Coal Plant Rejected, Wisconsin Chapter Celebrates

Here's another Scrapbook post with great news - this time from Wisconsin. On Tuesday the announcement came down that the Wisconsin Public Service Commission unanimously denied the certificate of need for Alliant Energy's Cassville coal-fired power plant.

We mentioned the Wisconsin chapter's hard work here on Scrapbook in October, and we're all thrilled to hear of this decision.

From the chapter's clean energy director Jennifer Feyerherm:

"Commissioner Mark Meyer held up all of the public comments and noted that he had never seen so many in a case before the Public Service Commission.  Comments against the plant outnumbered comments for the plant by a margin of more than 10 to 1."

Feyerherm said the commissioners all talked about the pressing need to reduce global warming pollution, saying this plant did not do that.

"One of the other commissioners also specifically noted staff's comments that this would be the most expensive conventional coal plant (per KW) in the country," said Feyerherm. "Every single commissioner pointed to the lower costs of the alternatives and the importance of reducing carbon as two of the deciding issues of the case."

Congrats to the Wisconsin chapter, as this decision came "after months of hard work from all of our members and volunteers canvassing, phone banking, writing comments and attending hearings, and holding a great protest at Alliant's shareholder meeting along with our friends from Iowa who are also fighting an Alliant coal proposal."

Learn more about the ruling in this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article.

The photos are from the chapter's rally at the Alliant shareholder's meeting, and come courtesy of Jennifer Feyerherm.

Comments

[Cynthia Denny]

Way to go Wisconsin Cheeseheads! Awesome victory. I use to live in Kenosha and Milwaukee and know that the task must have been enorumous. I very proud of you all.

Cindy Denny
Loma Prieta Chapter
Wetlands Subcommittee Chair
Redwood City,CA