DeWitt residents ponder proposal of coal plant
People in the town of DeWitt are weighing in on a proposed coal plant.
Empire Synfuel wants to build the plant at the former Alpha Portland Cement site on Ogle Road.
The plant will burn coal to extract natural gas to sell to the public.
Company officials say it will be good for the community, but not everyone agrees.
Jack Loveland, the project manager, said “I think we have to move, I appreciate the guy who thinks all the electricity has to come from wind and the sun and I certainly applaud all those efforts. It’s not going to provide the economy we want and I’d rather see us use American coal rather than middle east oil.”
Linda Irvin, a DeWitt resident, said “I’m not believing that what i’ve heard is really comforting. It sounds to me like it’s packaged properly but it sounds to me like there are a lot of if’s and a lot of questions, and I’m very concerned about it being near a school building.”
Town officials have six months to review the company’s application.
