CPPA graduate student Peter Vickery and Richard S. “Dick” Stein, Emeritus Goessmann Professor of Chemistry at UMass Amherst are researching whether or not it is possible to retain the financial benefits of the coal-fired power station at Mount Tom while also eliminating associated environmental problems. The two authored their ideas in “Moving Mount Tom past coal” in The Republican this week.
A transition to an environmentally conscious power station is possible, according to their research, say Stein and Vickery. They propose elected officials start talking with GDF Suez, the company that owns the Mount Tom power station, about a step-by-step process for transitioning the facility away from coal to a cleaner source of energy. Forming a broad-based coalition of community organizations, labor unions, farmers, and small businesses seems the best way to start this conversation.
Stein and Vickery cite Xcel Energy’s repowered Riverside plant in Minneapolis, MN, as a successful example of a coal-powered plant being transformed into a natural gas-powered facility brought on by a state legislation in 2001. A similar law in Colorado caused the state “to replace their old coal-fired power stations with natural gas and renewable energy sources.” Even here at UMass Amherst coal has been pushed out by the use of natural gas and much more efficient machinery to power heaters all across campus.
These examples prove that the technology exists for such a transformation. But what about all of the jobs and tax revenue that comes from the coal industry? Not all questions can be answered at this time, but Vickery and Stein’s final words demonstrate that a sense of urgency is still key for progress:
We do not pretend to have all the answers. We just believe that the time to start the conversation with GDF Suez is sooner – while the plant is open – rather than later, when the company has already made the decision to close it down. By opening the dialogue now, citizens can exercise some control over the outcome. The alternative is to wait and hope for GDF Suez to forget its shareholders and focus on what’s best for Western Massachusetts. That is not much of an option.
For the complete article, visit The Republican here.