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John Hollenhorst ReportingA smoldering controversy over a coal-fired power plant was the subject of an all-day hearing in Richfield today. The battle is a classic conflict putting a few neighbors and farmers up against industry and Utah's growing appetite for electricity.
Sevier County, it's a valley of pastures, cropland, and bucolic pleasures.
James Kennon, Sevier County Citizens for Clean Air: "We have a lot of citizens that moved to this valley just for the reason of their health."
But Sevier Valley also has power lines and a power substation, serving nearby towns and farms with electricity from far away coal plants.
Bruce Taylor, NEVCO Energy: "So we're a coal state, and that's why, when we turn on our lights, we're burning coal."
Nevco Energy plans to increase the supply of electricity with a plant that will look something like this. It will cost at least 500 million dollars and will burn nearly a million tons of coal every year.
Thann Hanchett, Retired Health Teacher: "It will be disastrous to this community."
A Sevier County citizens group is fighting what appears to be an uphill battle. The state Air Quality Board has already approved it.
Rick Sprott, Utah Director of Air Quality: "It's our belief it complies with all laws and regulations in air quality. And so we think it ought to be allowed to go forward."
But critics say the question is whether this is the right place, in farm country, in a narrow valley that traps pollution.
Thann Hanchett: "The more pollution we get, the greater the amount of deaths, the greater the amount of asthmatic attacks, greater amount of trips to the hospital."
Bruce Taylor: "It's an ultra clean plant. We're projecting that it will be the cleanest, of not one of the cleanest, coal-based plants in the United States.
It's a controversy we'd better get used to. Industry and government have projected the need for many more power plants. And one may be close to where you live.
