order non hybrid seeds LandRightsNFarming: Fwd: One Last Chance to Fix the Leucadia Tax

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Fwd: One Last Chance to Fix the Leucadia Tax



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chuck and Punkie Botsko <andy.bean@sierraclub.org>
Date: Mon, Apr 22, 2013 at 11:34 AM
Subject: One Last Chance to Fix the Leucadia Tax
To: landrightsnfarming.seamom89@gmail.com




View a web version.


Dear Melissa,

If you're bewildered by what's going on at the Indiana Statehouse, you're not alone.

Here in Spencer County, we're counting on legislators to fix the mess of a deal they've gotten us into -- one that could result in a dirty coal gasification plant in Rockport and higher natural gas bills for customers across the state.

But just as legislators seemed to be making progress to repeal the Leucadia Tax -- with near majorities in the state Senate and the House supporting a bill to protect Hoosier ratepayers -- two legislators with clear ties to the coal industry led efforts to significantly weaken the bill.1

With just one week left in the session, legislative leaders have promised a fix: "The governor, Senate leadership and our team – we're on the same page on this," said House Speaker Brian Bosma to the Evansville Courier & Press.2 But judging by recent history, we can't afford to take their word for it -- we must keep the pressure on.

With a week left, please send one last message to your legislators and Governor Pence -- fix this mess and protect Hoosiers from the Leucadia Tax!

Thanks for all you've done and continue to do to stop this dirty plant. We're grateful for your help.

Sincerely,

Chuck and Punkie Botsko
Residents of Spencer County, Indiana

P.S. Below is our message from February, as a reminder of what's at stake for Rockport and Spencer County. After you take action, you can have an even bigger impact, by forwarding this message to your friends and familiy and encouraging them to take action.

Sources:
1. Key lawmakers water down Rockport bill that could benefit their employers, Indianapolis Star, April 15, 2013.
2. Lawmakers with coal ties criticized for weakening Rockport bill, Evansville Courier & Press, April 15, 2013.

Share this page on FacebookShare this page on TwitterShare this page with other services


The town of Rockport is about to be overrun by yet another coal plant. Tell your legislators and Governor Pence to stop it!
INBostkos.jpg
Take Action!\

We live in Spencer County, Indiana -- where Leucadia wants to build a multi-billion dollar coal-to-gas plant. Punkie's family has roots here dating back to 1945 when her family moved to Rockport. At that time, Rockport was a wonderful small town. Nestled on the banks of the Ohio River, it was a thriving farming community.

Things changed dramatically when the current Rockport coal plant was built in the late 1970s -- for both Punkie's family and the larger community. Punkie's father Leon fought to save a plot of land he owned near Rockport, but it was ultimately seized to build the coal plant. Even the family farm in nearby Gentryville was affected, as giant transmission lines were built over prime farmland.

In less than a week, more than 700 Hoosiers have already asked their legislators and Governor Pence to stop Leucadia's new coal-to-gas plant in Rockport. Will you join them?

Over time, many families chose to move away from Rockport and many small businesses closed their doors. The once thriving farming community is now struggling to survive -- there has even been talk of closing one of our local schools due to reduced student enrollment. As career teachers, we want nothing more than for our students to have a future right here in Spencer County.

Spencer County is a beautiful place to live and a great place to visit. We're home to Lincoln State Park and the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, drawing in more than 100,000 visitors each year to the farm where Abraham Lincoln grew up. The nearby Holiday World and Splashin' Safari theme park draws more than a million visitors each year.

Despite being a great place to visit, the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory ranks Spencer County as the second-most polluted county in the state. It was his connection to the land and environment that drove Punkie's father Leon to fight industrial polluters until the age of 95. We're now carrying on his legacy by working with Spencer County Citizens for Quality of Life to protect Rockport from this new coal plant.

Let's not jeopardize our health and environment by building yet another polluting coal plant in Spencer County. Please send a message to your legislators and Governor Pence today.

Key legislators are already speaking out, seeking to revisit the bad deal that puts Indiana ratepayers on the hook to build this plant.1 With your help, we can convince even more lawmakers that this plant is a bad deal for Hoosiers.

Sincerely,

Chuck and Punkie Botsko
Residents of Spencer County, Indiana

P.S. After you take action, be sure to forward this alert to your friends and colleagues!

Sources:
1. "Key lawmakers want second look at Rockport gas plant deal", Indianapolis Star, January 25, 2013.

If you do not wish to receive future emails like this, click here to be removed from this type of email contact.

 

Update My Profile | Manage My Email Preferences | Update My Interests

Sierra Club
85 Second St.
San Francisco, CA 94105