Apr 03 - Pantagraph

The Illinois House joined a growing chorus of elected officials sounding off on the federal government's decision to scrap a plan to build an experimental power plant in east- central Illinois.

Without debate, the House approved a non-binding request Wednesday calling on the federal government to build the FutureGen plant in Mattoon.

"We rightfully won it and it needs to come to Illinois," said state Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet.

The $1.8 billion project was awarded to Mattoon last year. It was to be a showcase for clean burning coal technology, as well as a major boost to the local economy.

But days after Mattoon was chosen, plans for plant were scrapped when the federal Department of Energy said it wanted to go in a different direction.

"Clearly we believe the Department of Energy and the federal government should live up to their commitment," Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said after Wednesday's vote in the House.

Passage of the resolution Wednesday isn't legally binding, but it sends a message to Washington D.C.

The legislation is House Resolution 1009.

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