By Phuong Le
The Seattle Times
February 15, 2011
OLYMPIA, Wash. —
Opponents squared off in Olympia Tuesday over how quickly the state’s only coal-fired power plant in Centralia, Wash., should transition to cleaner energy sources.
Canadian-based TransAlta’s facility is the state’s single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and is seen as key to state efforts to reduce global warming pollution.
Environmental groups and others pushed support for House Bill 1825, which would transition the plant off coal as early as 2015 – 10 years earlier than called for under an executive order signed by Gov. Chris Gregoire. Recognizing that timeline may have been too aggressive, however, the groups also threw their support behind a substitute House bill proposed Tuesday that would push the deadline back to 2020, in line with a similar measure in the state Senate sponsored by Sen. Phil Rockefeller, D-Kitsap County.
“Most people understand that coal is dirty and dangerous. The question is really how do we transition not should we transition,” said Rep. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, prime sponsor of HB1825. He supports the substitute bill introduced by Rep. Jeff Morris, D-Mount Vernon.
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Environmentalists said they want to ensure that the community is taken care of as the plant transitions to cleaner resources such as wind or hydroelectric power. The substitute House bill sets up a $94 million fund to help clean up the plant and pay for community redevelopment projects, and sets incremental deadlines for greenhouse gas reductions before 2020.
Nancy Hirsh, policy director with NW Energy Coalition, told lawmakers that transitioning away from coal could happen without upsetting the stability of the power grid.
“For the sake of our children’s health, we need to phase out the burning of coal,” said Dr. Alexander Hamling, a Seattle Children’s Hospital pediatrician and a board member with Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility board member. He noted that coal pollution puts people at a higher risk for cancer as well as heart and lung disease.
LeeAnne Beres, executive director of the Earth Ministry noted that faith-based organizations in Washington and nationwide have come out to opposed coal-fired power plants. “Burning coal is a moral issue,” she said.
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The bills are HB1825 and SB5769.