The Calpine power plant siting has occurred because of unintended consequences of the legislation that deregulated electric utilities. The citizens of South San Jose should not be forced to bear the environmental impact of a siting process that has very few checks and balances, and no requirement to look for a preferred plant site.

Fortunately, three major land use ordinances must be changed, or the siting cannot proceed.

The City Council of San Jose, the San Jose Planning Commission, and the Office of the Major of San Jose have the power to vote to retain the present land use requirements which will exclude the plant from our neighborhood.

However, we must all recognize the technology of Silicon Valley and the prosperity of our City depends on having clean reliable power. We need to take the time to support corrections to the power plant siting regulations and process to assure that we have adequate power and power reserves for the future.