Megan Wittman, megan.wittman@sierraclub.org
La Crosse, WI – Today, a coalition hosted a rally and press conference to stop the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC), a 625 MW gas plant proposed by Dairyland Power and Minnesota Power that would be built in Superior.
On the same day as Dairyland Power’s annual meeting, the coalition is called on the utility to cancel plans for NTEC and retire all coal plants like the existing Madgett coal plant in Alma, Wisconsin. Concerns regarding NTEC have ranged from the massive fossil fuel plant exacerbating climate change to the plant being built next to an Indigenous burial ground to the proposed plant’s strain on local utilities, air quality, and road damage.
“The Driftless Region's rural areas, which are primarily served by the electric cooperatives supplied by Dairyland Power, have seen severe impacts from the increased frequency and severity of flooding triggered by climate change. We know without a doubt that fossil fuel combustion is the largest single driver of climate change. Yet Dairyland Power, based right here in the Driftless, wants to build a brand-new fossil gas-burning power plant, which will further contribute to the looming climate crisis and even more extreme weather events. We believe our communities deserve better,” said Kathy Allen, Sierra Club - Coulee Region Group Chair and La Crosse Resident.
“Our energy district is working regionally to avoid this tremendous expense to ratepayers as captured customers in a monopoly market. Most grid experts agree that NTEC is bound to be obsolete nearly as soon as it's built, and would keep us dependent on toxic methane gas generation at unnecessarily elevated rates. In contrast, by reshaping the demand side of the equation through energy efficiency, local solar and battery storage, and rate-based demand controls, we will increase reliability, resilience, quality of life in rural communities, and most importantly control costs for everyone,” said Alicia Leinberger, Executive Director for Vernon County Energy District.
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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.