U.S. drops support for clean coal plant: lawmaker - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. drops support for clean coal plant: lawmaker
Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:50pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The future of a $1.8 billion
research project to build the world's cleanest coal-
burning power plant in Illinois is unclear after the
U.S. Energy Department on Tuesday said it plans to
pursue other options.

A consortium of utility and coal companies in December
picked a site in Mattoon, Illinois, to build the so-
called FutureGen plant, which would burn coal and sock
away heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions underground.

However, the Energy Department, which would bear about
75 percent of the plant's costs, is balking at cost
overruns for the project - originally expected to come
in near $900 million.

Energy Secretary Sam Bodman met with Illinois officials
on Tuesday and told them he plans to "direct the
department to begin to pursue other options," according
to a spokesman for Sen. Dick Durbin, Illinois Democrat.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN2962235220080129