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Letters To The Editor: The Myth of ‘Clean Coal’ and ‘More Jobs’ It can be disheartening to observe the flaws in our government’s regulatory process. A case in point has been the recent “rush to coal” being pursued by state-regulated electric utility monopolies such as Consumers Energy, and the cynical marketing campaign supported by the coal industry that created the myth of “clean coal”. But there are times when common citizen participation in the policy-setting process can occur with encouraging results. A case in point is what occurred at the recent Department of Environmental Quality public comment hearings regarding the draft permit for an additional coal-fired plant at the Karn-Weadock facility in Bay County. Most people have only heard from our local officials about the “overwhelming” support for this unnecessary expansion. Local chamber of commerce members have been able to convince everyone from Michigan legislators to union leaders that jobs will be created, increasing energy needs will be met, and somehow by building more coal electricity plants that we are “building a bridge” to a clean energy future. At the public hearings the other side was heard. While there was rhetoric on both sides, the amount of factual information put forward regarding the misinformation about the proposed plant grabbed many attendees attention. For example, there has been quite a bit of talk about creating 1800 jobs to build the plant. There is nothing in the permit regarding this figure. Regardless, once the plant is finished, those that are hired are again going to be out of work. There have been media releases from the chamber of commerce about an economic boost to the area, yet Consumers admits in the permit that “no quantifiable impact on commercial growth is expected”. Last year, the Michigan Renewable Energy Bill ended up doing little to promote renewable energy, and instead guarantees a customer base and rate system profitable to utilities like Consumers Energy. Consumers spent over $390 thousand on lobbying in 2008, while making over $290 million in profits. That kind of money can buy a lot of legislation, and Consumers and their investors want to build another coal plant. Even with today’s technologies, coal-fired plants dump hundreds of known toxins into the environment. The regulatory draft permit from the DEQ is full of deficiencies. In Michigan the applicant is allowed to supply the data that goes into writing the permit. Methyl mercury is one of the most potent neurotoxins known to man. The expansion will add to the 240 pounds of mercury already added to the environment every year by the present facility. But in this case, the modeling done with the mercury data was performed by Consumers, and it is seriously flawed. Another pollutant of concern, particulate matter (PM 10), is already over the EPA limit for this area. Incredibly, the increase in PM 10 pollution from the expansion has been deemed “acceptable” by the DEQ. This is not based on any regulation, but upon an obscure memo from 1988. Another even more critical pollutant, PM 2.5, although currently regulated by the EPA, is not regulated at all by the permit. It seems like the fix is in for a new plant burning the dirtiest fuel available that will produce energy for which there is no proven need. Last year, Consumers itself predicted a flat power demand for the region that steadily falls off over the next ten years. But it is
gratifying to know that in this country, regular citizens are able to
speak out in public against boondoggles like this. You can look up
information on the internet, write letters to your legislators and
regulators and let them know what you think. The Michigan DEQ is
accepting comments regarding the Karn-Weadock expansion permit through
May 20 online at
www.deq.state.mi.us/aps/cwerp. Our democracy cannot survive without an educated and involved citizenry. Too many times in the past we have seen what terrible mistakes can be made when we allow big business and the government to decide policy for us. We are obligated as members of a democratic society to be active in these types of decisions. That’s what makes this all work. Scott Miller Bay City |
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