Clean Energy Coalition Urges Local Leaders to Press for GenOn Plant Closure

The Wise Energy for Virginia Coalition held the final event of its “Road to Clean Energy Tour,” inflating an 18-foot asthma inhaler at Oronoco Bay Park, which is near the GenOn Potomac River Generating Station.

Wise Energy, a coalition of organizations committed to a clean energy future for Virginia, highlighted recent air quality modeling data which showed areas of heavy pollution over Alexandria and portions of Washington, D.C.

The group urged D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray to take action to protect residents from the pollution produced by the plant.

“We applaud Mayor Gray’s statements indicating his concern about the Potomac station’s effects on D.C. residents and we hope his office will take action soon. Our families can’t wait,” said Phillip Ellis, Sierra Club field organizer.

Coalition members proposed an alternative to coal-fired plants like the GenOn plant, outlining how investments in clean energy could be beneficial, including pollution-free, affordable power for Virginia residents and a help to the economy. They also touted the public health benefits of reducing the area's reliance on coal.

"The Washington D.C. metro area has extremely high rates of asthma, especially among children and the elderly,” said Ellis. “When you look at the modeling results, the evidence is clear— the GenOn Potomac River Coal Plant is harming our communities.”