MD--Casselman Coal-Power Plant

State and local officials say they are hopeful that western Maryland's coal reserves could support a power plant and an energy technology research park in Garrett County.

[mick jaeger]

No f - ing way son! thats my home!!!!!!!!!!

[Marver - virginia]

Maybe it would give some people in that area a job.

[pierogie]

This is not a good idea. It will bring under 50 jobs and will be obsolete in 20 years. There is no such thing as "clean coal". We need research in alternative energies not in making another finite resource our primary energy. This is rediculous and the local media in Grantsville has barely covered this.. Meanwhile they have already begun clearing the trees for the entrance of the mine. There is supposed to be 6-12 months of public comment. How is the public to comment if they don't even know what's going on?

[upset in granrsville]

The coal company needs to stay in penna,not on durst rd in md. This area was ruined once before, now the same land owner is involed again. Also our water will be gone and there is no plan to rescue home owners, air quality and life as we know it will be gone our roads will be worst than In-68,what about our school buses and their safety ? Residents need to wake up and start yelling at our so called oficials!

[Amy F]

Physicians for Social Responsibilty have issued a Health warning that burning coal is harmful to health. On their website PSR.org : "They (coal-fired plants) also are one of the nation's largest sources of air pollutants that damage cardiovascular and respiratory health and threaten healthy child development. Particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and more than 50 other air toxins are among the dangerous mix of pollutants spewed from the smokestacks of coal plants."
These heavy metals are in the fly ash and have to be stored somewhere. It almost always ends up in the water supply. SO, not only are coal-fired plants the leading culprit in CO2 emissions, they endanger our health. Western Maryland needs to keep coal as our heritage, but not our future.

[Esta]

Why don't you all read the science about what does and does not pollute your world today? You're living in the past. The pollution Fly ash would cause is when it's IN THE AIR> it isn't left in the air. It is buried, harmless. Get with it Physicians for Social Responsibility. You can't call yourself responsible if you don't even know what you are talking about.

[upset in grantsville]

The fly ash will be in the air blowing around when he are hauling it back and fourth. And it will blow all around because they are supposed to drive with thier traps shut but we all know that happens everytime right!

[upset in granrsville]

PROTECT THE CASSELMAN RIVER, sign our petition on line at www.msconservation.org Just follow the links!

[coal]

is good.

[upset in granrsville]

Is Good, would you care to elaborate? Yes, it is good we all have confidence in our officials,OUT of OUR county. When a comment from this address #9 we all know about that address. Thank You

[DoxieMom74]

I have to agree with the number 9 comment made by Mr. or Mrs. coal. Short sweet and right to the point. Coal has provided many jobs in the PA, WV and MD area for years now and with the stringent regulations in place the sins of the past are just that in the past. Yes I live in western PA and my hometown was dotted with both underground and surface mines and for most of my life i never really noticed they even existed until my father would point out that a particular road cutting back into the woods led to a operating coal mine. There was no ear shattering noise no huge plumes of dust and dirt just a gate and a sign.

As a longtime property owner in the deep creek area I have made many stops in Grantsville(by the way the proper spelling IS Grantsville) and it is a very lovely little community. During these most recent visits I have found that it is a very small minority of people that are against the mining project and a lot of them feel that way out of jealousy because some of their neighbors will profit while they are not. That is a very myopic way of looking at the proposed mine. Yes some people may benefit more than others but overall the entire area will see some level of benefit from the coal being mined locally.

Look up some of the latest articles pertaining to the bleak outlook for jobs in the western Maryland area coupled with the decreased revenue Garrett county is to receive from the state for the next fiscal year. The picture is not rosy. I would think 50+ well paid jobs for over a 20 year period or longer would be a great prospect for the residents of Grantsville. Coal mining jobs are not Wal-Mart paying jobs. The work is hard but the pay scale is quite impressive. The mine employees just might move to the area start families and spend their paychecks locally. They will contribute to the tax base. they will shop at the local businesses. Maybe new houses will be built causing even more spin-off jobs. Overall it is a benefit to have a coal mine located in Garrett county. When the residents of Garrett county receive higher tax bills or notice of cutbacks on government services they only have to thank those people that are holding up this project.

