Press Releases
November 9, 2007
Contact: Lawrence Pacheco (202) 715-1555
FutureGen Alliance Congratulates Department of Energy on Release of Final Environmental Impact Statement
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FutureGen program has reached a significant milestone today with the release of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The EIS includes a review of all four candidate sites (Mattoon and Tuscola, Ill. and Odessa and Jewett, Tex.), and all sites will move forward in the site evaluation process. The FutureGen Alliance is on schedule to announce the final site it is selecting in December, pending release of the final list of acceptable sites in DOE's Record of Decision (ROD).
"The DOE issued the EIS in record time. Completing this massive effort in such a short time is a testament to the teamwork by the DOE, its contractors, the states and the Alliance. We will continue to work together to move FutureGen forward at a fast pace to develop this much needed, first-of-a-kind, research and development program," said Michael J. Mudd, chief executive officer of the FutureGen Alliance. "With the issue of climate change at the top of the Congress' agenda and on the minds of many policymakers around the globe, FutureGen and its continued progress towards advancing new technologies such as carbon capture and sequestration is more important than ever."
Greg Walker, chairman of the FutureGen Alliance Board of Directors, said: "The DOE and the candidate sites should be commended for delivering the EIS in a thorough and expeditious manner. All of this effort has identified four excellent sites for future facilities. Because the public meetings during the environmental review process were so positive, we are optimistic DOE can release its ROD after the 30-day waiting period." Walker recognized the importance of the public-private partnership to advancing FutureGen which will not only benefit the U.S. but also the world. "Whether the plant winds up in Texas or Illinois, the real beneficiaries of the project will be future generations who will have cleaner and affordable electricity from coal — the world's most abundant energy source."
The release of the final EIS puts the FutureGen Alliance on track to make its much anticipated site selection announcement in December. The Alliance will provide information about the date and venue of the announcement in early December.
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About the FutureGen Alliance
The FutureGen Alliance, a non-profit organization, represents some of the world's largest coal companies and electric utilities including: American Electric Power Service Corporation; Anglo American Services (UK) Limited; BHP Billiton Energy Coal; Inc.China Huaneng Group; CONSOL Energy, Inc; E.ON U.S. LLC; Foundation Coal Corporation; Peabody Energy Corporation; PPL Energy Services Group, LLC; Rio Tinto Energy America Services; Southern Company Services, Inc.; Xstrata Coal Pty Limited These companies provide energy to tens of millions of residential, business, and industrial customers in North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and South America. The Alliance is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy to design and build the facility. Learn more about FutureGen and the Alliance at www.FutureGenAlliance.org.