Proposed Marshalltown Coal Plant Would be one of the State's Top Polluters

The proposed Marshalltown coal plant would be one of Iowa's top 3 polluters of greenhouse gas emissions, despite claims of the plant will use "clean coal" techonology.

From the Des Moines Register...

Research conducted for Iowa's Climate Change Advisory Council, a 23-member group appointed by Gov. Chet Culver, shows emissions in the state have been growing steadily since at least 1990 and will increase 34 percent by 2025. The council has been looking for ways to cut emissions by 50 percent to 90 percent by 2050.

The group, which includes representatives from utilities, universities, industries and government, is expected to make recommendations to the Legislature in December.

Nathaniel Baer, who follows energy issues for the nonprofit Iowa Environmental Council, said the inventory shows Iowa is heading in the wrong direction, trying to add two new coal plants in Marshalltown and Waterloo, instead of finding alternatives and reducing the harmful gases.

The Marshalltown plant would rank second or third in the state on greenhouse gas emissions and worsen the problem, Baer said.

"At a time when we need to be leveling our emissions and looking for ways to reduce them, we have utilities raising emissions by huge proportions," he said.