Illinois urged to take Federal EPA's lead and regulate carbon dioxide emissions at new coal SynGas Plant.

In overwhelming response to a proposed Coal SynGas plant in rural Blissville Township in Jefferson County near Mt. Vernon, IL, more than 1800 concerned residents urged the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to set a limit on how much carbon dioxide (CO2), a main cause of global warming, can be emitted by the proposed Power Holdings SynGas plant. The comments followed an IEPA public hearing attended by 250 people, mostly local residents who strongly voiced their opposition to the plant on environmental, health and safety considerations. The plant would turn coal into gas to be used in heating homes and businesses.

The proposed plant, if built, would gasify five million tons of coal annually into 65 billion cubic feet of synthetic natural gas and produce 10 million tons of CO2 each year, which is equivalent to adding 1.8 million cars to the road. Carbon regulations, which are currently being considered by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, will limit CO2 emissions from large sources, such as the proposed Coal SynGas plant.

“It's obvious, by the response to this new source of global warming pollution, that the public is ready to seriously address global warming,” says Verena Owen, Chair of Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign. “By increasing Illinois' dependence on dirty coal, the Power Holdings SynGas plant represents a step backwards for the state and for the fight to end global warming.”

Last month, the federal Environmental Protection Agency issued a finding that carbon dioxide and other global warming pollution represent a significant threat to public health and welfare. This "endangerment finding" begins the federal process to regulate global warming pollution from large sources, such as cars and coal-fired power plants.

“Global warming regulations are certainly coming at the federal level,” says Becki Clayborn, Regional Representative, Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign. “The state agency should address the global warming emissions for these large new sources as opposed to allowing another 10 million tons of CO2 into our atmosphere every year.”

In addition to global warming concerns, there are several issues and unknowns surrounding the proposed plant that have raised local concerns. The plant will take up to 8 million gallons of water from nearby Rend Lake every day. All of the water will be used or evaporated - none of the water will return to Rend Lake, which serves as the drinking supply for approximately 300,000 people.

Kathy Andria, conservation chair of the Kaskaskia Group of the Sierra Club: “There are so many questionable issues with Power Holdings and their story seems to change depending upon who is asking the questions. What's going to happen if there is another drought and Rend Lake goes nearly dry again? How can a plant with the potential for explosions be allowed to be built on two seismic faults? Southern Illinois had two sites rejected for FutureGen because of our proximity to the New Madrid Fault Zone and seismic activity. What will happen when there is another earthquake as is predicted? I'll never forget the little girl who asked me how far away she has to stand to be safe if there is an explosion. She lives within 400 feet of the proposed plant.”

Local farmers and community members submitted hundreds of questions and concerns in their public comments. They are concerned that the presence and size of the plant will affect their quality of life and property value, but most especially their health and safety. "I am concerned for my family and our neighbors, our land and water and livestock, our property values and our safety,” says Mark Spotanski, whose farm borders the proposed site, “This plant would sit over a fault zone. It will pollute our air and water, its lights would impact our crop production, and the whole thing could potentially explode. They say they need a site that has rail, coal, water and roads. This site has none of those. Jefferson County didn't protect us; now it's up to IEPA-to protect us and the planet."

Sierra Club member Linda Borowiak, a neighbor of Spotanski's, agrees: "It's the wrong plant in the wrong place at the wrong time."