Tenaska Plant Controversy
By: Tim Johnston
Updated: January 12, 2009
"I'll go on and fight them till the end," states Patricia Broadwell, who's farm is a short distance from the proposed site of the Tenaska Coal Plant. She's not too happy about it, either.
"I have personally contacted their representative, he has not returned my call nor has Tenaska."
Broadwell is concerned for her farm land, saying the contaminates from the coal could hurt the land. "It will technically destroy the land as being able to be farmed, because of the known contaminates polluting the air that will eventually fall to the ground." Which if this were to happen, would take away her family's means of income.
Many residents came to voice their concern over the plants proposed water usage. Tenaska says on a normal day the plant will use 10 million gallons of water, that's nearly five times the amount the City of Sweetwater already uses. "We have asked for information on where they plan to get that and what they told our county commissioners was that was confidential information, and that they weren't willing to share it," says David Hall. He continues to add, "I think that's the type of information we need to know about."
Others echo Hall's concern by asking where will the water come from?
"Where is it going to come from? Let's have those questions answered first before we come out for or against the plant," says Burt Burnett.
While the decision is not final, it falls to the Nolan County Commissioners to decide to meet certain needs for the plant to be built. This decision will be voted on in the Commissioners meeting on January 12th, where the Commissioners will decide to give Tenaska a 75% tax abatement.


