Greetings,

Local Community Members Rally for San Diego Smart Energy 2020, a 21st Century Energy Infrastructure Proposal, Instead of Sempra Energy's Unnecessary Sunrise Powerlink Proposal, a $9 Billion Extension Cord to Fossil-Fuels

Send a letter to the Editor of the North County Times today!

Our San Diego Smart Energy Solutions campaign to protect Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the Cleveland National Forest and local communities from SDG&E's unnecessary, destructive Sunrise Powerlink proposal needs you to take immediate action!

Today's edition of the North County Times features an editorial written by Barbara Warden, a member of the "Community Alliance for the Sunrise Powerlink."  Ms. Warden not only mischaracterizes Sunrise Powerlink as a renewable energy project, she implies her group is actually a community grassroots organization. For those of you who have been to public hearings, you will immediately recognize this group as the paid PR folks and business interests, including SDG&E's own PR representative, who wear the now infamous "green t-shirts." Click HERE to read the full article.

We know there are smarter energy solutions than SDG&E's expensive, fossil-fueled Sunrise Powerlink proposal designed to import energy from Sempra's new liquefied natural (LNG) gas terminal in Mexico.  This is the wrong direction for San Diego.  We need 21st Century energy infrastructure that is clean, reliable and will create "green collar" jobs in our local economy, such as Bill Powers' San Diego Smart Energy 2020 proposal.

Do your part to protect our park, forest and local communities from the proposed Sunrise Powerlink by writing a letter to the Editor of the North County Times! This simple, effective action will help amplify our message that there are smarter energy solutions than the fossil-fueled, global warming Sunrise Powerlink.

Helpful tips, contact information and talking points are outlined below.

DO YOUR PART: WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR!

WHO: letters@nctimes.com

WHAT: Letters must be less than 150 words and include full name, address and phone number.

TALKING POINTS:

• Ms. Warden's "Community Alliance for the Sunrise Powerlink" is a collection of paid PR staff, business interests and SDG&E employees. This special interest group does not represent the views of the San Diego community.
• Sunrise Powerlink promises to deliver global warming fossil-fuels from Sempra's new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Mexico.  This leaves our region dependent on imported fossil fuels from overseas, fluctuating commodity prices and unravels efforts to reduce global warming greenhouse gases.
• The more environmentally-responsible plan, San Diego Smart Energy 2020, is consistent with California's energy planning policy and emphasizes clean, local 21st Century infrastructure instead of the outdated, enormously expensive Sunrise Powerlink.
• Power generated locally kept our region's lights on during last year's wildfires when transmission lines had to be shut down or were sputtering out. Not only is it risky to put all of our energy eggs in one basket by investing in archaic transmission line technology, it is difficult to fight fires under transmission lines and power lines are known to start fires. San Diego's backcountry cannot afford another fire risk.
• Independent expert analysis has shown over and over that this line is not needed, because we have smarter, cleaner alternatives.  California taxpayers should not be forced to shell out more than $9 Billion for a glorified extension cord to fossil fuels in order to line the pockets of Sempra Energy Executives and shareholders. There are better ways to invest our limited energy dollars, such as the San Diego Smart Energy 2020 plan, a secure "distributed generation" model.

After you send your letter to the Editor, feel free to email your letter to me in a SEPARATE email at mmitrosky@sierraclubsandiego.org. Don't copy me when you send your letter, because it will be less likely to be published.

Best,

Micah

P.S. Send a letter to the Editor of the North County Times today! This simple, effective action will help amplify our message that there are smarter energy solutions to power our region than the fossil-fueled, global warming Sunrise Powerlink.

Sierra Club's Smart Energy Solutions Campaign 3820 Ray Street, San Diego, CA 92104 619-299-1797 www.sdsmartenergy.org mmitrosky@sierraclubsandiego.org