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Published Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008 | 2:35 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | 2:14 p.m.
Almost three weeks after hundreds of Nevada and Utah residents rallied at Mesquite City Hall in opposition to plans to construct a coal-fired power plant near the city, St. George residents plan to do the same.
Although the Nevada Environmental Protection Division refused to hold a hearing in St. George to hear concerns of residents who say they will be downwind of the proposed coal plant, the Utah Division of Air Quality will.
Many St. George residents who attended a Feb. 7 hearing held by the Nevada Environmental Protection Division in Mesquite complained that the state would not sponsor a Utah hearing.
The Utah Division of Air Quality hearing will be held at Dunford Auditorium in the Val Browning Building at Dixie State College, 225 South 700 E St. in St. George on Wednesday, Feb. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Cheryl Heying and Rick Sprott, directors of Utah’s Division of Air Quality, are expected to attend and hear concerns about the plant.
I happen to know the woman who is leader of the Sierra Club's national committee on toxic substances issues.
When I told her I was moving to Nevada, she said "Why don't you just move to Mexico? The lack of laws to protect the public health, and the level of moral corruption of public officials, is about the same."
Enough said.
I hope the people of Utah will overcome their natural conservatism and contact the National Resources Defense Council and ask for help in a Federal clean air act lawsuit to shut down all of the coal fired power plants planned for Nevada. The coal fired power plant at Laughlin was shut down through the efforts of the national environmental community, but it was the Republicans of Arizona, down wind, who benefitted most.