“This power plant is not good for you” — straight from the horse’s mouth
lyric April 10th, 2007
by Hannah Morgan and the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards
When someone hears you’re getting a new coal-fired power plant, its not like you’re pregnant or getting a promotion. Nobody shows up on your doorstep with flowers and a casserole, chattering about the future and making plans. That is, unless you count company representatives who breeze into town with more promises than a campaigning politician.
“Clean coal technology, this is the real deal.”
“The black stuff coming out of those smoke stacks? Can’t hurt you.”
“Jobs? We got ‘em!”
Nearly thirty people were there that night to find out the truth from Dominion Resources. We assembled in the middle school gym at 7 p.m., some freshly washed and fed, some just off work, and some who had stopped in on their evening walk around town.
Three representatives from Dominion joined us who promised to have a dialogue with us and answer any questions people had.
The evening began with Kathy Selvage, vice-president of the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards (SAMS), introducing herself, explaining our group that opposes strip mining, and introducing the guests from Dominion. About a dozen people in the group were with SAMS but many of the rest were new people who had heard about the forum from the press release in the paper or signs around town. In addition to citizens were two newspaper reporters and two people from Appalshop who were audio recording the meeting with the intention of creating a radio piece to explain and support our efforts.
Dominion launched immediately into explaining that the power plant was not a sure thing yet, but they had submitted the air permit for approval, which could take up to a year to hear back about. Preliminary testing work on the proposed site is being performed currently, which includes a geological survey to examine the land that was previously heavily mined underground, a rep explained. The plant would not be erected on the site if it has been mined too much to be safe, ; however, the chosen site is the most stable site on the entire plot of land.
“And what about the estimated 400-600 trucks that would go through St. Paul every day? What about the affect on people’s homes and health who live near by?” a concerned citizen asked.
“We did a traffic study” came the answer.
On to the “clean coal technology” diagram held up on a board in front of the group depicting the mechanisms designed to remove 98% of emitted sulfur dioxide, 70 -90 % of nitrogen oxide, mercury, and 99% of particulate matters, which are metals. The plant would use Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) technology, which uses water and limestone to filter exhaust gases before they rise through the top of the smoke stacks into the air. The plant has fuel flexibility, meaning it can burn anything from coal to biomass, which includes waste wood, waste coal, and other waste, including tires. It will generate 500 – 600 megawatts of power, which is a relatively large plant, a rep explained.
And what about the trees? Where do those come from? Our forests!
And what about the existing plant, Carbo, run by American Electric Power that is not even 4 miles away from your proposed plant? It is named one of the top 10 polluters in the country and you want to put another one right next to it? Shut it down and we’ll start listening to your “clean coal technology.”
And what about the water? Where does that come from? The Clinch River , that’s where. The Clinch is home to several endangered species of mussels, what about them? Isn’t AEP already using 10 million gallons of water from the river per day to clean their power plant? You told us this plant will take another 500,000- 800,000 gallons power day but we heard 1 million gallons. What is this going to do to one of the most valuable rivers in the region?
You said the Department of Environmental Quality is going to be approving these permits. Well they told my neighbor not to worry about the plant’s emissions because your nose hairs will take care of it! What about that 99% being trapped? How much is the 1% that will be in the air? We need numbers — we’re going to be breathing this stuff!
And what do we get out of this? Why is it good for us? We need renovations for our schools, will the taxes from this pay for that? Why do we want this power plant?
“Well personally, I don’t think you do want it,” came Dominion’s answer. “It’s not good for you and there’s not really a way you can benefit from it.”
We don’t want it, so what can we do to stop it?
And this “clean coal technology”?
“It doesn’t really exist,” explained Dominion. “This is the best of what has been developed right now, but real clean coal technology will take another 10-15 years to establish.”
Clean coal? Have you seen Wise County’s strip mines? What about putting a wind farm here in the county?
By 9 o’clock as we wrapped up the meeting, it became clear to the group that this power plant is in fact not a good idea for the future of Wise County. However, as legislators do not always agree with us, we made two demands in the event that this power plant is in fact built. One, that Dominion makes a promise that this power plant will only be fed with Virginia deep mined coal to put jobs back in the market and let local miners make some profit off of this plant. Two, that the fly ash produced from burning waste material be processed here in there region in a plant that would employ local people. The Dominion representatives were very courteous and said they would try to work with us on this issue, trying to listen to our concerns and incorporate our desires into the plant. No promises were made at the end of the evening, but it was better than being lied to again.
