[Iowa-dx] Five Iowa nonprofits intervene to oppose Marshalltown coal plant

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 22:34:27 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ? September 20, 2007
Contacts:

Carrie La Seur, Plains Justice (Cedar Rapids), 319-560-4729, =20
claseur@plainsjustice.org

Nathaniel Baer, Iowa Environmental Council (Des Moines), 515-244-1194, =20
Baer@iaenvironment.org

Maureen McCue, Physicians for Social Responsibility (Iowa City),
  319-828-4789, mickiq@earthlink.net
Sally Wilson, Community Energy Solutions (Marshalltown), 641-751-2852, =20
saynotocoal@yahoo.com

Des Moines ? Today a coalition of five public interest organizations =20
filed a Petition to Intervene in the application by Interstate Power =20
and Light Company (Alliant Energy) to the Iowa Utilities Board to =20
construct a 660 megawatt pulverized coal plant in Marshalltown.  The =20
coalition will present expert witness testimony on the public health =20
and global warming impacts, the increase in electrical rates, and the =20
displacement of renewable energy that will result from this =20
old-fashioned coal plant.

The public interest coalition that intervened today includes Community =20
Energy Solutions, Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa =20
Renewable Energy Association and Iowa Chapter of Physicians for Social =20
Responsibility.  Coalition members represent Marshalltown residents as =20
well as tens of thousands of Iowans.  Coal-fired power plants =20
contribute 40% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions caused by human =20
activities.  Iowa gets up to 85% of its electricity from coal, while =20
the national average is 50%.

Coal combustion emissions contribute to respiratory and cardiac =20
ailments because of increases in particulate matter, or soot, a =20
pollutant regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency.  As =20
epidemiologists expand studies of the smallest particulate matter, its =20
harmful health impacts become increasingly apparent.  Coal plants emit =20
heavy metals into the atmosphere, including mercury, which settles =20
into surface waters and bioaccumulates in fish, which can in turn =20
cause neurological damage if eaten.  Illinois has mercury advisories =20
on 100% of its surface waters, but Iowa does not track mercury =20
contamination.  Finally, Iowa allows use of coal ash for fill in =20
unlined quarries without groundwater monitoring, a practice that has =20
led to groundwater contamination in dozens of sites around the U.S.

The intervenors are represented by Attorneys Carrie La Seur and Jana =20
Linderman of Plains Justice, a public interest environmental law firm =20
based in Cedar Rapids.  Says La Seur, "Utility regulators across the =20
country are denying permits for new coal plants, and investors are =20
pulling out.  This is a very risky time to propose a coal plant."  Dr. =20
Maureen McCue of Physicians for Social Responsibility emphasizes: "The =20
harmful health impacts of coal plants are undisputed, and it's simply =20
immoral to construct a giant new source of greenhouse gases."

Local Marshalltown residents express concerns about impacts on local =20
health care services, and particularly the health impacts on =20
vulnerable elderly residents of the Iowa Veterans Home.  Sally Wilson, =20
Associate Professor of Biology at Marshalltown Community College, =20
worries that Marshalltown has been chosen for the plant because the =20
community is perceived as lacking the resources to fight a large =20
corporation.  "We deserve clean air and water as much as any other =20
town in Iowa," says Wilson.  "It is critical that we protect our =20
environment for the health of our community.  It makes no sense to =20
build a coal plant when much better alternatives are now available."

The IUB has scheduled the administrative hearing in this docket to =20
begin January 14, 2008, in the auditorium of the Iowa Veterans Home in =20
Marshalltown.

END

--=20
Carrie La Seur, Ph.D., J.D.
President
Plains Justice
100 First Street SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
319-560-4729
http://www.plainsjustice.org
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