Former Sierra Club employee throws support behind Wisconsin coal

Daily Reporter (Milwaukee), Oct 13, 2008 by Paul Snyder

The heated debate over building a partially coal-fired power plant in Cassville got even hotter recently when one of the main players switched sides.

Brett Hulsey, a Dane County supervisor and president of Madison- based energy consultant Better Environmental Solutions, launched a radio campaign this month voicing his support for Alliant Energy's $1.4 billion expansion of the Nelson Dewey Generating Facility in Cassville.

The problem? Hulsey spent 21 years - until he left in 2005 - working for the Sierra Club, which opposes the project.

"Brett is working for (Alliant Energy)," said Jennifer Feyerherm, associate regional representative for the Sierra Club. "The only reason we got involved (concerning Hulsey) is because I was buried with a deluge of questions after he came out in support of the project."

While Hulsey is a paid consultant for Alliant Energy these days, he contends his support for the plant is based on his recognition of progress. While perhaps not the optimal choice for a base load plant, Hulsey said Alliant's commitment to clean coal technology, a carbon neutral site, and burning at least 20 percent biomass to generate energy are steps in the right direction.

"The fact of the matter is this is the right technology at the right place at the right time," he said. "It's better and cleaner than importing megawatts produced by dirty coal plants off the Midwest grid."

Hulsey said with Wisconsin deriving 70 percent of its electricity from coal, an overnight shift is far-fetched idea, and gains should be made where possible.

But Feyerherm said Gov. Jim Doyle has made it clear the state is moving away from coal-fired plants.

"We're not talking about getting off coal tomorrow," she said. "The problem with the Cassville plant is that, even at burning 20 percent biomass, it's still going to create more pollution than other plants burning 100 percent coal."

The environmental debate on the plant is one of several debates about Alliant's proposal. The need, the local economic impact and the cost are also major talking points. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin is in the midst of its review of Alliant's application, and is scheduled to announce its decision Dec. 15.

"It's up to three guys now," Hulsey said of the PSC. "And they're hearing a lot from all angles. I just think this is good for Wisconsin and a step in the right direction for clean energy."

Feyerherm said she isn't concerned about a former Sierra Club member lobbying for the plant's merits from an environmental standpoint.

"Looking at the direction of state policy," she said, "it's obvious that this kind of coal-burning technology is on its way out. And when it comes to arguments about need and cost, the PSC records already show this isn't the best option."