I don’t throw my trash in my neighbor’s yard. That wouldn’t be nice.
The daily acts of living in our culture produce a certain amount of waste, and we accept that as part of our lives. We receive a benefit from the products we use, and we understand part of the cost of the benefit is the waste. And we don’t expect our neighbors to dispose of our garbage. We do it ourselves. But some of Utah’s neighbors to the west seem to have missed this basic point of waste disposal.
The proposal to build the Toquop Energy Project coal-burning electric generating plant provoked a firestorm of debate between Lincoln County, Nev., with business partner Sithe Global Power, and residents of Southern Utah who fear down-winder effects from the plant’s emissions.
Ronda Hornbeck, Lincoln County Commission chair, welcomes the project and is campaigning for state and federal approval. Of course she is. The tax revenue Lincoln County stands to receive from this facility will more than double the county’s annual operating budget. New jobs created by the plant will bring new residents and employ some existing ones, further adding to county coffers.
The people of Las Vegas are also in favor of the project, which will supply electricity to the still rapidly growing city, desperate for more resources. All in all, the Toquop Energy Project is a good deal for Nevada. It’s an even better deal when you realize Nevada will reap all of the benefits with none of the unpleasant emissions associated with burning coal. That part of the deal, given weather patterns, goes directly to Utah.
Thomas Johns, senior vice president of development for Sithe Global, told St. George residents, in a February press conference, they shouldn’t be concerned about emissions. Toquop will burn low-sulfur, “clean” coal which has a much lower emission rate. Additionally, Johns said Sithe Global has estimated St. George will be downwind of the facility only about 3 percent of the time. Which other Utah communities will be enjoying the remaining 97 percent?
“That doesn’t matter because the plant impacts will be very, very small,” Johns said.
Johns’ comments reminded me of a story I was told as a child in Sunday School. The subject was movies and what is acceptable to watch. The teacher said, “Suppose I make a batch of brownies. I use only the finest quality chocolate, the freshest eggs, real creamery butter. Would you like a piece?”
After all the children readily said yes, the teacher went on. “What if I added to that incredible batter, just a tiny little teaspoon of dog poo. Would you still like a piece?”
Of course, the unanimous answer, for obvious reasons, was a resounding “NO!”
But, the amount is so tiny, the teacher told us. Surely such a small amount won’t make a difference. Her point was made, and I believe it applies here.
If Nevada needs the power and tax revenue Toquop will generate, let the people who will benefit from the product deal with the associated waste. If the emissions really are so small they “don’t matter,” perhaps Sithe Global should build Toquop on Nevada’s western border and let the emissions waft gently over their state.
Utah has nothing to gain and everything to lose, even from just a tiny bit.
I'm trying to get back in the habit of writing every day. Lately, I've been working on character sketches. Some of those will find their way here, in the form of individual comments to this post.
Comments
The daily acts of living in our culture produce a certain amount of waste, and we accept that as part of our lives. We receive a benefit from the products we use, and we understand part of the cost of the benefit is the waste. And we don’t expect our neighbors to dispose of our garbage. We do it ourselves. But some of Utah’s neighbors to the west seem to have missed this basic point of waste disposal.
The proposal to build the Toquop Energy Project coal-burning electric generating plant provoked a firestorm of debate between Lincoln County, Nev., with business partner Sithe Global Power, and residents of Southern Utah who fear down-winder effects from the plant’s emissions.
Ronda Hornbeck, Lincoln County Commission chair, welcomes the project and is campaigning for state and federal approval. Of course she is. The tax revenue Lincoln County stands to receive from this facility will more than double the county’s annual operating budget. New jobs created by the plant will bring new residents and employ some existing ones, further adding to county coffers.
The people of Las Vegas are also in favor of the project, which will supply electricity to the still rapidly growing city, desperate for more resources. All in all, the Toquop Energy Project is a good deal for Nevada. It’s an even better deal when you realize Nevada will reap all of
the benefits with none of the unpleasant emissions associated with burning coal. That part of the deal, given weather patterns, goes directly to Utah.
Thomas Johns, senior vice president of development for Sithe Global, told St. George residents, in a February press conference, they shouldn’t be concerned about emissions. Toquop will burn low-sulfur, “clean” coal which has a much lower emission rate. Additionally, Johns said Sithe Global has estimated St. George will be downwind of the facility only about 3 percent of the time. Which other Utah communities will be enjoying the remaining 97 percent?
“That doesn’t matter because the plant impacts will be very, very small,” Johns said.
Johns’ comments reminded me of a story I was told as a child in Sunday School. The subject was movies and what is acceptable to watch. The teacher said, “Suppose I make a batch of brownies. I use only the finest quality chocolate, the freshest eggs, real creamery butter. Would you like a piece?”
After all the children readily said yes, the teacher went on. “What if I added to that incredible batter, just a tiny little teaspoon of dog poo. Would you still like a piece?”
Of course, the unanimous answer, for obvious reasons, was a resounding “NO!”
But, the amount is so tiny, the teacher told us. Surely such a small amount won’t make a difference. Her point was made, and I believe it applies here.
If Nevada needs the power and tax revenue Toquop will generate, let the people who will benefit from the product deal with the associated waste. If the emissions really are so small they “don’t matter,” perhaps Sithe Global should build Toquop on Nevada’s western border and let the emissions waft gently over their state.
Utah has nothing to gain and everything to lose, even from just a tiny bit.