St. Paul, MN — The Minnesota Public Utility Commission decided today 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. Commissioners found that information currently available is insufficient as to the costs of implementing the project. Commissioners expressed concerns about the likely impact on rate payers in Minnesota should the plant go forward.
Plans for a new coal plant -- Big Stone II -- near Milbank, South Dakota call for using billions of gallons of water. 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.
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.
South Dakota already produces more generation than it needs. Building and exporting new wind power, rather than coal, means protection and preservation of South Dakota water resources and not having to pay to transport and burn millions of tons of more coal.
