It is no secret that Consumer’s Energy has been looking to site a new power plant somewhere in the state of Michigan.  And, according to a Monroe Evening News article in today’s paper, it appears that the J.R. Whiting Plant site in Erie Township is one of the two likely sites for the plant.

http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070805/NEWS01/108050032

I have a few thoughts…

Important decisions are on Monroe County’s horizon.  Any resident of Monroe County knows that the siting of power plants along our shore has had a dramatic impact on life in the area.

Some of the impact is good.  The power plants support the local tax base and provide good jobs.  The power generation industry helps to insulate Monroe County a bit from the cyclical difficulties of the auto industry.  And, of course, our society needs power.

However, some of the impact is bad.  The smoke stacks and cooling towers along the shore are a visual blight.  They hinder marketing of the county’s shoreline to visitors, potential homeowners and, potentially, other types of businesses.

And, of course, the dirty little open secret about coal power plants is that they do pollute the local and larger environments.

The Erie site has some particular features that make it especially significant for the county.  The only access to the state-owned Woodtick Peninsula/Erie State Game Area is through the Consumer’s Energy facility.  Inland of the peninsula is the Nature Conservancy’s Erie Marsh Preserve, the University of Toledo’s Guard Island and an interesting local Native American site - Indian Island - owned by the State of Michigan.

These sites, together, form the most wild area that is left in Monroe County.  On many occasions, I have hiked the peninsula and surrounding areas.  I am always amazed by the nature that is present.  There are bald eagle nests, fish spawning grounds, and dens for small mammals.  A visitor can see muskrats, fox and an incredible variety of birdlife.

There are about ten miles of trail in the Erie Marsh and three to four miles of walkable terrain on the Woodtick Peninsula.  The nearby City of Luna Pier offers additional walking mileage in a pleasant shorefront community.

The Whiting plant sits right in the middle of this.  So, I think that it is a legitimate question to ask whether a power plant should even exist in the center of this natural creation.  Could it be more in the county’s long-term best interests to nurture what many consider the most visually appealing section of the county rather than signing on for 50 more years of power plant production?

Also, what is to happen with the wild lands that surround the Whiting site?  Will access to the peninsula be maintained?  Could negotiations with Consumer’s include the possible construction of a Pointe Mouillee-style barrier island to protect the peninsula and inland marshes?

Could the new plant be constructed in a way to maintain or enhance the recreational and environmental value of the surrounding landscape?  I would hope that Consumer’s would help to make trail connections between the peninsula, Luna Pier and the Erie Marsh.

How would the new plant’s smoke stacks alter the visual appearance of this section of Monroe County.  The three towers of the Whiting Plant are fairly low profile.  The new proposal calls for a plant that has twice the generating capacity.  What would that look like?  What type of pollution control devices would be installed at the new facility?

Given the fact that DTE is planning for a potential new nuclear plant on the Fermi site, what is to become of our shoreline?

Power plant siting is an intricate dance between the local community and the power plant provider.  When given the chance to trade shoreline beauty for jobs and economic growth, Monroe County has almost always chosen the jobs.  And it is easy to understand why.  Monroe County is a working class area.  Jobs are difficult to attract.

But you don’t see Consumer’s and DTE constructing new plants in Washtenaw, Macomb, Oakland or even Wayne Counties.  The public pressure would be too intense.  But people in those other counties turn their lights on all the same.

I would encourage anyone who reads this blog to do a little bit of homework.  Go hiking in this area and get to know the land.  The Erie Marsh, Woodtick Peninsula and Luna Pier are all open to hikers.  Go and see what is there and what could be there.  Dream a little bit about what COULD happen in Monroe County.

Then, start writing to all involved parties.  Attend meetings.  Monroe County residents have a right to be involved with the county’s long-term decisionmaking.

Here are the hiking locations that would be impacted by a new Erie power plant:

Woodtick Peninsula:

http://extremesouthmichigan.blogspot.com/2007/01/favorite-place-woodtick-peninsula.html

Erie Marsh:

http://www.blogsmonroe.com/expatriate/?p=142

City of Luna Pier:

http://www.blogsmonroe.com/expatriate/?p=153

Allen’s Cove:

http://extremesouthmichigan.blogspot.com/2007/02/allens-cove.html

Note: The photo above was taken from the website of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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