Prairie State Permit Approval Further Proof Coal Remaining Viable

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the need for additional power sources in this country increases each year, domestic coal continues to play a vital role in meeting that demand. The final approval of the Prairie State Illinois air permit, where each review brought stronger affirmation of the plant's environmental controls, is further proof that technology is leading the way for future coal-based generation.

The United States Energy Information Association (US EIA) projects additional need for an average of 6,000 megawatts of electricity per year through 2030. Prairie State is on a long list of more than 120 coal-fueled power plants in the U.S. currently under or near construction, permitted, or in the early stages of development to meet that demand. Specifically, 24 plants are in the construction phase, 8 plants are at the beginning of construction, 13 plants have been permitted and 76 coal-fueled plants have been announced.

According to Joe Lucas, executive director of Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC), recent coal-fueled power plant cancellations have received national attention because of controversial decisions made by state agencies to deny permits. "The mainstream media and a handful of environmental bloggers like to point to the cancellation or denial of a few permits as evidence that coal is on its way out," he said. "At the end of the day, however, many more projects have been approved and are under construction than have been cancelled."

During the past 35 years, the use of coal in the U.S. has nearly tripled. At the same time, air quality has improved and emissions from coal-based electricity are 30 percent lower despite increased use. "It should be noted that no power plant can be cited if it's shown that emissions would diminish air quality in a community to the point where pollution levels would pose a threat to human health and welfare," Lucas said. "The Prairie State process included affirmation by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency," he added. "Simply put, Prairie State and other new clean coal power plants are designed with superior environmental controls to protect the environment and meet our growing demand for affordable, reliable electricity."

Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) is a non-profit, non-partisan group that promotes a dialogue with recognized community leaders across the nation to discuss balancing America's growing demand for electricity with the need to protect the environment. Because of its prominence in the nation's energy mix, electricity from coal is a major focus of the dialogue. For more information, go to http://www.americaspower.org/.

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Source: Americans for Balanced Energy Choices

CONTACT: Cullen West of Americans for Balanced Energy Choices,
+1-703-302-1224, cwest@balancedenergy.org

Web Site: http://www.americaspower.org/
http://www.balancedenergy.org/

2008-02-27 20:08:06 0300184 PRNEWSWIRE