Currently, I’m traveling across the country to learn what cities like Chapel Hill and Asheville, North Carolina are doing to address some of the very same issues we are facing in Fayetteville such as affordable housing and energy conservation.  I am looking forward to sharing this information with the City Council and my staff when I return next week because there are some really exciting projects and programs underway in cities all across the country – particularly in the realm of sustainability.  But as excited as I am about these initiatives, I am equally discouraged by an initiative in our own backyard. 

Many of you are familiar with the coal-fueled power plant SWEPCO is proposing to build on 2,875 acres in south Arkansas near pristine woods that include cypress swamps and stands of virgin timber.  Not only does this plant threaten the natural environment adjacent to the plant, some experts estimate that the plant will emit 5.38 metric tons of carbon dioxide and 366 pounds of mercury per year. This would be our state’s fourth coal-fueled plant (one is just up the road in Gentry), and I don’t think we have done near enough work on the conservation side of things to honestly say we “need” this plant.  What have we done to encourage conservation in the region?  What incentives are available to families to implement these measures? Why create a carbon scar on our state when we haven’t truly invested the time or money to significantly implement tried and true conservation measures?   

I wrote a letter to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality personally opposing the approval of this plant (click here to read ADEQ letter).  I hope you will consider doing the same.  Also, I learned that the Arkansas Public Service Commission opened the hearing today as planned on the 600 megawatt plant. However, they have delayed taking testimony until August 20 in order to give newly appointed commissioner David Newbern time to get up to speed on more than 150 legal filings and other public comment documents.  Please take advantage of this extra time to voice your opinion favoring proven conservation measures over unnecessary and unwarranted pollution in our state.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 9th, 2007 at 1:53 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.