Woods & Wetlands Power Plant Information

Releases  (newest at the top)
	ALERT ! Peaker Plant Proposal Review January 25 at 6 pm Zion City Hall, Sheridan Rd., Zion. Come find out whether you want this powerplant for a neighbor. Carlton has not yet filed for an air permit.  The City of Zion has promised to provide us an overview prior to the meeting, and we will post it here.
	EPA Air Pollution Permit Application Carlton will apply for a permit to pollute our air. If approved this plant will add to the air pollution problems we already suffer. EPA will hold hearings to gage the impact and the public concern. This link will go to the actual permit application when it is posted. Stay tuned for additional details about how this will affect our region.

This 180 Megawatt plant is proposed for greenspace west of Zion, right across the street from Zion Site #1 at 9th and Delaney, near the pristine Wadsworth Prairie Forest Preserve.

• Pollution: This plant will be a major air pollution source. It will release thousands of tons of regulated toxic pollutants per year :
• ??? tons of smog forming NO_x - nitrous oxides,
• ??? tons of poisonous CO - carbon monoxide,
• ??? tons of choking PM10 - particulate matter,
• tons of corrosive SO₂ - sulfur dioxide,
• ?? of smog and ozone forming VOC's - volatile organic compounds.
• PLUS Millions of tons of unregulated Global Warming gases (CO₂).
Emissions will be worse if run on oil instead of natural gas. EPA will hold hearings. There are better options: electricity conservation, efficiency, renewables. If they receive an air pollution pemit from EPA, enforcement of that permit will continue to be an issue and cost taxpayers money. Presently budget constraints cover major source inspections only once every two years.
• Water Consumption: The plant will require water for coolant. This will tax our water supply infrastructure, and deduct from our allocation of fresh water from Lake Michigan. If drawn from the deep aquifer instead, release of radioactive mineral content of the aquifer water becomes a concern.
• Greenfields vs. Brownfields: Sited in green space, within a mile of residences. We favor siting industrial facilities on ground that already shows the scars of industry rather than sacrificing virgin soil, and productive wetlands. It is not in the public interest to promote new industry that destroys our rich soils while used industrial sites are abandoned and languish.
• Loss of Topsoil: The rich topsoil deposited and retained in our region by prairies is unstable when built upon because the organic matter in it decomposes. Development of this site will call for large scale removal of topsoil, with much of it likely shipped off site. In addition, displacement of large amounts of topsoil are likely to result in wind and water erosion carrying the soil off the site, degrading our streams and lakes.
• Noise: This gas turbine power plant uses a huge jet engine, and will run it during hot summer days. The noise will be a dull roar within a quarter mile, and audible for twice that far.
• Employment: Will the plant will be remotely operable? Will it provide jobs? Other proposals call for less than a handful of on-site employees.
• Ugly: Exhaust stacks rising into the air to release toxic plumes.

• Replace your appliances with more efficient ones. The money you save in electricity bills will pay for your investment in a few years. Air conditioners and refrigerators are the biggest opportunities. Computers now account for 13% of usage. Turn them off when not in use.

 
• Help promote wind and solar energy in our region.

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