Behold the Capitol Power Plant.
Though largely hidden from the monumental core of the city, the plant is only three blocks south of the Capitol Building. When seen from New Jersey Avenue, the plant’s two rust-colored smoke stacks line up perfectly with the majestic Capitol dome, marring the skyline. More insidious, the plant emits roughly 60,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, not to mention an assortment of air pollutants that plague the health of District residents.
Among the power plants that serve the District of Columbia, the Capitol Power Plant is the smallest – and it doesn’t even produce electricity; just steam and cooled water. Despite this, the plant produces an extremely high amount of particulate matter, ultra-fine particles that get lodged deep in the lungs and cause asthma, lung disease, and premature death in some cases. Combined with the other area power plants, studies estimate that the plant’s emissions cause hundreds of deaths, hospital admissions, and heart attacks every year.
The Capitol Power Plant is a symbol of the greater problem we face. If we are to reverse course and prevent catastrophic climate change, the U.S. Congress has to take a bold stand against coal and dirty energy. While last week’s letter from Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to the Architect of the Capitol, calling for an end to the use of coal in the Capitol Power Plant, is a positive step in the right direction, they are missing the point. The Capitol Power Plant must be shut down, the first domino in a series of 600 coal plants in the U.S. to be closed and replaced with renewable energy sources.
The time for action has come.
Red Team blockading the west gate of the Capitol Power Plant.
On Monday, despite four inches of snow and freezing temperatures, thousands of people participated in the Capitol Climate Action, the largest act of non-violent civil disobedience against coal and dirty energy in American history. United behind a powerful call for clean energy, climate justice, and green jobs, hundreds of people linked arms and risked arrest by barricading the gates and entrances of the Capitol Coal Plant. The energy throughout the action was palpable – competing chants, songs, whoops of excitement, and dancing kept spirits high and people warm.
“No Coal! No Oil! We don’t want our world to boil!”
Marching to the Capitol Power Plant from the Spirit of Justice Park.
In a city so accustomed to the traditional rally, it’s about time that we move beyond the podium. If we truly want change, we’re going to have to think bigger. We’re going to have to be more courageous. In the words of Shakespeare, we must “suit the action to the word, the word to the action.” The Capitol Climate Action was a welcome change of pace – and it’s just the beginning.
In the coming weeks and months, the D.C. Youth Environmental Alliance is excited to continue the fight against coal and dirty energy here in the District and beyond.
Jeff Gustafson is the director of the D.C. Youth Environmental Alliance and helped block the west and north gates of the Capitol Power Plant during the Capitol Climate Action.
