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"The U.S. Secretary of Energy's proposal to dismantle FutureGen
is an example of politics at its worst. Secretary Samuel Bodman is
not only jeopardizing the benefits FutureGen promises to deliver,
but he deceived the people of east-central Illinois who spent time
and resources competing for the project. We're not giving up the
fight to make FutureGen a reality in Illinois.
"After an almost five-year-long, rigorous site review process,
the FutureGen Alliance announced on Dec. 18 that Mattoon, Ill., will
be home to the landmark project. On Nov. 30, 2007, the Department of
Energy sent a letter reaffirming that the project was moving forward
as planned. Only after it became clear that an Illinois site would
be chosen over a Texas site, the department suggested the project be
delayed, and now today, that it be dismantled.
"Just last night during his State of the Union address, President
Bush said that environmentally responsible energy is essential to
keeping our economy growing, and that his budget provides strong
funding for leading-edge technology, including clean coal. Secretary
Bodman's decision to reverse course on the most important clean coal
project to date represents a striking contradiction to the
president's comments. I urge President Bush, who initiated FutureGen
in 2003, to stand by the project and move it forward.
"And while we seek clarification from the Bush administration on
its commitment to clean coal, it's also critical to know where the
candidates vying to replace President Bush stand when it comes to
supporting FutureGen. I am asking all the individuals running for
president to let Illinois voters know where they stand before voters
cast their ballots on Feb. 5."
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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