Opinion

Natural gas project seems a little suspect

Posted July 30, 2012 12:30 pm

I am writing in response to state Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia’s letter advocating the “Chicago Clean Energy Project,” which will produce substitute natural gas from coal. I’m sure that her heart is in the right place and that she actually believes that this project will “save consumers at least $100 million ... add $1.25 billion in added tax revenue ... and create thousands of jobs.”

But all this seems unlikely, since we now have a huge surplus that has forced the price of natural gas to record lows. Who spends $3 billion to make something which we already have a glut of? And, if it’s such a good deal, why must the bill force our utilities to buy the product for the next 30 years?

I certainly would not want to stand in the way of anything as noble as a clean energy project. But I don’t want to be holding the bag, when the projections and guarantees prove false.

Brian S. Siegel

Wheaton

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