Issue date: 11/17/08 Section: News

Jeff Cooley, vice president for business affairs, leads a discussion on the plans for Eastern's alternative energy resources for the next few years in the Charleston Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union Friday morning. Some Charleston residents who live near the proposed site for the Renewable Energy Center Eastern wants to build expressed worries that the plant would lower their property values. (Robbie Wroblewski | Daily Eastern News)

Residents' concerns about the Renewable Energy Center were again voiced during Eastern's second informational meeting about the center Friday.

The plant, which will be built at the intersection of 18th Street and Edgar Drive, will burn synthetic natural gas derived from wood chips to heat and cool the campus.

A contract between Eastern and the Honeywell Environmental Consulting firm to build the plant will go before the Board of Trustees Friday.

But Pam Klepzig, who lives in the nearby Lakewood subdivision, said she only recently learned about the plant.

"The first notice I got of it was last week or the week before … in the mail," Klepzig said.

Klepzig said she did not think Eastern had been open with Charleston residents about the plant.

Psychology professor Assege HaileMariam, who supports a new plant, said the university needs to work with Charleston residents on the decision-making process for the new center, which will replace the current steam plant.

"I would suggest that, from here on, there should be someone from the community who is involved," HaileMariam said.

Other Lakewood residents also spoke at the meeting, many airing concerns about the plant's appearance, which includes a fuel silo and a 120-foot bucket elevator to move fuel.

"I'm concerned about my property value," said one resident.

Carla Thomas, whose house overlooks the proposed plant site, said she is concerned the plant could be an eyesore.

"The cosmetics concern me," Thomas said. "I would be able to see (the plant) from my house."

A final meeting to discuss the plant will be held at 6:30 tonight in Rotary Room A of the Charleston Carnegie Public Library.

HaileMariam said Eastern needs to listen more carefully to residents' concerns.

"What is an eyesore to the community, should be an eyesore to EIU," HaileMariam said. "EIU cannot afford to disenfranchise the community."

Representatives of Eastern and Honeywell who spoke at the meeting rebuffed concerns about the plant's appearance, saying they plan to surround the building with trees.

"We will use tree-scapes and plantings to soften the look of this plant," said Jeff Cooley, vice president for business affairs.

Cooley said the plant's offices would face 18th Street to make the plant match nearby businesses better.

"This is as close to an office-building design as we could come up with," Cooley said, although he admitted that the plant would still be recognizable. "It's still going to look like a plant."



Voice your opinion



What: Discussion and informational meeting about the energy proposals

When: 6:30 tonight

Where: Rotary Room A, Charleston Carnegie Public Library

For more info: Go to www.dennews.com and search for "renewable energy center"



Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.

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