The Badger Herald

OPINION & EDITORIAL

Blount Street Power Plant pollution spurs conference

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by Guest Columnist

Friday, March 3, 2006

Madison Gas and Electric's Blount Street Power Plant has become an object of debate for many Madison residents because of the plant's high rate of air pollution emissions. The plant itself has promised that a plan to significantly reduce its air pollution emissions will be available later this month. Because the University of Wisconsin-Madison receives its energy from MG&E, Madison students must take steps to ensure that MG&E's plan significantly alters the amount of air pollution emitted into their environment. The Midwest Student Energy Conference, held this weekend, March 3-5, on the Madison campus, is the first step toward ensuring that this plan is effective.

The Department of Natural Resources is required by the state of Wisconsin to develop a plan not only to control air pollution in the state, but to "develop plans for the prevention, abatement, and control of air pollution in the state," according to its website. The Air Pollution Control rules were developed by the DNR for this purpose, and they require that all companies operating a pollution source obtain an operation permit. The MG&E power plant has obtained one of these permits, but it has yet to publicize a plan to abate the air pollution it is causing, a significant aspect of the Air Pollution Control rules.

Students can further this plan. Operation permits expire every five years, and also can be revised if a company expands their facility, replaces equipment, or changes operations. The public is encouraged to give input to decide the content of every operation permit. The main goal of the operation permits is to limit pollution emissions so that the air stays healthy — hence, concerned students have the opportunity to aid in defining how exactly MG&E's operation permit is required to limit their emissions.

Students can learn more on restructuring the MG&E plan by first taking part in the first annual Midwest Student Energy Conference in Madison this weekend. Participants will be given an in-depth education on the problems and solutions regarding power plants such as MG&E's Blount Street plant. Students will be educated by leaders on the many aspects of this issue, including Nigerian environmental activist Sowore Omoyele and Madison's own Joel Rogers, who was recently recognized in Newsweek as one of the 100 Americans most likely to affect U.S. politics and culture in the 21st century. Both will deliver the Keynote Address today.

The conference will cover the issues surrounding energy debates in a straightforward and factual format in order to educate a diverse range of students. The topics in the conference include an explanation of the effects of toxins on the Madison environment as well as an entrepreneurial understanding of conservation, renewable forms of electricity generation and nuclear power. The conference hopes to reach out to students of all majors in order to promote education for the generation on energy issues.

After attending the Midwest Student Energy Conference, students will better understand the debate surrounding the MG&E Blount Street Power Plant and will be more equipped to formulate a stance as to the direction the plant should take in its future plan to reduce pollution emissions into the air. Environmental organizations including the Sierra Club and WISPIRG have voiced dissatisfaction in the plant's steps towards air pollution prevention. State Rep. Marc Pocan stepped in to encourage MG&E to create a plan for future reductions in the Blount Street plant's pollution emissions. Now it is time for the students at UW-Madison to become aware of the significance this debate has on their lifestyles and take action accordingly. Attending the Midwest Student Energy Conference is the first step towards changing the pollution emissions at the MG&E power plant.

To register for the Midwest Student Clean Energy Conference, visit www.energyaction.net/midwest. Registration is free and open to students in any university across the Midwest.

Maggie King (mkking1@wisc.edu) is the media coordinator of WISPIRG's Big Red Go Green campaign.