OAK CREEK POWER PLANT Consumers Must Demand

OAK CREEK POWER PLANT Consumers Must Demand; Truth About Its Impact

Dec 27 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

OAK CREEK POWER PLANT

Consumers must demand truth about its impact

The recent decision by Dane County Circuit Judge David Flanagan to reverse the Wisconsin Public Service Commission's approval of We Energies' giant coal-fired power plant proposal should be applauded.

It took tremendous courage for Flanagan to make this ruling and put the project on hold until there is an honest accounting regarding this proposal's consequences and careful consideration of cleaner, safer alternatives. This decision should serve as a warning to utility companies who think they can cut corners in the permitting process without consequence.

Flanagan's decision was not based on technicalities. In fact, his decision goes right to the heart of We Energies' proposal. According to Flanagan, We Energies' plan failed to propose alternative sites and evaluate impacts, as required by law. On a project with significant threats to our health, environment and economy, Flanagan rightly found this to be in direct violation of state law.

We Energies should not be shifting blame to others; rather it should be acknowledging their proposal's serious defects and seeking ways to fix them.

The human health costs of this project are enormous. Health experts calculated this project's air pollution would cause 30 premature deaths every year and innumerable asthma attacks and new cases of lung cancer. Over its estimated 45-year lifespan, the project would create $3.3 billion in health-related expenses.

We Energies also wants to use outdated cooling practices that will require sucking 2.2 billion gallons of Lake Michigan through its plant every day, destroying millions of fish and their food sources.

And their proposed site for this project requires bulldozing some of the last remaining Lake Michigan shoreline in southeast Wisconsin. We need to consider alternatives.

With all of this controversy about the wisdom of building an expensive and risky coal-fired power plant, our state laws have an extremely important role in protecting residents from the actions of large utility companies such as We Energies. As we move forward to meet Wisconsin's energy needs, we must maintain a balance between meeting our energy needs and maintaining environmental protection, all while respecting the checks and balances the system has established.

Instead of frightening the public with misleading stories, We Energies officials should take responsibility for the mistakes they've made and join an open and constructive dialogue about the right way to plan for Wisconsin's future energy needs.

We Energies would like to blame everyone under the sun for the current setbacks, but, in reality, this could all have been avoided if the company had been forthright, submitted a proper, thorough proposal and not pressured state agencies to ignore glaring defects in its application.

For the last two years, opponents of this project have been urging the utility to disclose the true costs of the project, but the PSC and We Energies insisted on steam rolling along. If there is blame for the delays caused by this ruling, the fault lies with We Energies, not concerned ratepayers nd environmental groups.

Since Flanagan's decision, We Energies has been trying to convince the ratepayers of Wisconsin that the lights could go out at any minute if the utility doesn't get its way. Throughout this process, We Energies has been trying to frighten everyone with stories of skyrocketing rates and dwindling energy supplies.

These assertions are misleading at best. Stories of a power shortage are overblown and are simply meant to scare the public into looking the other way while We Energies seeks to skirt laws designed to protect Wisconsin residents and our environment.

According to the PSC's own staff analysis, we do not need more power until 2011 at the earliest. In addition, the growth forecasts submitted by We Energies to support the construction of its coal plant are based on an average growth in electricity sales of 2.5% from 2001 through 2009.

In fact, the actual growth in energy demand between 2001 and 2003 was 0.2%, essentially no increase in demand. We can and must grow our economy without increasing energy use through new energy efficient technologies that create jobs here in Wisconsin.

We Energies tells us the sky is falling because Flanagan caught them breaking laws that everyone else has to comply with.

The citizens of Wisconsin will not be fooled. We know it's another attempt by We Energies to use its might to get its way.

It's time to put a stop to this. It's time that we demand truth and accountability from We Energies.

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Eric Uram is regional representative for the Sierra Club's Midwest office.