Photo: Brian Larson

Hundreds gather to battle planned pollution

Release Date:  Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Details:

On March 3, more than 250 people filled the Knights of Columbus Hall in Du Bois to voice concern to the Illinois EPA over a planned coal to synthetic natural gas (syngas) plant proposed by Power Holdings of Aurora. Of the dozens of people who spoke, only two spoke in favor of the plant -- the Jefferson County board chairman and the Jefferson County economic development director, who spoke on behalf of federal, state and local politicians.

Mary Ellen Bechtel, the economic development director, said the plant would produce hundreds of jobs and pump millions of dollars into the local economy. Retired mineworker Fred Kreger answered: "I'm in favor of jobs, but at what cost?" Kreger opposes the plant and spoke for the "babies not yet born who will be forced to breathe the air and drink the water."

Kaskaskia Group ExCom member Dale Wojtkowski, who lives about a mile from the Prairie State pulverized coal-fired plant now under construction in Washington County, told the local Jefferson County residents of his experience with Peabody and warned them not to pay attention to the promises of companies who promise jobs and economic benefits.

The plant would be located on the Washington-Jefferson County border and would produce synthetic natural gas from coal through a gasification process. The process produces more global warming emissions than the use of regular coal and requires extensive water use. It would emit 10 million tons of CO2 per year and use eight million gallons of water a day from Rend Lake, nearly half the supply required for the 300,000 people who get their water from the lake. Retired biologist and Illinois DNR administrator Dr. John Tranquilli warned in a letter that Rend Lake "does not hold an endless supply of water as everyone is led to believe." Besides the Power Holdings plant, several new mines and other industrial facilities have also received allocation for water from IDNR. "These lower water levels can have a devastating impact on the natural resources and recreational activities at Rend Lake.”

While water and air pollution were important issues at the 3 1/2 hour-long hearing, some of the neighbors who would live within a half-mile of the plant expressed concern that a gas plant with the potential for explosion could be allowed to locate on top of a fault line which the owners of Power Holdings seemed to be unaware of at meeting a week earlier.

Power Holdings claims to have spent $10 million already (believed to have come from various public funding agencies) and yet they had not gotten a geological assessment of the site. There is another fault line on the other side of the county line road--information learned by neighbors Linda Borowiak and Jean Kujawa. Power Holdings has applied for some $450 million in bonds from the Illinois Finance Authority, most of which would be borne by taxpayers should the project fail. (People can write and call Gov. Quinn to request that he not allow Power Holdings to receive the funds. The company and the project do not appear to be viable as proposed and located.)

Sierra Club met with the local farmers and helped them to organize, steering them to sources where they might find information. The group was led by Mark and Amy Spotanski and their children Rachel and Claudia, and Mark's parents, Chuck and Judy Spotanski. Said Kathy Andria, conservation chair of the Kaskaskia Group: "This might have been my most gratifying organizing experience ever. These people were amazing: doing research in local libraries or on the internet, calling various sources around the only similar plant in the country, contacting media, making flyers and getting 250 people to a public hearing. Linda Borowiak made her own press kit with important information she had learned, including political contributions to former Gov. Blagojevich and a number of elected officials who are supporting the plant. Even IEPA was amazed at the turnout. One of them told me it was the most lop-sided public hearing the official had ever attended."

Before the hearing started, a press conference was held by the local Blissville Township neighbors together with Sierra Club, including statements by Verena Owen, advisor to the National Beyond Coal Campaign, and Becki Clayborn, the campaign's Midwest organizer. Both had traveled from Chicago along with Sierra Club Intern Mike Starr to attend the hearing. Several of the neighbors spoke, while others, including many of the children who would live within a half-mile of the plant, held posters they had made at a pre-hearing meeting.

"My chickens need fresh air to lay fresh eggs," said a poster made by Rachel Spotanski, whose family farm is adjacent to the proposed Power Holdings site. Rachel had an important question for IEPA and Power Holdings, one that she was too shy to ask publicly. "How far away do I have to stand to be safe if there is an explosion?"

Comments can be sent until April 2 to Illinois EPA, Rachel Doctors Hearing Officer, re Power Holdings, 1021 N. Grand Ave. E, PO Box 19276, Springfield, IL 62794-9276 or by E-mail to rachel.doctors@illinois.gov. Please ask IEPA to include CO2 limits in the permit.