The University of Virginia's Beyond Coal Campaign took to the steps of the rotunda Thursday afternoon to protest the university's dependence on coal power.
After a representative recently met with the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C., the group hopes to encourage the university to retire it's main heating plant within the next decade, and move toward more sustainable energy sources.
"The pollution that goes into the air and goes into their lungs, the water damage, the acid rain, all those things are felt by the community. And students care about these problems," said Rebecca Dudley with the UVA Beyond Coal Campaign.
The group wants the university and the board of visitors to recognize students' interest in clean energy. UVA is already working to make new buildings on grounds more sustainable through LEED certification.
