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Thursday, September 29, 2005

Env./Econ. Dev. - Tondu plant rejection lamented

From an editorial yesterday in the South Bend Tribune:

We are disappointed by the St. Joseph County Council's denial of a special use permit for Tondu Corp. to build a coal gasification power plant near New Carlisle. But we aren't surprised.

If the permit had been granted, the project would have moved to the next phase: analysis by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management of the ecological impact of the proposed plant. Concerns about air and water pollution would have been addressed based on facts, not fears and unsupported assumptions.

Because the power plant proposal never made it to the second phase, the ecological impact of the plan remains unknown and the possibility of a major economic boost and a future energy source in this community is lost.

Why aren't we surprised? Because almost no local support for the Tondu proposal was expressed.

Where were the mayors of South Bend and Mishawaka? The business leaders? The building industry that would have benefited tremendously from construction of the power plant? Our state representatives and senators?

Except for Gov. Mitch Daniels, who supported granting the special use permit, leaders' voices were silent on the subject.

For other Tondu-related items, use the search box in the right column.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 29, 2005 09:06 AM
Posted to Environment | Indiana economic development