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Karn-Weadock Creates A ‘Heavy’ DebateBy Mike Thompson Those “emissions” discussed in relation to coal-fired power plants, or in other aspects of life, aren’t weightless gases and particles. Far from it. People have strong feelings regarding facilities such as the proposed $2.3 billion Karn-Weadock Plant at the Saginaw River’s mouth in Essexville. More than 500 citizens showed up for hearings out at Bay Valley. The “pro-jobs” Karn-Weadock supporters not only outnumbered the “pro-environment” critics, but some plant backers tried to shout down the foes. Of course, the pro-jobs folks say they also are pro-environment, because coal nowadays can be processed in far cleaner ways. The pro-environment activists, in turn, say they also are pro-jobs because the future’s genuine employment prospects are in clean-green technologies such as solar, wind and geothermal. Environmental issues can be among the most difficult to understand for the average concerned citizen – after all, few among the populace are scientists. But I have followed the daily media coverage of the Bay Valley happenings (Jeff Kart of The Bay City Times does excellent work), and now I’m having some “weighty” thoughts about weight. This means weight as it pertains to Karn-Weadock in particular, and the environment of the whole. Pounds of Mercury, Tons of Carbon Dioxide The first thought of weight comes with Consumers Energy’s forecasts that Karn-Weadock would emit 63 pounds of mercury per year. This may not sound like a huge number, but consider the caution shown in school chemistry labs with just a few droplets. Then go lift a 50-pound sack of potatoes, or whatever. That’s quite a load of mercury. Plus, as environmentalists have noted, there already are fish advisories in this part. However, the weighty number that most caught my attention was the annual emission of 81 million tons (16,200,000,000 pounds) of carbon dioxide, or CO-2, the main villain in global warming. Millions of tons? This doesn’t make immediate sense. The carbon dioxide that emerges from our vehicles’ tailpipes (and our human bodies’ tailpipes, truth be told) floats into the air. So, how can it weigh anything? The Sierra Club’s Tiffany Hartung helped to figure this out, and possibly you will be as stunned as myself. Our main source is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency web site,
http://www.thehcf.org/emaila5. This started with me asking Tiffany, how many cars would it take to produce the equivalent of 8.1 million tons of CO-2 that Karn-Weadock would emit? Tiffany noted that the EPA says a typical motor vehicle produces 5.5 tons of carbon dioxide per year. Do the math, and if the new Karn-Weadock were never to exist, that would be the equivalent of taking 1.47 million cars off the road. In other words, about one-fifth of all motor vehicles licensed in Michigan. Hmmm. Let’s take this a step farther. A typical household has “nearly” two cars, so that’s 11.7 tons of CO-2. Many of us also have other appliances such as air conditioners, so that’s another 12.4 tons. Then there are indirect costs. One EPA example is an avocado shipped here from California. You can be a health nut and eat that avocado instead of a burger, but gas still was burned to ship it here. Indirect costs add another 35 tons to our typical household output Stop with all the math? Okay, Bottom line, the EPA is saying that each of us is responsible on average for putting 150 pounds of carbon dioxide PER WEEK up into the air. I don’t know about you, but my weekly landlocked garbage doesn’t weigh nearly that much. CO-2's Outlook with Karn-Weadock Are you surprised by this? Reactions as they relate to Karn-Weadock can come from two directions. The first reaction would be, if we already were putting so much carbon dioxide up into the ozone, then what’s the beef with a little bit more. The second reaction would be, OMG, we have to stop with all of this CO-2. The passions connected with the Karn-Weadock hearings at Bay Valley were immediate, pro and con. If mid-Michigan’s economic statistics were translated to the nation as a whole, this would already be described as a depression, rather than just a recession. But despite these immediate emotions, there will be many twists and turns in the Karn-Weadock permit process. The plant isn’t even supposed to go online until 2017, and how often do timetables for these kinds of projects stay on time? There are more statistics that demand evaluation. Will electricity demand go down, as more people move out or economize? Or will demand rise? Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality managers and staffers have by-and-large shown themselves to be supporters of coal-fired plants, but Governor Jennifer Granholm may not feel the same, and she’s not yet a lame duck. For all of our talk here regarding the weight of carbon dioxide, it turns out that CO-2 isn’t even measured in the permit process. This reflects the Bush II Administration’s total rejection of global warming concepts, and it seems the prior Clinton Administration wasn’t doing much, either. However, there’s a good chance that carbon dioxide standards under President Obama will enter the picture. Obama may also take steps against the mountaintop blasting that produce much of Michigan’s imported coal supply from the Appalachians. Karn-Weadock has developed a widespread support base that combines corporate political power with labor’s perceived interests. They appear in control at this moment, but the story is far from over. FOOTNOTE You may have noted in daily media coverage of the Bay Valley hearings that some Karn-Weadock supporters tried to shout down opposing speakers. Worse came to worse with the remarks of Terry Miller, longtime environmental advocate, who was told to “sit down” and to “go back to your cave.” The hoots and hollers took place while Miller stated: “Consumers Energy Company has engaged in a cynical and calculated campaign to use Michigan's economic downturn and high unemployment for its own purposes, at a time nationally when nearly 100 coal plants have been rejected or cancelled for lack of financing or need.” He went on to note that while Consumers Energy and politicians are appealing to the building and skilled trades, countless studies assert that solar and wind power will create more jobs. “Finally, and most sadly, is the division created in the labor movement,” Miller told the audience. Afterward, Miller said he is saddened that for his first time as an activist, he is at odds with organized labor. He acknowledged that even with all of his experience, he felt shaken by the open hostility. He added that others, especially young people in their first encounters with “grassroots” democracy, felt intimidated from speaking. Miller attributed the audience’s behavior to “testosterone, bellicose leadership, fawning politicians, large numbers, real anxiety, anger over unemployment, and ... beer.” (There was an open bar on the premises, seeing as the hearings were conducted at Bay Valley). He also heard reports that physical combat almost broke out in the hallways and bathrooms. “Sometimes,” Miller concluded, “you just have to do what you think is right.”
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