Rally Against Dominion Power

In a shady attempt to avoid opposition to some big environmental issues, Dominion Virginia Power has moved its annual shareholders meeting from Richmond to Boston. Dominion’s shareholders plan to address two major issues and we hope some good Bostonians out there will be able to help my organization, Virginians for Sensible Energy Policies, by attending a rally this Friday.

The first issue would require Dominion to report on its efforts to reduce carbon dioxide. At a time when corporations such as ExxonMobil are consciously taking steps to decrease their negative impact on the environment, Dominion isn’t doing much at all and they have refused time and time again to report any headway with regard to alternative energies. One can only assume that its efforts have been a joke as Dominion is the 20th largest polluter in the S&P 500 emitting roughly 33 million metric tons of carbon annually.

The second issue deals with property rights. Dominion wants to construct a series of unneeded 500,000 volt power lines right through Virginia land. Shareholders want to assess how Dominion can use federal eminent domain powers to bypass the state approval process. As you might guess, Dominion has faced enormous opposition to the proposal from citizens, environmental groups, county officials and property owners. Dominion has not demonstrated the need for these power lines and until they do, we will continue to say No Power Towers.

We ask for your help now that Dominion has moved its shareholder meeting to Boston. We invite you to attend a rally this Friday, April 27, to tell Dominion no to the power towers and call on Dominion to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. The rally will be held across the street from the board meeting at Boston's Intercontinental Hotel at 510 Atlantic Ave. from 8:45-11am.

Dominion’s exhaust doesn’t just stem from Virginia. In 2004 Dominion purchased the 1,599-megawatt coal- and oil-fired Brayton Point Station and the 745-megawatt coal- and oil-fired Salem Harbor Station, both in Massachusetts. Dominion also acquired the 495-megawatt combined-cycle natural gas-fired Manchester Street Station in Rhode Island. All signs point to Dominion’s plans for more of these coal burning power plants from Ohio to New England.

Dominion has done far too much to destroy our environment and its soaring profits indicate that Dominion’s Board of Directors really can make a conscious effort to shift the paradigm to focus on alternative energies but are just choosing to ignore the problem.

If you cannot attend the rally, I encourage you to please spread the word to your friends, family, neighbors and colleagues. We cannot allow Dominion to seize property – homes, farms, civil war preservations and scenic landscapes – to construct power towers and destroy the environment.