Mayor Rybak Hails Xcel Decision to Convert Riverside Coal Plant to Natural
Gas
Asks Citizens to Support Plan at Public Utilities Commission
Mayor Rybak today hailed Xcel Energy for its plan to convert two
plants from coal to natural gas. Rybak called the decision a big
environmental victory for Minneapolis, praising Xcel for a "huge step"
toward improving air quality.
"Good corporate citizenship should be rewarded by citizens, elected
officials and the Public Utilities Commission. The Xcel plan deserves their
support. We've proven it doesn't have to be neighborhoods vs. government
vs. business vs. activists. Everybody wins with this - what's good for the
environment is good government and good business," Rybak said.
Widely expected to announce that just one of four metro-area plants
would be converted to natural gas, Xcel is proposing Friday to the Public
Utilities Commission to convert two plants -- both the Riverside plant in
Minneapolis and High Bridge plant in St. Paul.
"This is a huge step forward for our environment and the credit goes
to many people who played a role in this process - the folks at Xcel, city
council members, our legislative delegation including Senator Pogemiller and
Representative Kahn, and hundreds of neighborhood and environmental
activists. It's easy to poke neighborhood and environmental activists, but
we couldn't have taken this huge step without grassroots pressure and
support." Rybak said.
Rybak said the case made by Minneapolis officials focused on making
population density a factor in environmental decisions.
"The environmental benefit for citizens is very real. Gas burns
much cleaner than coal and the Metro area will be able to breathe easier
with both of these conversions," Rybak said.
Laura Sether
Office of Mayor Rybak
350 S. 5th St., Room 331
Minneapolis, MN 55415
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