Local residents, organizations demand CPS rate-hike focus on conservation & green economic development
Thursday May 15th at 8:45am
Main Plaza
As City Council is set to approve today the proposed CPS rate-hike, Southwest Workers Union calls on elected officials to set forward an innovative and clean energy future for San Antonio. In face of rapid increasing costs of fuel and food, along with foreclosures and stagnant wages, a CPS rate increased will add an additional burden to working-class families.
“We are calling on City leaders to invest significant resources into improving the energy efficiency of homes. Weatherize programs will offset the cost of the rate hike for local families and create jobs for workers here in San Antonio and combat poverty,” explains Sandra Garcia of SWU. “For a similar program in Austin, every dollar in energy savings initiatives generates $4.40 in savings.” Last week City leaders announced that $40 million more from the rate hike would go towards efficiency. CPS’s rebate programs often run out of money, and $40 million is not enough.
Under public pressure over the dangers of nuclear energy, city leaders removed the $206 million commitment to nuclear from the rate hike. However, in a creative accounting move, that same money will come from CPS capital improvements fund. CPS continued pursuit of a multi-billion dollar open-ended commitment to nuclear will prevent San Antonio from investing significant resources into renewable power and efficiency programs.
A household in San Antonio uses more energy than any other major city in Texas or compared with other states in the Southwest. The 2004 KEMA report found that San Antonio could curb between 12,000-1,900 megawatts in 10 years through efficiency alone, and eliminate at least 36 percent of the energy use predicted for 2014. Pending federal legislation, the Green Jobs Act, would make $120 million a year available for green jobs training programs.
“It is time for real meaningful investments in the green economy by CPS, programs that will both create a healthy planet and train green collar workers poverty. Solar and wind are the wave of the future. San Antonio should be a leader in local solar power generation and open the doors for new economic development opportunities,” said Diana Lopez.
Labels: city council, energy justice, nuclear power
// posted by Southwest Workers Union @
3:03 PM 
