 to protect Hoosier families and prevent the Leucadia Tax levy!
Indiana University's Kelley School of Business estimated the coal gasification project will mean $1.4 billion in lost revenue to the state and will jeopardize 1,800 Hoosier jobs.
2 Hoosier advocacy groups from the AARP to the Indiana Farm Bureau support legislative action to protect consumers, as seniors, farmers, churches, and small businesses will all be burdened by the Leucadia Tax.
Then, there's the small Indiana town of Rockport. Already home to one of the world's largest coal-burning power plants, residents will be burdened with another source of toxic pollution. Spencer County is trying hard to draw tourists to the scenic Ohio River, the Lincoln Boyhood Museum, and Holiday World. Who will want to vacation in the midst of a polluted, industrial landscape?
The Indiana General Assembly created this problem, and they are the only ones who can fix it.
Your representative can stop the Leucadia Tax and ease the pain for Hoosier families.
Make your voice heard -- tell your representative to restore consumer protections to Senate Bill 510!
Thanks for all you do for Indiana,
Thomas Pearce
Beyond Coal Campaign
Sierra Club
P.S. After you take action, be sure to
forward this alert to your friends and colleagues!
Sources:
1.
ProtectHoosierGasCutsomers.com2.
Natural Gas, Unnatural Prices, How SNG and Artificially High Natural Gas Prices Will Affect Indiana's Economy.
