Dairyland Power Cooperative continues to get hit on more than one side about environmental issues.
Last week, the People for HOPE — Harmony Township Opposing Pollution of the Environment — questioned state permits that were about to be renewed for Dairyland Power. The group claims the power plants in Genoa and Alma would double their output of mercury discharged into the Mississippi River.
On another side, the Valley Stewardship Network and other groups called for a public information meeting on Dairyland’s study of the feasibility of siting a coal ash landfill near the Vernon County Landfill between Westby and Viroqua.
A few months ago, Dairyland held such a meeting about tentative plans for the landfill in the Town of Harmony in Vernon County. Those plans sparked controversy, led to the organization of HOPE and other opposition groups and prompted Dairyland and county officials to start exploring possible sites closer to the existing county landfill.
Dairyland emphasizes it is in the midst of a transition on both the mercury and coal ash issues, and will eventually be polluting less than it has in the past. Cooperative officials need to do two things — first be as transparent as possible during the transition and get to the stage where its plants are polluting less as quickly as possible.
The discharge renewal permit, drafted and issued through the Department of Natural Resources, will allow the Genoa and Alma coal-burning power plants to have as much as 12 nanograms of mercury per liter of water discharged into the river. That would be an increase from the current limit of 5.4 nanograms per liter.
In a prepared statement, Don Huff, Dairyland’s director of environmental affairs, said information distributed about the plants’ planned mercury discharges was “misleading” and that, “we are planning to reduce our discharges.”
Dairyland aims to reduce its mercury output levels from 7 grams per year to 3 grams or less, Huff said. The coop is working on new technology to reach the lower level, but it is not yet ready. Thus, Dairyland has asked for the permits, which will last five years, for the higher limits.
On the landfill issue, VSN feels that a public informational meeting should be scheduled as soon as possible to give adjacent landowners and the general public an opportunity to learn more about Dairyland’s alternative plan.
In a statement distributed to VSN members and the public, VSN said, “Most of the environmental concerns that VSN and others have expressed regarding the proposed Harmony Township landfill remain the same for the Vernon County site. The concerns of the potential risk for groundwater contamination and the protection of our abundant trout streams near the Vernon County site must be addressed by Dairyland. Seas Branch Creek and Bishop Branch Creek are both located near the Vernon County landfill site and are tributaries to the West Fork of the Kickapoo River.”
“We already know from previous Dairyland meetings that we can expect from 20-50 hauling truck trips daily and possibly around the clock. Can Viroqua handle this additional semi-truck traffic? Without accurate information it is not possible to study or plan for safety and road repair issues.”
VSN, HOPE and other groups urge Dairyland to explore alternative uses for the ash rather than store it in a landfill at all. “We are aware of two potential alternative uses for this ash. Dr Henry Liu has developed the Green Brick Company (www.greenestbrick.com) and PEAT International (www.peat.com) has a process that converts waste materials into useful products and at the same time creating a renewable source of energy,” VSN said in the prepared statement.
On both the mercury discharge and ash landfill issues, the opposition has been strong, organized and for the most part reasonable. The La Crosse Tribune reported that the meeting over the discharge permits was “congenial.”
Dairyland has expressed a sincere interest in going as “green” as a power company can be expected to be. In fact, the coal ash storage problem developed, in part, out of Dairyland’s installation of scrubbers, which actually reduce air pollution at its plants. The ash left from that scrubbing contains some elements that reduce its use in recycled products, under current processes.
To this point, the public seems to accept Dairyland’s expression about going green and understands the transition will take some time. If Dairyland wants the public to remain “congenial”, however, it has to make sure that transition doesn’t drag on too long and must be as open and honest with the public as possible.
