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New generating facility in Marquette County taking steps forward

The proposal to build a new electric generating facility in Marquette County that will replace the aging coal-fired Presque Isle Power Plant in Marquette has taken several significant steps forward this past week.

Though additional permitting and other approvals will be needed, the Negaunee Township Board on Thursday approved a resolution supporting the construction of the 130 megawatt power plant in the Eagle Mills location, to the east of the intersection of M-35 and Marquette County Road 492.

Another piece of the puzzle received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission on Friday. The state commission supported the creation of a new utility, called the Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp., which would become owner and operator of the new power plant proposed in Marquette County.

Assuming all the pieces fall into place, we believe the utility company should pursue establishing its generating facility in a location where it is welcome, rather than one where there seems to be more community resistance.

The reaction from the crowd during a public forum Thursday in Negaunee Township seemed to be a more receptive one than that of the residents in Tilden Township, where an alternative site was under consideration.

Around 100 residents attended a public forum last month in Tilden Township and some of them expressed concerns about the proposed power plant site, which is near the National Mine substation.

While it was reported some residents understood the power situation in the Upper Peninsula and a need for reliable electricity, they felt the plant should be situated in an area that is already zoned industrial and one that wasn’t as close to residential areas as the site desired by the utility company.

The reasoning behind the preferred location, utility officials told us, was because of its proximity to existing electric transmission lines and natural gas pipelines, which will provide fuel for the power plant.

While the Negaunee Township spot has access to natural gas, some electric transmission lines will need to be built to connect the new plant to the grid, likely meaning additional expenditures for the utility.

A smaller crowd, about 50 people, attended the public forum in Negaunee Township Thursday. Though some questions were asked about noise pollution and other issues, there seemed to be fewer concerned citizens voicing their opinion. A reason for that may be because the Eagle Mills site isn’t as close to residential homes as the National Mine location, according to utility officials.

The Negaunee Township site is also zoned for industrial purposes, and is nearby a rail yard and other industrial operations.

While the Tilden Township Board took no action on the matter, the Negaunee Township Board supported the project by unanimously passing a resolution to that effect, with officials saying they were willing to work with the utility company through the process.

For now, it seems the Eagle Mills site is the logical choice. However, that doesn’t mean the area is completely without its own challenges. For one, the site is nearby an aquifer and the township’s drinking water supply.

While natural gas-fueled power plants are cleaner than coal-fired ones, contaminating the township’s drinking water in any way is not a matter to be taken lightly, and officials should carefully consider any and all concerns they encounter.

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