Battle over proposed Wisconsin gas plant shows shift in climate fight

On a cold, rainy day in early October, five young activists calling themselves “Friends of the Climate” held a news conference outside Minnesota Power`s Duluth headquarters to voice their opposition to the Nemadji Trail Energy Center, a $700 million natural gas plant proposed to be built in neighboring Superior, Wis.

"It is my future, my generation’s future at stake here," shouted 16-year old Izzy Laderman, a student at Duluth East High School. "It makes no sense to me why they want to add another plant, except that the people in charge are so stuck in the toxic tradition of fossil fuels.”

Natural gas may be better than coal, said Elizabeth Evans, a senior at Superior High School. But “renewable energy sources are the only answer to reverse climate change and save the earth.”....

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Ken Notes: There were a lot of stories on this issue this week. My favorite was a lobbying organization pointing out that another organization was writing letters for elected officials. This is clearly the pot calling the kettle black, lobbying organizations have been writing letters, talking points, and legislation for legislators forever. In fact that is the nature of lobbying!!! Note the signs in the picture were printed for the protestors - who do you think printed them.

The gas plan proposed is controversial. It should be debated. Renewable can not replace 100% of carbon, so how should we balance the equation? Natural gas is now prevalent and cheap, that is because of fracking, gas is much cleaner than coal. Should we use gas? Should we build a few large gas plans or lots of little ones? Should energy policy be government driven, energy company driven, or market driven? Should solar and wind arrays be larger or small?

The answers are NOT EASY and we need to examine both sides from unbiased sources. I`ll see what I can do to help...