(September 26, 2006)—Dallas Mayor Laura Miller asked McLennan County Commissioners Tuesday to join a coalition formed to monitor the permitting process for new coal-fired power plants that TXU and other generating companies are proposing to build in the state.

Joining comes with a $10,000 price tag.

Commissioners took no action on the request, but tabled it for later consideration.

In McLennan County, TXU is proposing to build two coal-fired plants on the site of its gas-fired Trading House Creek plant and one plant at its Lake Creek site, and LS Power is proposing to build one plant at its nearby Sandy Creek site.

In all, six different utility companies have permits or are seeking permits to build coal-fired plants, most of which would be located in Central Texas.

Plants are planned for Freestone, Robertson, Milam, and Limestone Counties.

The formation of the coalition of 17 cities led by Miller and Houston Mayor Bill White was announced last month. Hillsboro is among the group’s charter members.

A legal team of attorneys from Austin, Houston and other cities will be working on the group's behalf.

TXU has announced repeatedly that its new plants will increase generating capacity substantially and reduce total emissions by 20 percent, but environmental groups have said the additional coal plants would add tons of nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and pounds of toxic mercury each year.

Miller says some companies outside Texas are using more modern, cleaner technologies than the proposed method of coal burning.

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