Citizens clash on proposed coal plant

More than 180 Knox County residents travelled by car and bus to Bloomington last night to make one collective plea: “IGCC YES!”\n“Last year, Knox County was ranked the poorest county in the state,” according to the U.S. Census, Knox County resident Elizabeth Ellis said. “This year it was the second poorest. We have a median income of $24,000. We need this.”\nThe Knox residents were among more than 300 people gathered Wednesday night at City Hall for a public hearing for a proposed Duke Energy coal plant in Edwardsport, Ind., 50 miles south of Bloomington. \nThe pleas and “IGCC YES!” buttons are part of a campaign lobbying the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to approve the coal plant. IGCC stands for integrated gasification combined cycle, the type of generating plant proposed to replace the old Edwardsport plant. \nSupporters, such as those from Knox County, laud the plant as a source of revenue and jobs for a county high in unskilled workers. Critics say the plant is built on experimental technology that will increase all greenhouse gas emissions and raise Duke customer rates by 13 percent.\n“We’ve almost reached a consensus that global warming is caused by carbon emissions,” said State Rep. Matt Pierce. “Carbon emissions from coal plants are a significant contributor to the problem. This plant will release significantly higher amounts of carbon dioxide.” \nAccording to Duke’s Web site, gasification converts coal into synthesis gas and steam. The synthesis gas is processed, removing sulfur compounds, mercury and particulate matter from the gas before it’s used to fuel a combustion turbine generator, which is attached to an electric generator. The turbine generates more steam and that, along with the steam produced in the gasification process, powers the electric generator.\nMarty Irwin, director of the Center for Coal Technology Research, called this the most environmentally and economically advanced technology available. \nHowever, Pierce, representatives from the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana and representatives from the City of Bloomington Environmental Commission all said this is the best-case scenario. \nIf the IGCC plant were to include “carbon capture” technology, it would decrease sulfur, mercury and carbon dioxide. But the IGCC plant currently proposed does not feature carbon capture technology, Pierce said. Three other speakers confirmed Pierce’s information at the meeting. \nAs the plant is designed currently, it would release 3.9 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year, substantially more than the current plant, according to a report by the Citizens Action Coalition. And though the plant will decrease the mercury distributed, it will increase the lead emitted into the atmosphere, Pierce said.\nTerry Mooney, mayor of Vincennes, Ind., and Mark Hill of the Vincennes City Council testified that the benefit of jobs outweighs the environment concerns. The plant could create 700 to 800 construction jobs and roughly 100 sustainable jobs, Mooney said. \nDuring his testimony, Hill asked those in favor of the coal plant to stand. About two-thirds of the crowd rose. \n“It is our city, our children (and) our grandchildren who will be most affected by this plant,” said Hill. “These are the people whose farmland, family and air quality will be affected. We say yes.”