PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Activists Sentenced to Prison for Bannerhang on PA Smokestack
by .. Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2005 at 7:07 PM

Six activists were sentenced to prison yesterday for their bannerhang action on a smokestack in southwestern PA.

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Yesterday, six activists were sentenced to prison time for a bannerhang action at Hatsfield's Ferry Power Plant in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Five of the climbers were sentenced to and began serving five days in prison, and one defendatn was sentenced to and began serving 30 days in prison. All six are at the Greene County Prison in Waynesburg, PA.

info about the action from greenpeace's website:

After hanging a banner on the 700-foot smokestack of one of the dirtiest coal plants in the country to protest the Bush administration's energy plan, six peaceful Greenpeace activists were charged with multiple state and federal felonies. Federal and state officials dismissed the most serious charges, but other charges remain.

On June 23, 2004, the four women and two men scaled the 700-foot smokestack at the Hatfield's Ferry power plant, 50 miles south of Pittsburgh, and unfurled a 2,500 square foot banner that read, "The Bush Energy Plan Kills -- Clean Energy Now!"

The climbers were charged with four state misdemeanors, three state felonies and two federal felonies.

"The real threat to Americans is the Bush energy plan, which kills over 23,000 people every year," said Greenpeace Energy Campaigner Casey Harrell.

The Bush administration has systematically weakened clean air laws by allowing power stations to install new equipment without adding pollution controls, and permitting coal-fired power plants to continue to release tons of mercury into the air and waterways. In addition to its negative impacts on health, dirty energy wreaks havoc on the environment, causing global warming, acid rain and smog.

The Hatfield's Ferry Power Station in Masontown, Pennsylvania was under investigation by the Justice Department for violating the Clean Air Act -- an investigation that was dropped by the Bush administration.

www.greenpeaceusa.org/features/details?item_id=730068

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Climber on stack, dirty air
by .. Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2005 at 7:07 PM

stack_and_climber_and_smoke.jpg, image/jpeg, 600x394

www.greenpeaceusa.org/features/details?item_id=730068

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Climber on stack
by .. Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2005 at 7:07 PM

josh_with_mask.jpg, image/jpeg, 500x328

www.greenpeaceusa.org/features/details?item_id=730068

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