The legislature in Illinois, a coal state, has done what Minnesota, a non coal state, didn’t have the guts to do. Illinois turned down an energy bill full of favors and subsidies for overpriced clean-coal technology. Minnesota exempted projects like Big Stone II over the border in South Dakota and Excelsior Energy’s Mesaba Energy Project here on the Iron Range last year. On June 12, the Legislative Energy Task Force will meet to consider the state’s plan for energy. This is a perfect time for the legislature to finally acknowledge that it erred in giving these projects special treatment.
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Aaron J. Brown, author
I'm AB. I live in the woods of the Iron Range. I write about the people, news and culture of Northern Minnesota. I host a radio show, teach college and raise kids. More
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Why? Because whenever the words “clean energy” are used, everybody thinks it’s a great idea. I don’t know as much as you do regarding the Excelsior Energy project, but take a look at ethanol. You get a project that is being subsidized something like 54 cents per gallon and some argue is actually a “net negative” energy” (takes more energy to produce it than it actually produces itself).
“Worked to bring clean coal technology to the Iron Range with funding for Mesaba Energy, a clean-coal power plant proposed on the Range.”
Since when is “clean coal” clean??
So-called “clean coal” is pumping more mercury into the air today than ever before: http://www.coal-is-dirty.com/top-5-clean-coal-myths