On Oct. 17, Hudson City Council voted 5-1 in favor of helping to pay $2.9 billion to build a coal-fired power plant in Southern Ohio. The contract locks Hudson in for 50 years with no guarantee that we will ever receive energy from this plant. Yellow Springs, OH recently postponed their vote due to lack of information and community concern over the negative financial and environmental impact of this plant. Kansas recently denied a permit to build a coal-fired plant based on carbon emissions. Hudson will vote again on Nov. 7 to help fund a second $2.9 billion coal-fired plant. I realize City Council is trying to secure our energy needs for the future, but this is a step backward. Coal-fired power is 19th century technology. We need to explore alternative sources of energy for the 21st century and beyond. Wind is cheaper than coal (4.9 cents per kWh as opposed to 6.1 cents) and that is just one alternative. Hudson can opt-out of the contract before March 1, 2008. Let's not make a hasty decision that our children and grandchildren will have to pay for.

-R. Sajovec
Danbury Lane
Hudson, Ohio