Today, Florida
Power & Light (FPL) filed paperwork with the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection asking for formal approval of plans to construct a
huge coal-fired power plant near Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades. In response, clean energy and
environmental advocates joined forces to send a clear message to FPL and
Florida decision makers that the proposal will be met with stiff opposition.
“It makes absolutely no sense for FPL to put a huge coal burning plant on the
border of the Everglades while the state spends billions of dollars to protect
this national treasure,” Dr. Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern
Alliance for Clean Energy, said. “This coal burning plant will be a major
source of mercury, a heavy metal toxin, as well as global warming pollution,
causing serious problems for the Everglades.”
Today, FPL filed the paperwork that will begin the approval process for a 1,960
mega-watt coal-powered facility to be located five miles north of Moore Haven,
Florida in Glades County.
"This is the wrong power plant, in the wrong place, at the wrong
time. To build a coal-fired power plant that will spew toxic mercury,
smog, soot and global warming pollutants on the edge of the Everglades without
first looking to meet Florida's energy needs with energy efficiency programs,
is a dirty and dangerous proposition, and should be rejected," said Holly
Binns, field director with Environment Florida.
In November 2005 local homeowners in St. Lucie County teamed
up with clean energy advocates to hand FPL an unprecedented five to zero defeat
before the St. Lucie County Commission on their proposal to build a similar
power plant in that county. The expected increase in mercury and global
warming pollution, FPL’s failure to consider cleaner alternatives like energy
efficiency and coal gasification, along with a rejection of the heavy-handed
tactics used by FPL to pressure local citizens were all given as reasons for
the unanimous vote.
FPL has now moved the proposal inland to Glades County,
which has a population of approximately 11,000 and increased the size of the
facility but is still unwilling to consider cleaner technologies.
According to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, “The Everglades and other south Florida
ecosystems already are stressed by the pressures of human development. Global
warming will add additional stresses, such as higher water levels, increased
salinity, and warmer water temperatures.”
The
proposed FPL facility will be one of the United States’ largest new sources of
carbon dioxide, sending over 13 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2)
into the air annually.
"Knowing all we know about the impacts of CO2
emissions, building a coal plant without regard for carbon capture is a giant
step in the wrong direction," Susan Glickman, Natural Resources Defense
Council’s Florida consultant, said. "The citizens of Florida deserve
a better option than dirty coal and global warming.”
Signaling what appears to be a bias toward coal generation,
FPL sought and received an exemption from the Florida Public Service Commission
(PSC) for the requirement to seek alternative plans on how to meet the energy
demand through an open request for proposals (RFPs) process. FPL must file a “need determination” before
May 1, 2007, or the PSC could revoke the wavier to the RFP requirement.
Advocates continue to raise the issue that FPL supports
regressive policies made by the PSC that if removed would allow stronger
conservation and efficiency measures to be implemented, thereby decreasing the
demand for more electrical generation.
For example, the “RIM Test” screens out valuable energy efficiency
programs if they lessen profits for FPL.
“Fishing and hunting are part of life for folks in Glades County and across the
region. Impacts from mercury and climate change on game and fish
are well documented and will only be exacerbated by this power plant,” Ann
Vanek-Dasovich of the Florida Wildlife Federation board of directors said.
“What’s worse is that local folks don’t get the electricity although they will
have to deal with the direct impacts to their health, loss of their way of life
and close connection to the land.”
Advocates plan to ask the incoming governor to review the state policy on
building coal plants and to seek ways to increase energy efficiency and cleaner
alternatives.
Attached
is a copy of a letter from the chairman of the St. Lucie County Board of County
Commissions to his counterpart in Glades County regarding the FPL proposal.
# # #
FPL
Coal Plant Release - Attachment
November 29,
2006
Honorable
K.S. “Butch” Jones, Chairman, District 1
Glades
County Board of County Commissioners
PO Box 1018
Moore Haven,
FL 33474
Reference: Glades Power Park
Dear
Commissioner Jones:
As you may
be aware, in November of last year, the St. Lucie County Board of County
Commissioners voted 5-0 to deny the application of Florida Power and Light to
site a coal-fired power plant in western St. Lucie County. The denial was based on the fact that the
proposed plant was in direct conflict with several Comprehensive Plan Policies,
would have a negative effect on the air quality in St. Lucie County and
surrounding counties, and would have a negative effect on traffic within our
community due to the delivery of coal to the site and the transport of
by-products from the site.
The St.
Lucie County Board of County Commissioners believes that the siting of a
coal-fired power plant in Glades County will have the same negative effects on
your community as well as ours and others in the area. At least one-half of the train traffic will
still come through our community and could potentially block four major
intersections at one time. The negative
air quality effects of a plant of this type will be felt by communities far
outside your municipal boundaries.
The St.
Lucie County Board of County Commissioners urges the Glades County Board of County
Commissioners to reconsider its support of the siting of a coal-fired power
plant in Glades County.
The St.
Lucie County Board of County Commissioners further urges the Glades County
Board of County Commissioners to encourage Florida Power and Light to continue
to site power plants that use only clean technology such as gas and/or
renewable energy sources.
If we as
local governments continue to approve 18th Century technology, we
will never be able to clean up and preserve our environment.
If you would
like to discuss our concerns in more detail, please feel free to contact me at
(772) 462-1408.
Sincerely,
Chris Craft,
Chairman
St. Lucie
County Board of County Commissioners
c: Honorable Alvin Ward, Commissioner
District 2
Honorable Paul Beck, Commissioner
District 3
Honorable Russell Echols, Commissioner
District 4
Honorable Robert L. Geisler,
Commissioner District 5
Mr. Wendell Taylor, County Manager
St. Lucie County Board of County
Commissioners
Douglas M. Anderson, County
Administrator
Dan McIntyre, County Attorney
Vanessa Bessey, Environmental
Resources Director
