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Plant must cut coal usage

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by Pedro Oliveira Jr.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Coal plant agreement

The University of Wisconsin and the state of Wisconsin reached an agreement Monday to reduce coal use 15 percent at the Charter Street plant by January.

The plant, which provides heating and cooling to about 300 UW buildings, was found to be in violation of the federal Clean Air Act Nov. 7. The ruling said the facility needs major repair and modifications after it failed to install modern technologies that would prevent pollution from soot, smog and mercury by 90 percent.

The agreement reached Monday promotes the reduction of coal through the use of alternative fuels and energy conservation throughout campus. The coal plant will reduce its coal use nearly 20,000 tons each year by Jan. 1, 2008.

"We'd have to make it up with a combination of more natural gas, more fuel oil and more energy conservation," said Alan Fish, UW associate vice chancellor of facilities and management. "The second part is a comprehensive evaluation of what the future of the Charter Street Plan would look like."

According to Fish, an engineering technology and construction firm called Syska Hennesy Group will be responsible for developing a comprehensive evaluation of permanent coal reduction for the future.

"That process will lead into recommendations that will be made in the 2009 state budget," Fish added.

Fish said although the reductions will not affect energy consumption at UW since the facility only generates heating and cooling, the university will still try to engage the campus community in energy conservation.

Jennifer Feyerherm, coordinator for the Sierra Club Wisconsin Clean Energy Campaign, a national nonprofit environmental organization, said besides the immediate pollution reduction — which would reduce the risk of global warming — the Department of Natural Resources will also review a total of 12 coal facilities in the state, most of which are part of the UW System.

"This is a combination of a lot of work from our grassroots members, UW students and Madison residents," Feyerherm said. "Over a thousand people raised their voices through letters and testified at hearings asking Chancellor Wiley and Governor Doyle to either clean up or shut down that place."

Sierra Club was the group that filed a lawsuit with the DNR that sparked the investigation into the coal plant.

"This is a great day for the breathing public in Madison," Sierra Club volunteer leader Seth Nowak wrote in a statement. "This plan achieves immediate health benefits here in Madison by cutting coal use at Charter Street, and is a major step forward toward eliminating coal burning in downtown Madison."

Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matthew Frank said this agreement goes beyond resolving issues at one heating plant. Frank said it sets up a new framework for state agencies to work together to ensure environmental compliance statewide.

"We're charting the future for Wisconsin to be a leader in the production and use of cleaner, renewable energy," Frank wrote in a statement.

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Anonymous (November 27, 2007 @ 2:27pm):

somewhere, Austin King is smiling.

Anonymous (November 28, 2007 @ 12:16pm):

get ready for a tuition hike. too bad you won't be able to bill the Sierra Club.

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