Wednesday, March 22, 2006

ICL encourages activism in coal-fired energy issues

Group meets to discuss Jerome power plant proposal


By REBECCA MEANY
Express Staff Writer

While all eyes are on the Idaho Legislature as it considers bills to regulate power plants, citizen groups around southern Idaho are talking about what they can do to stop a coal-fired power plant from locating in the state.

"It was staggering when this Sempra thing came along," said Rick Johnson, executive director of Idaho Conservation League.

Approximately one dozen people gathered at the organization's Ketchum office Thursday, March 16, to gather and swap information and opinions on Sempra Generation's coal-fired power plant proposed for Jerome County.

Proponents of the plan say the 600-megawatt plant would inject millions of dollars into the economy and provide jobs to the economically depressed region in south-central Idaho.

Opponents say the project uses an outdated, environmentally harmful method of producing energy when many other options exist.

"It seems ludicrous that's the kind of business people would be talking about," Johnson said. "Thankfully, there's been a lot of action lately."

Action has come in the form of grassroots activism as well as myriad Sempra-related bills introduced this legislative session.

But to Sempra opponents, there needs to be more.

"Even if we get rid of Sempra, Idaho is ripe for more to come," said Courtney Washburn, ICL's community conservation associate.

Coal-gasification power plants proposed for other parts of the state are not as far along as Sempra's coal-fired project, but their effects need to be studied as well, she said.

"This is a great reason for demonstrating why we need a state energy plan," Johnson added. "What we're doing now is purely defensive. We need to be proactive across the state."

An energy plan is proposed in a bill sponsored by House Speaker Bruce Newcomb, R-Burley. The bill would fund an interim energy committee this summer to look at such a plan.

Johnson encouraged people to elect conservation-minded officials, be they Republican or Democrat.

"Your (Blaine County) legislators are fine," he said. "They are leaders on this."

Outreach to other areas, he said, is key, both in enacting conservation-minded leaders and creating a more sustainable energy future.

"We have to engage resources we've never engaged before," Johnson said. "We need to be able to not just fight (the) bad, but help steer toward good."

Clean Air Act

A federal appeals court Friday overturned the Environmental Protection Agency's attempt to exempt power plants, refineries and other pollution sources from Clean Air Act rules that require them to install expensive new pollution controls whenever they make changes that increase their emissions, the Associated Press reported. A coalition of states and environmental advocacy groups were plaintiffs in the case.




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