Mississippi: It's time to let the sunshine in!
If you follow the news, you know that 2014 was a breakthrough year for the Mississippi Chapter of the Sierra Club.
First, we won a victory in June when the court ruled in favor of the Sierra Club, sending the Mississippi Development Authority back to square one in its effort to allow drilling in Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Then, in August, five years of Sierra Club legal challenges and grassroots pressure against the Kemper Coal Plant led to a landmark legal settlement between the Sierra Club and Mississippi Power. That settlement closed two coal plants, mandated $15 million in energy efficiency measures for low-income households and solar demonstration projects, and provided $2 million to purchase critical habitats.
2014 was a great year, but we can't rest on our laurels. 2015 is an election year, and it will be a critical year for making clean energy an important part of Mississippi's future. But it won't be easy.
Ever wonder why there aren't more solar panels in Mississippi? It's because we are one of only five states that has no regulation for net metering. Without "net metering," there is no economic rationale for individuals and businesses to incur the expense of putting up solar panels. Yet we are one of the top ten states for solar power potential!
The Mississippi Public Service Commission will be making a decision on net metering soon. And this year, along with all of the statewide offices and the entire state legislature, all three public service commissioner seats are up for grabs.
Which is why we are asking for and need your financial support.
This year, we will be endorsing and supporting those candidates who will fight for what is important to you: clean air and water, preservation of our state's natural beauty, and bringing renewable energy sources like wind and solar power to the state.
Your donation to the Mississippi Sierra Club PAC will give us an unprecedented opportunity to build on our victories and momentum, and it will go directly to supporting candidates who pledge to do the right thing.
But we need you to act now, so that we can help candidates as they begin their campaigns. Help us continue our work and build on our success. Please make your check out to Mississippi Sierra Club PAC. Know that 100% of your gift stays in Mississippi. Send it to:
Sierra Club-Mississippi Chapter, 921 North Congress St., Jackson, MS 39202
Also, take a look at our website, mississippi.sierraclub.org and like our Facebook page (Sierra Club-Mississippi Chapter). We've spent the past year updating the website and increasing our social media presence. You'll find timely information about what the chapter is doing and get the latest news. You can also become a member or donate to the chapter.
Contributions and gifts to the Sierra Club are not tax-deductible; they support our effective, citizen-based advocacy and lobbying efforts.