The ReEnergize Texas Rally at the capitol this morning was a huge success!  Following inspiring speeches and rousing chants from student leaders, we heard from Senator Leticia Van de Putte, Representative Tara Rios Ybarra, Public Citizen Director Tom “Smitty” Smith, and Doug Lewin, Senator Rodney Ellis’ Legislative Director.  Senator Ellis was unfortunately unable to attend himself because he got caught up in committee.  Busy making laws, or something like that… we’ll forgive him.

KUT, Austin’s trusted public radio station, was on hand to document the rally. Someone must have been listening, because within hours the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity released an official statement pushing back against our support of Senator Ellis’ legislation to put a temporary moratorium on coal fired power plants without carbon capture and sequestration.  When Daddy coal shakes his finger at Texas youth… you’re doin’ it right.  They might’ve gotten away with it if not for us meddling kids.

After the rally, students from ReEnergize Texas visited a grand total of 75 different legislative offices!  Not too shabby for a Monday.  State Representative Aaron PeÑa must have been pretty impressed with the UTPA and STC Reenergize Texas Student Groups that visited his office, because he posted the following picture to his blog quite soon after his morning lobby visit.  Thumbs up for clean energy and green jobs!

For more photos from the Rally, check out the ReEnergize Texas Flickr photo pool.  Feel free to join the group and upload your own pictures as well!

So much has been going on here at the ReEnergize Texas Summit, we’ve barely had time to post anything up about it –but never fear!  We’ve got tons of photos, videos, and diary posts to share, and more to follow from the rally and lobby day tomorrow.  Keep checking back over the next few days for new additions.  In the meantime, visit our Flickr photostream for lots of fun pictures from the Summit.  We’ve also created a Flickr pool where you can all load your pictures to share.  Enjoy!