Waterloo, Iowa-Area Residents Ask County to Oppose Coal-Fired Power Plant Plan
Posted on: Wednesday, 15 February 2006, 15:00 CST
By Tim Jamison, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa
Feb. 15--WATERLOO -- Residents living near a proposed $1.3 billion coal-fired power plant have filed a petition asking county officials to oppose the project.
Resident Gail Mueller, who lives near the LS Power Co. site east of Waterloo near Dewar, delivered 263 signatures to the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors asking them to reject the city of Waterloo's plans to annex the property for the plant.
"It's so the county knows there's opposition to this plant," said Mueller, who promised to bring additional signatures next week.
The petitioners cite concerns about flood waters, chemical emissions from the plant and increased traffic generated by the 750 megawatt plant.
Meanwhile, supervisor John Miller presented board members with a map showing county roads that potentially could be affected by both the power plant and a separate Isle of Capri Casino project near the Lost Island Adventurepark.
"These roads will come under stress," he said.
Miller plans to request assistance from the local transportation policy board, a group of local officials who oversee and earmark federal and state road dollars to various projects countywide. Current spending plans include no money for road work related to the power plant or casino.
While the city of Waterloo is currently planning improvements and seeking funds for the Highway 63 corridor from the downtown north, Miller suggested money would be better spent developing a northeast bypass from Highway 20/380 near Elk Run Heights to Highway 63 north of Waterloo. Trucks are already using --- and wearing out --- county roads running through that area, which would also include the future power plant.
LS Power, based in East Brunswick, N.J., with offices in St. Louis, would build the massive facility on 320 acres of land along Newell Street east of Eagle Ottawa tannery. The land is currently in Black Hawk County, but would be annexed into Waterloo if approved by the City Council and the Board of Supervisors.
Pending state and federal regulatory approvals, construction would begin in 2007 and be completed in 2011.
The plant would employ up to 1,200 construction workers during the four-year period at a total payroll of $200 million. It would employ 100 people at an annual payroll of $7 million, an average of $70,000 per permanent employee. LS Power would hire a private firm experienced in power plant operations to staff and run the facility.
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Copyright (c) 2006, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa
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Source: Waterloo Courier
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