Continue to demand answers on energy

May 18, 2008 12:47 am

— Recently, I have heard much talk about the need to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. It is with this in mind, that I write to say I hope Congress will continue to demand answers from the U.S. Department of Energy about their abrupt cancellation of the FutureGen project at Mattoon in Illinois after nearly five years and $50 million in investment.
The abundance and accessibility of coal makes it the fuel of choice for power plants here in the U.S. and all over the world. The FutureGen plant at Mattoon promised to commercialize technologies like coal gasification and carbon capture and sequestration, which would eliminate carbon emissions from coal-burning plants by storing it deep underground rather than emitting it into the air. Researching and developing these technologies is essential if we’re going to improve air quality while continuing to meet ever-growing energy demands all the while reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
Congress needs to move quickly to reinstate the FutureGen plant at Mattoon and get this vital technology development back on track.

Howie Morgan
Oxford