OPPD Proposes Extending Life of Dangerous Coal Plant

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OMAHA, Nebraska — Omaha residents may continue to face toxic health risks and environmental effects from the North Omaha power plant due to a new resolution from Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) to keep burning coal. The proposal, scheduled for a vote by the OPPD board on Dec. 18, would undo a series of OPPD’s previous commitments and plans to retire coal that have been in progress since 2014.

On Tuesday, OPPD management presented the resolution to the board. In response, the Sierra Club Nebraska Chapter is asking OPPD to honor its commitments and retire or refuel this source of pollution to mitigate the harm it has caused the North Omaha community. Not only have recent studies found coal to be an expensive energy source, but numerous organizations engaged in health research have linked burning fossil fuels to increased health risks, including the American Lung Association, American Heart Association, American Public Health Association, and others.

Despite existing research, OPPD has sought the help of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), a utility consulting firm, to conduct its own study in Omaha. As Chapter Energy Chair Dr. David Corbin, a retired public health professor, stated, “You don’t go to an engineering firm to get accurate health data, just as you wouldn’t go to them to treat an illness.”

“Retiring the North Omaha coal plant would be in Omaha’s best interest, and we need to hold OPPD to its promise to do just that,” said Ken Winston, Sierra Club Nebraska Chapter Director. “We stand with the people of the North Omaha community in calling for the elimination of this source of pollution, which harms the community with more than 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gases every year.

To address OPPD’s peak demand needs, there are cost-effective clean energy solutions that could be implemented, including programs that help people reduce their energy consumption, provide incentives for distributed generation, and invest in battery storage. If OPPD wants to maintain the confidence of the community, it is vital that it honors its word.”

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.