Powerful Women: Pauline Rodrigues

By Joel Wool, Clean Energy Campaign Organizer

"The end of coal-burning is near: we need to think about what comes next." Join Pauline in asking Massachusetts to Plan for Transition

Five hundred feet from the old Montaup plant in Somerset, minutes from where her husband grew up, Pauline had no idea what was in the air she was breathing every day. But as residents of the South Coast started talking about the impact of coal-burning on their health, she became increasingly concerned. Her own health had taken a turn for the worse. With no history of ailment in her family, Pauline had developed cancer. Her grandson began to suffer respiratory problems and was soon diagnosed with asthma. A visit to her oncologist teased out a troubling idea that would stick with her: "The cause has to be environmental." Pollution from coal-burning was harming her family, and it had to stop. "I got involved in this because I wanted my grandchildren to be able to breathe clean air." Pauline, joining activists across the state, helped win "Filthy Five" regulations that forced power plants to clean up or close down. When Montaup did shutter, the same group ensured that nothing harmful rose in its stead. Burning construction and demolition debris wasn't a good solution to a community's waste or power needs, but communities do need a pathway forward. Pauline's fighting for one. The Dirty Truth About Coal from Closed Loop-Films on Vimeo. New England's largest polluter still looms over Somerset. Brayton Point, a second coal-fired plant, emits toxic chemicals every day it operates, contributing to asthma, cancer, and learning disabilities in children. Its future isn't looking good: as the cost of coal rises, the plant runs less and less. But as the emissions fall away, so do jobs and municipal revenues that feed families and fund schools. We need to plan for transition, with full support for workers and communities. Help lead communities like Somerset away from the harm of coal-fired power. Join us in demanding a visionary plan to revitalize the economies of former coal towns. This time, let's build a powerhouse that doesn't threaten our health and that of our kids. (March is Women's History Month. In the weeks to come Clean Water Action will honor a series of truly powerful women. To hear more of Pauline's story, watch The Dirty Truth About Coal).