Elk River Rejects Big Stone II Coal Plant Investment

Elk River Municipal Utilities yesterday rejected a proposal to become a partial owner in Big Stone II. Elk River’s rejection was the same day as a decision by Basin Electric Power in South Dakota to pull plans for a new coal-fired power plant.

Elk River's disavowal of coal is part of a trend. A string of 100 coal plants--with Intermountain Power coal plant in Utah as the landmark number 100-- have been defeated or abandoned since the beginning of the coal rush in 2001.  Activists calling for a transition away from coal call this a significant milestone in the shift to clean energy.

For the past six years pro-environment allies have been running a hard-hitting campaign to expose the dirty truth about coal. Tremendous grassroots pressure, rising costs, and upcoming federal carbon regulations all contributed to the demise of the 100 plants. In Minnesota hundreds of volunteers turned out to public hearings, held rallies and met with officials to push for cleaner alternatives to the Big Stone II plant.

 In September, investors in Big Stone II will vote on whether or not to proceed with the plant.  Both Great River Energy and the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency have already backed out of the project.

The Big Stone II plant would emit about 4.5 million tons of global warming pollution every year, along with harmful levels of soot and smog pollution, which can worsen asthma and cause other respiratory illnesses.  In addition to harming our health, the Big Stone II plant would stunt renewable energy projects in the region.

"The community opposition to the Big Stone II coal plant here is just one part of a growing nationwide movement,” said Rich Femling, local volunteer with the Sierra Club coal campaign since 2001. “It’s clear that the American people are ready for a switch to the clean energy technologies that can help repower our economy.”