The Minnesota Public Utility Commission on June 5 decided to delay a decision on the Certificate of Need for power lines leading to the proposed Big Stone II coal-burning power plant in South Dakota, leaving the project in limbo.

Sierra Club and Clean Water Action filed a petition (pdf) on May 15, 2008 with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources to challenge issuance of Otter Tail Power's Air Quality Permits for Big Stone II. A decision is expected by October. Read the press release.

A May 9 ruling by two Administrative Law Judges in Minnesota said that co-owners for the proposed Big Stone II had failed to prove new electricity demands couldn't be met more cost-effectively through energy conservation and management measures. The judges recommended that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission DENY the coal plant project and its transmission. Clean Water Action and allies applaud the decision.

Coal pollution is a threat to our health and environment. Investing in a costly new coal burning power plant wastes money and takes South Dakota away from safe, clean renewable energy from wind. Read more in our fact sheet (pdf).

The plans for Big Stone II call for using billions of gallons of water (pdf). This threatens Big Stone Lake and takes us in the wrong direction. We should, instead, be using clean, abundant, renewable energy to meet our needs -- avoiding damage to our air and water. We need to send a clear message that investing in dirty coal is not the answer.

Take Action: Our Governor must reconvene the Boundary Waters Commission to carefully study this project and make a sound decision about our shared waters -- Big Stone Lake. Our leaders should protect our natural resources, not squander them. Urge our Governor to reconvene the Boundary Waters Commission over Big Stone II.

Otter Tail Power not forthcoming on water issues. January 15, 2008 Clean Water Action has petitioned for additional Big Stone II hearing http://cleanwateraction.org/sd/ottertailpetition200801.html saying public deserves to know the truth. The issues raised by Clean Water Action appear in the May 9 ruling by the Administrative Law Judges.