在刺寒的風雪中，數千名示威遊行者於3月2日走向美國國會燃煤發電廠，企圖引起立法者對環境變遷危機重視。位於華聖頓州東南方，距離國會山莊不遠的國會電廠的五個通道，估計受到2500名國會氣候行動(Capitol Climate Action)成員封鎖。
這擁有99年歷史的老電廠估計佔了立法部門1/3溫室氣體排放量。過去它為立法建築提供電能，但現在只剩下調節美國國會大樓(Capitol Complex)溫度功能。與國會氣候行動合作的舊金山環境組織負責人威爾遜(Adrian Wilson)指出：「電廠不僅座落位置不佳，也造成環境問題。華府居民抗爭多年今天終有所成。3天前由派洛斯(Nancy Pelosi) 與雷德 (Harry Reid)寫給電廠，要求將燃煤轉為天然氣發電的信，顯示出直接行動使得改變快速發生。」
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山巒俱樂部超越煤炭運動」(Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign)執行長尼爾斯(Bruce Nilles)表示：「國會發電廠停止使用燃煤，除有助當地居民呼吸更加順暢，正面效益範圍將不僅止於特區。為降低溫室氣體排放強烈的手段是必要的，此外我們也將持續與國會和新政府共同合作，傳達跨州市間的明確信號，美國在8年後將熱衷於乾淨能源以及綠色工作。」
約12000位大學及高中學生旅行至特區，參與華盛頓第二次的能源轉換會議，討論面對氣候變遷與商業取向間的問題。本次的能源轉化週會議與遊說日是由50多個環保團體組成的能源行動(Energy Action)所籌辦，未來3天學生將參與史上的燃煤電能會議、直接行動與鈾礦開發、媒體與領袖課程訓練、草根性社團與反壓制工作坊。
Several thousand demonstrators marched through chilly winds and snow to the Capitol's coal-fired power plant today in a bid to attract the attention of lawmakers to the dangers of climate change.
An estimated 2,500 protesters organized by Capitol Climate Action blocked the five main gates to the Capitol Power Plant in southeast Washington, not far from Capitol Hill.
The 99-year-old plant is responsible for an estimated one-third of the legislative branch's greenhouse gas emissions. It no longer generates electricity for the legislative buildings but provides steam for heating and chilled water for cooling buildings within the Capitol Complex.
"People in D.C. have been fighting against the plant for years, it is very dirty and located in a poor neighborhood. They haven't had much success until now. The fact that three days before the action, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid wrote letter for plant to be switched from coal to natural gas shows the power of direct action to make change quickly," said Adrian Wilson, a San Francisco-based environmental organizer with the Capitol Climate Action coalition.
Bruce Nilles, director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign, said, "Stopping the use of coal at the Capitol Power Plant will help local residents breathe easier, but the positive impacts will stretch far beyond the District. Bold measures are needed right now to reduce global warming emissions and we look forward to continuing to work with Congress and the new administration to send a clear signal to cities and states across the country that after eight long years, America is serious about clean energy and green jobs."
Some 12,000 college and high school students traveled to DC for the second Power Shift conference, a meeting of students confronting climate change, and business-as-usual attitudes in Washington.
Energy Action, a coalition of 50 environmental groups, organized the Power Shift weekend conference and lobby day. For three days, students attended seminars on the histories of coal power, direct action and uranium mining, media and leadership training sessions, grassroots organizing and anti-oppression workshops.
