Right now, the Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC) is considering a proposal to build a massive, dirty, and expensive lignite coal power plant and mine in Kemper County, Mississippi. In fact, on May 1st the MPSC is scheduled to release its final decision on whether or not the benefits of this destructive project outweigh the costs. Measuring cost can be a funny thing, though. Mississippi Power readily acknowledges that the Kemper facility will cost a minimum of $2.4 billion dollars – a burden which will fall on the shoulders of their ratepayers. That’s a lot of money, but it doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface when it comes to the true costs of Kemper coal. The costs of this project to human health, the economy, and the environment far outweigh any potential benefits. This proposed coal burning plant and mine will destroy or harm roughly 6,000 acres of wetlands, disturb over 40 miles of streams, release toxic chemicals like mercury into waterways, and leave nearby communities vulnerable to catastrophes akin to the recent coal ash spills in Tennessee. Thankfully, concerned citizens from across the state of Mississippi have been speaking out against this dirty, expensive and unnecessary project. If you live in Mississippi, click here to tell your Commissioner to do the right thing, and say no to Kemper coal on May 1st.Raleigh Hoke is Gulf Restoration’s Network’s Mississippi Organizer
