February 17, 2005: Headlines: COS - Congo Kinsasha: Global Warming: Environment: Crime: Washington Jewish Week: The six, including Chesapeake Climate Action Network executive director Mike Tidwell, were arrested for "peacefully refusing to vacate the road leading to the plant," according to a statement from Tidwell
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February 17, 2005: Headlines: COS - Congo Kinsasha: Global Warming: Environment: Crime: Washington Jewish Week: The six, including Chesapeake Climate Action Network executive director Mike Tidwell, were arrested for "peacefully refusing to vacate the road leading to the plant," according to a statement from Tidwell
The six, including Chesapeake Climate Action Network executive director Mike Tidwell, were arrested for "peacefully refusing to vacate the road leading to the plant," according to a statement from Tidwell
The six, including Chesapeake Climate Action Network executive director Mike Tidwell, were arrested for "peacefully refusing to vacate the road leading to the plant," according to a statement from Tidwell
Trial for trio of Jewish activists
by Paula Amann
News Editor
Caption: Trisha Benton is arrested at the entrance to the Dickerson Generating Station in upper Montgomery County. Six protesters received citations. (Doug Koontz -- Frederick News-post Via The AP)
As he waited last Friday in a Rockville courtroom before his sentence came down, Mike Tabor thought his livelihood was on the line.
For some 30 years, the Takoma Park man has run a farm in Needmore, Pa., so for most of the year, his workday involves an interstate commute. A prolonged probation, he said, would have put a crimp in his rural enterprise.
But he and five other defendants got a sentence of $100 and 10 days suspended jail time from Montgomery County District Judge Cornelius J. Vaughey.
"I haven't gotten arrested since the civil rights era," said Tabor, 62, one of three Jewish activists sentenced Friday. "We're not people who committed a crime -- it was a statement of conscience."
Tabor, along with Rockville Rabbi David Shneyer, Riverdale activist Jonah Blaustein and three others, were tried for their part in a protest at the Dickerson Generating Station last Nov. 10.
The six, including Chesapeake Climate Action Network executive director Mike Tidwell, were arrested for "peacefully refusing to vacate the road leading to the plant," according to a statement from Tidwell.
Some 15-20 also took part in the protest, including a local Jewish legislator, Montgomery County Council vice president George Leventhal.
The Dickerson plant, which sits amid the foothills of Sugarloaf Mountain, alongside the Potomac River, across from Leesburg, has drawn attention from environmentalists for its emissions. The Atlanta-based Mirant Corporation owns the largely coal-fired plant, along with three other power plants in Alexandria and in Prince George's and Charles counties.
"When you see someone or some institution doing something wrong, it's an obligation to speak out about that wrong, or you're part of the wrongdoing, too," said Shneyer in a phone interview Tuesday, citing links between air pollution and respiratory illnesses such as asthma.
"If we were more attentive to the quality of the air we breathe, we'd be healthier," said Tabor. "It's affected my immediate family."
Both he and Shneyer have sons who suffer from asthma, Tabor said.
But Mirant spokesperson Steve Arabia disputed the protesters' claims of emissions problems.
"These publicity stunts don't really help the debate," countered Arabia, the company's director of external affairs.
He pointed to new technology installed in 2003 and 2004 that allegedly cut nitrogen oxide output by 40 percent and slashed particulate matter emissions by 75 percent.
"That's a very strong and demonstrable improvement in the Dickerson station," said Arabia.
"We are planning to reduce mercury and sulfur emissions at all four of our power plants" in the area, said Arabia, who did not cite a timeline for the plans.
But he voiced concern that Mirant might have to compete with other companies that aren't making similar changes.
"We don't think it makes sense to spend hundreds of millions when our competition don't," Arabia said.
But activist Tidwell disputed the Mirant spokesperson's case.
"That argument is specious because virtually every state surrounding Maryland is mandating greater pollution reductions from coal-fired power plants than has Maryland," countered Tidwell.
He cited higher standards for nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide in Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and North Carolina.
In an opinion piece in The Washington Post last month, Leventhal drew attention to four emissions -- nitrogen oxide, mercury, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide -- from the four Mirant plants.
"Maryland has the fifth-worst air quality in the country, yet Mirant's four coal-burning plants ... keep on polluting," Leventhal wrote in part. "It's time the General Assembly used the power granted it under federal law and passed a four-pollutant bill. We need this legislation now -- for our air, for our climate and for our children."
Mirant lobbyists in Annapolis, Leventhal charged, have kept power plant cleanup bills from getting out of committee.
"They reduced their nitrogen oxide, but they can do more on nitrogen oxide and need to reduce other pollutants," Leventhal said of Mirant in a phone interview Tuesday.
With his sentence set, Tabor says he'll be winding down his activism as the farming season heats up in March and April. Then it's back to the toil of growing heirloom apples and tomatoes.
This story was published on Thu, Feb 17, 2005.
When this story was posted in February 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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 | WWII participants became RPCVs Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service. |
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 | RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey. |
 | Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." |
 | Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help? |
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Story Source: Washington Jewish Week
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Congo Kinsasha; Global Warming; Environment; Crime
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