2012.01.16 Press Release
New EPA Health Safeguards Offer Wolverine Chance to Move Toward Clean Energy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Clean Energy Now
Monday, Jan. 16, 2012
Contact: Tiffany Hartung, Sierra Club (248) 933-2451
New EPA Health Safeguards Offer Wolverine Chance to Move Toward Clean Energy
Co-op members and ratepayers can save billions by moving toward clean energy
LANSING – Concerned citizens today called for Wolverine Power Supply to abandon its proposed Rogers City coal plant after the company made public last week it still faced “a significant roadblock” in making sure the plant meets federal air pollution regulations. The Alpena News reported over the weekend that Wolverine company officials have not been able to guarantee vendors interested in building a new dirty, unnecessary coal plant because they cannot adhere to standards to protect air quality and human health.
“As Wolverine continues to waste ratepayers’ money pursuing a new polluting coal plant that threatens our children and environment, renewable energy sources exist that are both cleaner and cheaper,” said Anne Woiwode, director for the Sierra Club’s Michigan Chapter. “Cooperative members should continue to call on Wolverine to drop plans for dirty coal and instead embrace clean energy. The byproducts from dirty coal are a threat to Michigan’s health and well-being and we simply can’t afford its negative environmental impact.”
Wolverine officials have continued to face growing opposition from members of the retail electric cooperatives that comprise their customer base. Projections by state officials say that if built, a new coal plant would raise electric rates for cooperative members by 60 percent or more, an estimated $77 monthly increase for residential ratepayers. The same projections state that 26 percent of Wolverine's cooperative members currently live below the poverty level.
Also last week, Wolverine entered into an agreement with We Energies to study the possibility of Wolverine paying to update pollution controls for the old Marquette coal plant slated to be retired by We Energies. This is also an unwise investment as continued investments in coal plants are causing energy companies to go bankrupt.
“The cost of coal is increasing every day,” said Jean Veselenak, Presque Isle Electric and Gas co-op member. “Wolverine shouldn’t be looking at using our co-op dollars to keep a dirty, old coal plant online and tied to twentieth century technology. We should be keeping up with the rest of the country and moving towards clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency that’s more affordable for co-op members.”
“Around Michigan, communities are embracing clean energy technology and saying ‘no’ to dirty energy like coal,” said Susan Harley, Michigan policy director for Clean Water Action. “Just last month, Consumers Energy announced the cancelation of a proposed new coal plant. Wolverine should also dump its multi-billion dollar plans for a proposed plant in Rogers City and pursue cleaner energy sources that are cheaper and protect public health.”
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