Pantagraph.com Weather forecast, local radar and more
NewsThursday, July 26, 2007 5:57 PM CDT
Comments Comments (8) | E-mail this page E-mail this page | Print this page Print this page | Enlarge type Enlarge type | Reduce type Reduce type | Search archives Search archives | RSS RSS feeds | Add to My Yahoo! Add to My Yahoo!
Blagojevich will sign FutureGen legislation
By Mike Riopell
mike.riopell@lee.net
Advertisement

SPRINGFIELD -- A spokesman said Thursday that Gov. Rod Blagojevich plans to approve a final incentive package designed to lure the experimental FutureGen power plant to Illinois.

Earlier in the day, the measure was approved by the Senate by a 54-1 vote.

Mattoon and Tuscola are competing with two towns in Texas to land the federal project. Legislation approved Thursday is said to be key to that bid because it would prevent some lawsuits should FutureGen's technology malfunction.

Supporters say that's unlikely.

''They feel pretty good about this,'' state Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, said of the new technology. ''They've done a lot of studying on this.''

The plant would use coal, but would pump pollutants underground instead of into the air. Texas already has similar lawsuit protection.

State Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, said the plan's approval marked a level cooperation that has been hard to come by in Springfield lately.

''This is a good example of Republicans and Democrats working together,'' he said.

Illinois' final pitch to FutureGen's developers is due Aug. 1, and a spokesman for the Blagojevich-controlled Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said the governor would sign the legislation before that deadline.

''We have been working long and hard to bring FutureGen where it belongs,'' Blagojevich said in a statement. ''This is the right decision for Illinois and our country because the science is on our side to make this project a tremendous success.''

But the final decision is in the hands of FutureGen's developers, a coalition between the federal government and major energy companies.

That decision could come as early as this fall.

Video
Most commented stories
Browse online archives
Recent issues:
Reader comments on this story - 8 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Not in my wrote on Jul 27, 2007 3:14 PM:

" I do not want this in my backyard. Nothing that might help the energy crisis. "

Digger wrote on Jul 27, 2007 12:33 PM:

" At all costs we must outbid Texas so Illinois can be a leader in future underground pollution devices. "

If the State of Illinois wrote on Jul 27, 2007 12:13 PM:

" provides this company lawsuit protection and the plant causes people to get sick or contaminates the ground, no one can sue? Does this provide protection from fines from the Federal EPA or the State EPA. If this plant is built by my house and I get sick, do I then get to sue the State of Illinois for my lose of health? What the heck is wrong with the people in the government? "

Blago wrote on Jul 27, 2007 6:56 AM:

" Get yer done ! "

What? wrote on Jul 27, 2007 6:45 AM:

" No arguments for an EXPERIMENTAL power plant I would be afraid of all the health issues these would cause.... oh, and light and noise pollustion too. While I am at it... the site this is going to be built upon would harm the wildlife. "

To:More pandering wrote on Jul 27, 2007 5:17 AM:

" Japan has a nuclear power plant to sell. Just has a few small cracks in the radiator hose. The sticker in the window says "as is no warranty". "

Blago the salesman wrote on Jul 26, 2007 10:52 PM:

" They must have heard how friendly Blago is to the business community in Illinois. "

More pandering wrote on Jul 26, 2007 7:41 PM:

" He's pandering to the coal lobby. What we really need is more nuclear power plants and an elimination of the foolish reprocessing ban. "
Add your own comments

Please read the rules before posting comments.

You must be logged in to leave comments.
If you don't have a member ID, please register.

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login?
(requires cookies)
  Forgot Your Password?
 
Lee Enterprises Customer Service | 301 W. Washington St., PO Box 2907, Bloomington, IL 61701-2907 | Ph. 309-829-9000 | 800-747-7323
Copyright © 2008, Pantagraph Publishing Co. and Lee Enterprises. All rights reserved. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy