When I was a Grad student in Environmental Studies, in order to be responsible and effective, we HAD to look at the BIG picture, and where WE fit in it. I don't pretend to have a ton of answers here or to be an angel; I'm just trying to at least broaden the discussion, and maybe even alter a behavior or two:

Let me start out by making perfectly clear I am not at ALL happy to hear about the plans for this plant so close to my home. (2.5 miles?) By far and foremost, my concerns are health-related for my family and community, followed by issues relating to esthetics and property values.

But here we have a painfully typical "NIMBY" (or "Not In My Backyard") situation. Many commenting before me here have made good valid points regarding placing it further away from such a populated area as our own. Now beyond that, consider the fact that every day tens of thousands are already belching out nearly identical pollutants (to those we fear from the new plant) right from our beloved 101 and 85, while they commute alone in their cars or TRUCKS from either next door or No-Sensible-Limits, USA, to work somewhere here in the Valley or Greater Bay Area. Hmmmm... (I'm good AND I'm lucky; I all but completely tele-commute via computer and phone. Have you all you techies asked your bosses yet?)

Put the plant "further out" and maybe SOME of those commuters don't have to drive so far to find work, (a few...) but I'll bet you my mountain bike there will be as many long-time farmers and nice country-living families "further out" hating that plant every bit as much as we do.

"We've been living here over 100 years!"
or
"We moved out here to escape just this kind of thing!"

Also, the further along the power lines you move the electricity from source to usage point, the more power is lost in transmission, by a lot. (Often down below 25% of the original generated, just "leaked away," as I recall.) I'm not saying that isn't where the next plant should eventually and ultimately be, I'm just trying to broaden the perspective a bit. and how about thinking and researching harder on solar?! We live in California!

Also, did you ever wonder why PG&E has been so eager to hand out all kinds of real money and rebates as incentive for you to economize your energy consumption, actually REDUCING your bills to them? This isn't from the goodness of their hearts (Surprised?) but because it COSTS them BIG bucks to make new plants rather than curtail current usage and stick with the plants they have for as long as possible. Last I heard, they don't make new plants because they like the smell, either, they do it because SOMEONE is using up and buying all that power...

...Then we get into a whole new chapter entitled "CISCO CAMPUS," I know, but there are many chapters before this one with our own names in the footnotes.

Back at my own "footnote ranch," I have in fact cashed in on several of PG&E's kindly offers, less for their cash than because I sleep and BREATHE a little better knowing it's a good thing to do. Only this morning I was reading up on a subsidized solar power program. (In case anyone has any past experiences, the systems today are already WAY better than when they were being sold door-to-door by out-of-work used car salesmen back in the solar-subsidized-and-then-abused 70's.) Solar is as clean as it gets... Zero pollution. I could go on, but won't.

Next time your friendly utility company sends you an energy savings plan tucked in with your bill, try to give it a second glance, looking out for those things you'd be willing to do to cut back, from big to very small. My habits slide, and so I still look for them again.

Meanwhile, I'll see you at the meetings!

Leaping off my 100% unbleached,
dioxin and phosphate-free soap box,
:-)
Lisa Benham