Johnson's letter to Obama
June 5, 2009
President Barack Obama
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama,
I write today with an earnest appeal for you to take decisive action on an initiative that is of crucial importance to America's energy future. As you know, FutureGen would be the world's first coal-fueled power plant with near zero emissions. Unfortunately, this project is seemingly in limbo and in need of a jumpstart.
Since FutureGen was announced by your predecessor more than six years ago as a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we have seen the prospects of this bold initiative range from that of exciting promise to controversial uncertainty. As members of the FutureGen for Illinois Task Force, you and I witnessed the 2006 competition to host FutureGen, which resulted in twelve proposals from seven different states. We looked on as the Environmental Impact Statement - a significant milestone- was issued in November of 2007, stating that the four finalist sites could move forward.
On December 18, 2007, we shared in the pain of 18,000 of our constituents in Mattoon who, in the span of just a few hours, went from celebrating their belief that they had won the right to host the cleanest fossil fueled power plant in the world to learning that their government was abandoning the project. When faced with this unfortunate reality, we worked together to reverse this misguided decision.
Your support for this project has always been appreciated. In a letter dated February 12, 2008, you, I and the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation, sent a direct plea to then-President Bush to honor his commitment to FutureGen. The letter stated:
"This about-face on FutureGen has caused many folks in Illinois to lose faith in their government. Mr. President, you have the power to restore their sense of belief and...we urge you to reverse course, instruct DOE to release the Record of Decision, and pledge support for FutureGen in Mattoon, Illinois."
President Obama, you now hold this power and I sincerely urge you to use your influence to achieve the goal that we have worked toward and bring FutureGen to Mattoon. Your administration assumed power almost six months ago; however, the Record of Decision (ROD) has still not been released. Had the Bush Administration released the ROD as promised, construction of FutureGen would have begun by now and the Illinois economy would have started to benefit from the thousands of jobs that the project promises to bring over the next four years. While the American Recovery and Investment Act did include $1 billion for large-scale integrated testing of carbon capture and storage technology that could potentially be used for FutureGen, this money has still not been obligated.
With all due respect, current economic conditions, coupled with the need for FutureGen's technology, demand immediate action. As a sign of good faith, I ask your administration to release the ROD without delay, to expedite the expenditure of federal funds that could be used for site-specific activities and construction, which are vital to moving FutureGen forward in Mattoon.
Having heard you speak on the subject of coal, I know we both believe that clean coal technology can help make our country energy independent. We can make this work in America and FutureGen will move us closer towards the goal of a greener world. However, with every passing day, I fear we are letting a tremendous opportunity pass. Please use your influence to bring FutureGen in Mattoon to fruition.
Sincerely,
Tim Johnson Member of Congress
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