Mississippi Power is moving forward with plans to build a dirty, unnecessary, and expensive coal plant in Kemper County, Mississippi, and they want ratepayers to foot the bill! The plant and associated mine will impact approximately 6,000 acres of wetlands and disturb over 40 miles of rivers, streams and creeks – all at an enormous cost to Mississippi ratepayers. In fact, one expert stated that rates for Mississippi Power customers could “increase substantially” if this $2.4 billion dollar project is allowed to move forward. The Mississippi Public Service Commission is currently considering the “cost and benefits” of this plan, so now is the time to take action to stop this expensive and destructive boondoggle. Just visit the link below to send the Commission your personal message:http://action.healthygulf.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2145 The streams and wetlands which will be disturbed by the proposed project form an intricate system which ultimately feeds into the Pascagoula River and out into the Mississippi Sound. From fishing, hunting and swimming in these waters, to the natural flood protection that these wetlands provide, this resource is too valuable to sacrifice for such a dirty boondoggle. In a recent column, the editor of the Mississippi Business Journal spoke out against Mississippi Power’s funding scheme for Kemper coal, stating that “the ratepayers of Southeast Mississippi ought not be on the hook for the bill.” That’s exactly right, and now is your chance to help stop this project by sending the Commission your message.Raleigh Hoke is GRN’s Mississippi Organizer
