Will Cleveland City Council Say “No” To A 50-Year Coal Contract And Support A Renewable Energy Future For Northeast Ohio?
By: Stefanie Spear, EarthWatch Ohio
I testified in January before the Cleveland City Council Public Utilities Committee’s PURPA (Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act) Part II Hearing. Many others testified too, asking council to cancel, or at the very least, delay its vote on whether or not to allow Cleveland Public Power (CPP) to sign a 50 year contract to buy power from the American Municipal Power of Ohio’s (AMP-OH) proposed 1,000-megawatt conventional pulverized coal powered plant. It is important to note that though the AMP-OH issue was at the forefront of everyone’s mind, the just as important issue concerning CPP’s Advanced Energy Portfolio Standard was discussed at length.
The list of concerns about the pending contract with AMP-OH is extensive. For starters, the proposed AMP-OH plant, according to its own permit application dated August 9, 2007, would emit 7.3 million tons of carbon annually. With the probability of a federal carbon tax or cap within the next few years, a commitment to coal for the next 50 years is a huge step in the wrong direction.
The proposed site for the coal plant is in Letart Falls, in Meigs County which is an area in southeast Ohio that already has a high concentration of coal-fired power plants and other major polluting sources. There are four coal-fired power plants within close proximity of Letart Falls. The residents of Letart Falls and Meigs County should not be subjected to another major source of air pollution.
The investment in new coal plants—gasification or conventional—is draining the financial resources and investments in the renewable energy industry. Proposed coal plants are dying on the drawing board. Over the past two years, 15 coal plants in Florida and 10 coal plants in Texas have been cancelled. Instead of relying on these polluting energy sources we need to limit our energy use, implement wide-spread energy efficiency programs and increase our use of renewables including wind and solar power, and geothermal energy. Energy efficiency programs are the most important tool available in responding to carbon emissions and the fastest way to slow the growth of coal dependency. CPP needs to educate their customers on how they can reduce unnecessary electricity consumption.
Now is the time for serious dialogue and leadership to develop solutions to ensure an ongoing, reasonably priced, green and reliable energy supply. CPP and Cleveland City Council need to be leaders in the renewable energy industry. Through innovation in energy and environmental policies, programs and technologies, we can enhance economic development, protect the environment and secure a sustainable future for Northeast Ohio.
Learn more about these issues and attend this month’s Midtown Brews event on Feb. 7 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Insivia Technologies, 1900 Superior Ave., Suite 105. Midtown Brews is a monthly public forum that focuses on innovation opportunities in technology, the creative industries and energy. Forums are free and open to the public. For more information visit www.midtownbrews.net.
The next public hearing concerning the AMP-OH contract is scheduled for Feb. 22. For more information or to get involved with these issues, contact Stefanie Spear at 216-387-1609 or spear@earthwatchohio.org.