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Screwed Again
Tuesday, Dec 14, 2004 - Posted by Rich Miller Vandalia and Fayette County haven’t had the greatest year. First, the governor tried to kill off the local state prison, now the region appears to be losing out on a lucrative coal/power deal. VANDALIA, Ill. (AP) Two years after a Kentucky-based company promised to build a huge coal mine and power generating plant in Fayette County, the company is $225,000 behind in its lease payments to the county and in danger of losing the project. Have any of the dozens of ambitious plans to revitalize Illinois coal ever succeeded? I’m hard-pressed to think of any at the moment.
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- Anonymous - Tuesday, Dec 14, 04 @ 4:25 pm:
Nor will any of the dozens of future plans (inluding Future Gen?).
- Dan Johnson-Weinberger - Tuesday, Dec 14, 04 @ 5:31 pm:
Why don’t the coal miners and electeds who represent them get behind clean air legislation that would force the utilities to install scrubbers or newer technology that would let them burn Illinois coal? I don’t get it. If our coal is so much dirtier than Western coal, isn’t it in our interest to get tougher pollution standards that Western coal alone can’t meet so Illinois plants can burn Illinois coal? What am I missing?
- anonymous - Tuesday, Dec 14, 04 @ 9:50 pm:
Blago’s first budget eliminated the sales tax pollution control exemption and the exemption for coal mining machinery and equipment. The coal mining machinery and equipment was reinstated - it was eliminated by “mistake” according to the administration, but the pollution control exemption was not reinstated, thus making it more expensive to buy the necessary scrubbers, etc. necessary to burn Illinois coal.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 15, 04 @ 2:50 pm:
Blago’s behavior on energy issues has been a failure. The state has done nothing to assist the coal mining industry and, as noted above, his dicisions have discouraged the use of Illinois coal. He had an opportunity to incent the use of IL coal with the 9.10 rulemaking but his office rejected the recommendation of IEPA so now we’ll keep on burning western coal and we’ll keep on having dirty air and poluted lakes. His Commerce Commission is in the process of endorsing a plan which will result in huge price increases for customers for electricity and will likely make Illinois a net energy importer instead of exporter. He is an utter failure. Any opponent, primary or general, in 2006 will run hard on these issues and they will hurt the man.