Moore Haven - As people filed into the auditorium at Moore Haven High School for a public meeting on a proposed coal plant, about a dozen members of the environmental group "Save it now Glades" chanted "Coal has got to go!". To the group, also known as SING, the message is clear... they say no way to the Glades Power Park. FPL is proposing to build the coal-fired power plant in Glades County that would become one of the largest in the country at 1960 MWH...that's enough to power 650,000 homes. Rhonda Roffs, with SING said, "To put a plant in the Everglades headwaters that emits any mercury whatsoever is incomprehensible to me."

FPL says Glades Power Park would be among the cleanest in the state. FPL's regional manager Grover Whidden tells WINK News, "This is going to be a new standard other utilities will have to achieve in the future, so we're really proud of the fact we're bringing a new level of technology to the United States and we think it's going to be a good project for the community overall."

The Department of Environmental Protection's Air Regulation Bureau met with the people of the rural county to talk about air quality and the permitting process. It is one of several public meetings to come on the issue. However, because the application from FPL is incomplete at this time, they cannot say exactly what kind of impact the Glades plant would have. Trina Vielhauer, the bureau's chief told WINK News, "We're still looking at the modeling issues, we're looking at the air pollution and control technology that has been proposed."

While SING stands strongly opposed to coal technology, the group Citizens Power Coalition welcomes the plant and the 180 permanent jobs and taxes it would bring to Glades County. The coalition was in Tallahassee last week to deliver a 1,000 signature petition to the Public Service Commission which is holding hearings on the Glades plant. Tommy Perry, the group's chairman, says the jobs are badly needed in the county where unemployment levels are high. He said, "We feel it's a good, clean industry to help us grow." PSC hearings on the plant are scheduled to continue this week.

The PSC hearings are just part of the approval process, FPL still has to undergo an extensive permitting, with up to a dozen state and federal agencies reviewing its application to build the plant. DEP's Air Regulatory Bureau is one of them. Whidden says permitting should take about a year, with the ultimate decision coming from Governor Crist and his Cabinet. Whidden added, "I think the people of Florida can be very confident those regulatory agencies are going to do a good job to make sure this is in fact what we say it is."

But some are still skeptical, Rhonda Roff said she's going to keep fighting the progression of the coal plant in Glades County, "I will not stop until the plant is no longer on the table."

FPL says it is looking to coal to not only meet increasing demands, but to diversify its fuel resources. Right now, Whidden says FPL is 50% reliant on natural gas and 18% reliant on coal. "By bringing in coal, this will provide increased energy security for all of our customers in Florida which is very important." If approved, the proposed plant would come on-line in 2012-2013.