By Edward Mazria
Architecture 2030
SANTA FE— The most recent studies coming from the scientific community regarding climate change and global warming could not be worse. A report in the Journal Science, co-authored by 17 marine scientists from seven countries including the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), project that coral reefs, home to 25 percent of all marine species, will be gone by 2050. In its final assessment released just last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that 20 percent to 30 percent of all plant and animal species on earth will be gone by 2050. NASA scientists estimate that this number will increase to 50 percent by 2100 if we continue burning fossil fuels, conducting business as usual. And, a new study just published by scientists from Britain's National Oceanography Centre in the journal Nature Geoscience, now estimates a sea level rise twice previous projections, portending a catastrophe for many of our coastal cities and towns.
And yet, here in New Mexico, we seem to be sleepwalking toward disaster, disregarding the connection between our actions and the impacts of climate change.
A 1,500 megawatt conventional coal-fired power plant is about to be built on the Navajo Nation. Based upon the environmental impact statement, the Desert Rock plant will release about 12.7 million tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere each year.
To put this troubling project into perspective, Gov. Bill Richardson issued an Executive Order setting statewide greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, at 2000 levels by 2012, and 10 percent below 2000 levels by 2020. At the governor's request, utility, energy and environmental experts met over a two-year period and developed a workable plan to meet these reduction targets.
Yet, if we enact all the recommendations in the plan and meet the Governor's targets by 2020, the CO2 emissions from the Desert Rock coal plant, in just 21/2 months of operation each year, would negate this entire 12-year effort.
The disingenuous rhetoric about clean coal is a tiresome smokescreen. Using low-sulphur coal does nothing to reduce the CO2 emitted by a conventional coal plant, therefore, conventional coal plants like Desert Rock are not clean.
A conventional coal plant like Desert Rock cannot be retrofitted in the future with carbon capture and underground storage technology (CCS). This would require that an entirely different type of plant be built. We also know that that CCS, by the industry's own admission, is at least 20 years away, if it is even proven economically and technically feasible.
It is time for us here in New Mexico to hold our elected officials accountable. The time for talk about CO2 reductions is over; it is now time to act.
Richardson should unequivocally state that any legislative tax incentive package for Desert Rock that comes across his desk will be vetoed. As an alternative to Desert Rock, he should work with legislators and Navajo leaders to produce an attractive economic incentive package for clean renewable energy generation (and jobs) on Navajo land, such as wind, solar thermal electric, geothermal and biomass. California, Arizona and other western states are thirsting for renewable energy as they look to meet their own greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Our governor should also partner with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to move the states of the Western Climate Initiative to commit to not purchasing any additional CO2-emitting coal-produced electricity.
Our congressional representatives should do the same, i.e. state unequivocally that they are opposed to any new conventional coal plants and work with Navajo leaders to introduce federal legislation for renewable energy production and job incentives on the Navajo Nation.
As more and more cities and states move to renewable energy generation, New Mexico and the Navajo Nation risk being left behind. Given our significant renewable energy resources, this is irresponsible. New Mexico has a real opportunity to lead on clean energy production. On the other hand, if Desert Rock goes forward, all of our efforts to reduce emissions in our state will be for naught, and we will continue to move down a path with catastrophic consequences.
Edward Mazria is an architect; founder of Architecture 2030, a nonprofit research center; and member of the RCI Technical Working Group, a project of Gov. Bill Richardson's Climate Change Advisory Council.
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