About the Matanuska River Watershed
What the Coalition is Working to Preserve
Castle Mountain Fault and Earthquakes
Wishbone Hill Coal Mine- UPDATE!
Matanuska Electric Association has planned to build a coal-fired power plant in this area.
Only 10% of MEA's intention is toward clean, renewable energy sources. Instead, the Board has chosen "more cost effective" coal projects over the public safety of our valley.
While there are improved regulations in place for construction of new coal plants, there are still many long-term problems associated with burning coal.
Here is a Fortune 500 article about the terrifying economics of building coal plants in our fragile world.
Burning coal leaves about 85% of its volume in polluted ash, which MEA says will be returned to Usibelli to be buried during reclamation.
Mercury, lead and chromium contamination through smokestack emissions is unavoidable. Even the lowest percentages will build in the environment and concentrate in plants, wildlife and humans. Heavy metals cause severe birth defects and catastrophic illness, lasting for generations in the ecosystem.
Kenai Peninsula-based RBCA successfully fought a 20 megawatt coal plant that was planned for Seward. Read about it...
Check out the Valley's effort to keep an eye on MEA and fight coal power plant proliferation.