by Linda Chipperfield
On August 3rd, Springfield voters rejected a bond issue to build a new coal burning power plant. The vote was 19,587 in favor, 21,073 opposed. Several groups came out against the $578.5 million proposal including the local Sierra Club groups, the League of Women Voters, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, American Lung Association, Missouri Organic Growers, Missouri Public Interest Research Group and the Rate Payers for Affordable Utilities Committee.
Following the vote, City Utilities (CU) General Manager said "At the end of the day, we simply didn't do a good enough job communicating the need to the citizens." CU has already send a questionnaire to 6000 residents and has also budgeted $225,000 in 2005 for "research".
Citizens for Clean Energy, a group that was active in defeating the powerplant, will continue to educate the public on alternatives and the benefits of energy efficiency, said Linda Chipperfield, a member of the Southwest Missouri group.