Green Ohio: Coal Plant

Tuesday,  March 10, 2009 11:09 AM

RACINE, Ohio — Coal is a way of life in much of southeast Ohio, but a new proposed coal fired power plant has some opposition.

This week, ONN's Harrison Hove talks to people on both sides of the issue.

One group thinks renewable energy is the way of the future.

"The prayer list at church kept growing with people with cancer.  I started looking around to figure out why and these had been here the whole time," said Meigs County resident Elisa Young.

VIDEO: Coal Plant Opposition  | VIDEO: Coal Plant Support

Four coal fired power plants are within ten miles of Young's home. 

Meigs County farmer Guy Rose said all of the pollution turns snow shades of black and yellow in the winter.

"If the pollution is coming down, making the snow like that what's it doing to the air we breathe?" said Rose.

Now, another plant is planned.

AMP-Ohio, a non-profit utility, wants to build a $3.2 billion coal fired power plant in Meigs County.

Young worries about the health problems caused by the plants.

She said there is only one solution.

"Right now is the time to invest in renewable energies while we still have the ability to do it," said Young.

The coal will eventually run out and Young wants Meigs County to prepare now for a more prosperous future.

"Educating our children on how to be renewable energy system installers and begin looking at what our alternatives are instead of waiting til everything is gone," said Young.

For more information on the opposition to the plant, check out the SE Ohioans Against Another Coal Fired Power Plant website.

Not everyone is against the proposed coal-fied power plant.

"Coal has always been here.  There has always been the use of coal since the founding," said Bill Quicke of the Meigs county Chamber of Commerce.

Now, the county is going back to its roots, in an effort to jolt the local economy.

The unemployment rate is over 10 percent.

"The job climate in the county has been down ever since the last coal mines went out in this county," said Meigs County Commissioner Mick Davenport.

The proposed $3.2 billion Amp Ohio coal fired power plant would mean new jobs and lots of them.

Davenport said the plant would creat 1,600 construction jobs alone.

"This type of impact of a multi billion dollar impact has not been seen before," said Davenport.

But what has not been seen before is new clean coal technology.

"They're trying to do things to decrease the effects of contaminants in power plant emissions," said Davenport.

Meigs County leaders are not against other alternative energy sources, but said they are not as efficient as coal power and creat eye soars.

"The county wants to see the coal plant.  There is not another county in this state screaming build us a coal plant," said Quicke.

Meigs County officials are throwing most of their eggs in one basket, hoping coal continues to benefit the community for years to come.

You can hear Mick Davenport in his own words and learn more about the proposed plant on Harrison Hove's blog.

For additional information, check out the Meigs County Chamber of Commerce website of the Meigs County Economic Development wedsite.

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