7,060
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
SW: →Governor Doyle retires two coal plants: settlement info
==Governor Doyle retires two coal plants==
In August, 2008, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced that two aging coal plants, the [[Charter Street Heating Plant]] and the [[Capitol Heat and Power Plant]], both located in Dane County, will be shut down and replaced with cleaner systems. The decision followed legal action and grassroots protests and lobbying by members of the Sierra Club, students at the University of Wisconsin, and other activists. August 2008<ref>[http://www.sierraclub.org/environmentallaw/coal/plantlist.asp "Stopping the Coal Rush"], Sierra Club, accessed December 2007. (This is a Sierra Club list of new coal plant proposals.)</ref>
==Oak Creek permit settlement uncertain==
Environmental groups refused to revise a deal to settle litigation over [[Oak Creek Units 1 & 2]] to address concerns raised by state regulators. The proposed settlement would see the [[Sierra Club]] and [[Clean Wisconsin]] drop their challenge to environmental permits issued for the project, in exchange for a WE commitment to fund environmental projects in Lake Michigan and expand renewable energy projects in the state. Under the agreement, We Energies, Madison Gas & Electric Co., and WPPI Energy would spend $4 million per year for 25 years on projects to improve water quality in Lake Michigan. An additional $5 million would be allocated to create a nonprofit group focused on efforts to reduce global warming emissions. PSC regulators are hesitant to raise customer rates to fund the Lake Michigan projects, which could prompt the environmental groups to revive their lawsuits. If the groups win, the cost of litigation could add more than $1 billion to the cost of the power plant, as opposed to the $100 million cost of the settlement.<ref>[http://www.jsonline.com/business/76092592.html "Oak Creek coal plant settlement uncertain,"] ''Journal Sentinel,'' November 27, 2009.</ref>
==Legislative issues==
