Power Plant Proposed Near Theodore Roosevelt National Park Put Off

Plans to built a coal-fired power plant south of Theodore Roosevelt National Park have been shelved for the immediate future. Rich Mason photo via flickr.

A 500-megawatt power plant proposed to be built roughly 60 miles from Theodore Roosevelt National Park has been pulled off the table due to uncertainties over how pending climate-change legislation will impact carbon dioxide emissions.

"From what I understand they’ve kind of shelved it, but not pulled it out," said Stephanie Kodish, the clean air counsel for the National Parks Conservation Association.” "They do have intentions to pursue the project at a later date. It’s temporarily good news for the parks and for the visitors and for clean air.”

The Gascoyne project was being pushed by Westmoreland Coal Co. Its critics had questioned whether the plant would spew haze and pollution over the national park's south unit.