Borough to debate, decide today on proposed power plant ordinance

August 28, 2007

By Russell Stigall

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - The Mat-Su Borough Assembly will burn the afternoon oil today during a marathon work session and special meeting regarding a controversial proposed power plant ordinance.

The ordinance would require potential power producers with the intent to build new electric generation facilities in the Mat-Su Valley to present information to the Borough on the potential impacts of building them. Borough Planning Commission and the Mat-Su Borough Assembly will have final say on whether a proposal has adequately addressed the requirements of the ordinance.

The ordinance was requested by Assembly Member Tom Kluberton and former Assembly Member Bill Allen.

The ordinance has no regulatory limitations written into it, but instead relies on regulations put in place by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the Environmental Protection Agency.

In July, the Borough requested public input about the ordinance and of the 78 written responses the Mat-Su Borough received all but five expressed approval.

One of the five negative comments was written by a representative of Usibelli Coal Mine, the proposed supplier of coal for Matanuska Electric Association's planned 100-megawatt coal-fired plant.

Matanuska Electric Association, which plans to build a coal-fired power plant and 100-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant within the Mat-Su Valley, has expressed opposition to the Borough's power plant ordinance.

The Planning Commission passed the ordinance with amendments in July. One amendment requires power plants of 20 megawatts and larger to meet the ordinance requirements.

The original wording limited the regulation to 50-megawatt plants. The planning commission also found that potential projects in the cities of Houston, Wasilla and Palmer will not be exempt from the ordinance.