RANchicago's Ryan Baker speaks with Alderman Joe Moore at the Santa Naughty or Nice Demo 12-8-2010

Rainforest Action Network Chicago's Ryan Baker and Dave Kraft speak with the sponsor of the Chicago Clean Power Ordinance Alderman Joe Moore of the 49th District. covered by ABC 7 news.

Official Press Release below:


Chicago Clean Power Ordinance gets Santa's "Nice" Nod; "naughty" aldermen get -- coal

CHICAGO—Clean air and clean power got a huge boost today when Santa and his Helpers descended on City Hall to urge Aldermen to "give the gift of clean air," and adopt the Chicago Clean Power Ordinance.

"Coal, coal, coal? No! No! No!" bellowed the jolly Head Elf, known the other 363 days of the year as XXXX, a member of Rainforest Action Network Chicago, a member group of the Chicago Clean Power Coalition. (www.cleanpowerchicago.org) . Around him, helpers passed out leaflets and candy-canes to passers-by, urging them to contact Aldermen George Cardenas (12th) to schedule a hearing on the Ordinance.

The Chicago Clean Power Ordinance was introduced in April, 2010, by Ald. Joe Moore to tighten emissions regulations for Midwest Generation's two old coal-fired powerplants in the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods in Chicago -- Fisk and Crawford. The Ordinance has already garnered 17 co-sponsors. Ald. Richard Mell (33rd), Chair of the Rules Committee, recently assigned it for joint public hearing before the Environment (chaired by Ald. Virginia Rugai, 19th) and the Public Health (chaired by Ald. George Cardenas) Committees.

"We're here today to publicly praise those aldermen and women who have valued clean air, public health, and the people of Chicago enough to co-sponsor the Ordinance," stated Ryan Baker, also of RAN Chicago and Chicago Sierra Club. "We also ask Ald. Cardenas and outgoing Ald. Rugai to do their duty to the citizens of Chicago and quickly schedule public hearings before their joint committee."

"Nice" co-sponsors got candy canes and holiday thank you cards from Santa, while "naughty" opponents and non-committals got -- appropriately enough -- coal, and a chance to redeem themselves.

"The time for fence-sitting and stonewalling on people's health is long past," said Ald. Joe Moore, sponsor of the Ordinance. "It's time to give the people of Chicago what they deserve as a birthright -- clean air to breath and a clean safe environment. What better time to give this gift to the people of Chicago than this holiday season?"

"No one should get the idea that just because we're being lighthearted about the Ordinance here today that we are not serious about clean air and clean power for Chicago," warns Angie Viands of RAN Chicago. "We're literally deadly serious about it. Every year, over 40 of our neighbors and fellow Chicagoans die needlessly because of the pollution from Fisk and Crawford. Thousands of others suffer asthma attacks. These tragic facts merit far worse than mere coal in a stocking. Chicago aldermen and women have the power to stop that suffering," Viands noted.

"A 'green city' simply can't have 'black lungs,'" maintains Christine Nannicelli of the Chicago Clean Power Coalition and Sierra Club. "Like Marley's ghost, we're giving the aldermen and Mayor Daley one final chance to right the sorry record: they can give Chicagoans the gift of clean air and a legitimate green legacy by passing the Chicago Clean Power Ordinance," she said. "Or wear the chains they forged in life...."

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