For those of you that are against this project please go home and throw the main power switch coming into your house into the off position and leave it there. if you are so against coal mining and coal powered power plants quit using the dirty, dirty electricity that is generated by AMERICAN coal mined by AMERICAN workers.

[Steve Putman]

First and foremost about the jobs...

Maryland Energy Resources, LLC (AKA Joseph Peles Coal Company)has stated that they expect to provide 20 to 25 jobs for this project, not 50. What they don't say is "how many of those jobs are already accounted for by existing employees and workers from out of the area..and out of Maryland"? I wonder how many "local" jobs they are really going to provide? Since Joseph Peles likes to get his hair cut at the Grantsville Barber Shop these days, he probably considers Indiana, PA "local"...and maybe even a part of Grantsville at this point:-)

As for the fly ash issue... Fly ash is NOT harmless in the ground, or in the water! It contains high concentrations of heavy metals (like mercury)that are known to cause serious health issues, especially for children.

Here is a big reality check for those that are clinging on to careers in the coal industry:

Coal value in 2008 = 150.00 per short ton.
Coal value today = 51.60 per short ton.
Coal production is down, and is still declining.

That's a market decline of 66%. The coal industry, as it applies to jobs, has been steadily declining for years. If you don't believe it, drive through West Virginia and ask someone.

Here is another reality check - The likelihood that this coal will be used for electricity is pretty slim. Coal powered plants have very large stock piles of high quality coal at this point. In a public meeting in Grantsville, MER reps were ask where there coal was going? They said "Where ever the market is". Here's a news flash...one the largest markets for coal demand is in China! In fact, China is expected to be one of the worlds' largest consumers of coal in the next few years. Everyone seems to be screaming that we need this for local electricity. It's just not true. I wonder what they would say if they knew that Garrett County coal was being sold to the highest foreign bidder,like China, who is the number one competitor for US "exported" jobs.

As for the lady who said, "I never noticed the coal mines"...my heart goes to you. It is sad to think that one could go through life with their eyes so tightly closed.

BTW - The fight against the coal mine is not even remotely about who's getting paid..and who's not. If that's what people have to think in order to feel good about themselves as they betray their neighbors and friends...so be it. But I don't hear any of the folks who are against the mine saying, "Where's my money?". They just don't think it is fair that in order for their neighbors to make money, they should have surrender their quality of life and their right to a peaceful existence. I don't think that is much to ask.

Oh... to say that there are on a few locals against the mine is crap! There are nearly a thousand "local" signatures against the mine. I wonder how many people have signed the mining company's petition?

Just as a correction on a previously posted thread, the website that leads to the petition is:

http://www.mdconservation.org

I wish everyone, even the the selfish ones, a safe and joyful Christmas.

- Steve

[Marcie Beiler]

Wow, so many things to say... It is so easy for people not living in the area to make a comment in support of a mine that doesn't directly impact their life. Deep Creek Lake is not Grantsville. The fact that you own property in that area is of no importance to this subject. The fact that you stop by Grantsville occasionally does not give you the right to make a judgment call about those of us who are opposed to the mine (Which, by the way, is more than a small minority). The remark you made about people being jealous of others profiting from the mine just shows a lack of intelligence and ignorance of the situation. You are obviously oblivious to the reality of the situation. The farm that my husband and I live on was the original site scouted for the mine. This farm is owned by my family and has been in the family for generations. We were offered huge amounts of money to allow the coal company to come in and destroy our land and our life. There are things in life more important than money however so my family denied access to the coal company. Unfortunately plans are in the works for the mine to be located on the farm next to ours. This is most distressing. My family, as well as our community, stands to lose an awful lot by this mine project. There have been a lot of empty promises made by the coal company but I am afraid that the dirt, water pollution, noise, destruction of wildlife, loss of our privacy, loss of serenity, and the possible loss of our water will out weigh anything positive that this mine may bring to this area. This situation saddens me and the ignorance of others just deepens this sadness. Maybe in the future you could actually find out the facts about a situation before you make a judgment call.