Earmark-zilla: FutureGen boondoggle grows even bigger
The FutureGen near-zero emissions “clean coal” plant earmark championed by corruptocrat Rod Blagojevich and Democrat No. 2 Dick Durbin was the largest single earmark in the porkulus package. Sen. Tom Coburn fought to strip it out. He lost.
Now, we learn that the project has ballooned in cost to an estimated $2.3 billion.
Hey, good thing President Obama is going to rescue us from our cynicism and change the way Washington does business, huh?
The details:
The price tag for a futuristic coal-burning power plant that President Barack Obama is thinking of reviving seems to still be going up, though a congressional report Wednesday said the Bush administration overstated the cost when it canceled the project last year.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu acknowledged that when the plant was canceled a faulty cost analysis put the price of the proposed FutureGen project in central Illinois higher than it should have been—at as much as $1.8 billion.
While disavowing any responsibility for the mistake, Chu said now that even the $1.8 billion figure may be low. “The current price as I understand it is still very high,” he told senators when asked about the Government Accountability Office’s report.
Later Chu told reporters that because of commodity costs and other factors, some estimates now put the price of the plant at $2.3 billion.
FutureGen, a plant designed to burn coal while capturing and burying its carbon dioxide emissions, is a technology “that certainly is worth testing,” said Chu. “I’m looking at how do you bring down the cost so we can go ahead.”
He said a cost of more than $2 billion is “becoming a very deep issue with me because we need a portfolio of projects” that can demonstrate carbon capture including ones that FutureGen would not address, and there’s just so much money to go around.
The GAO report, released Wednesday by Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., chairman of the House Science Committee, said that the Energy Department last year did not conduct a proper analysis and made a $500 million math error when it decided to shelve the experimental plant slated near Mattoon, Ill.
The GAO report did not address how much FutureGen currently might cost.
Illinois’ congressional delegation has urged the Obama administration to revive it, arguing it would boost economic development in the coal-rich, east-central part of that state.
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Obama is a fraud, a liar and a socialist. He campaigned against earmarks – now he signs off on 8,000 plus of them. A complete joke.
What this proves is that Nancy Pelosi is running the country. When Pelosi says jump Obama asks, “how hi?”
I have no problem with the concept of cleam coal but 2.3 BILLION???
For ONE plant????
I weep for the nation, and the bill, my children will inherit.
I thought Obambi was going to bankrupt anyone who wanted to build new coal plants.
Oh wait…the government is already bankrupt. Never mind.
Illinois?
Did you say Illinois?
Now, who could be from Illinois?
This carbon-safe BS is going to totally ruin any business in this country. The only jobs that will still be in the U.S. when Obama gets through with it will be arugula picking…which will be done by the illegals. THERE WILL BE NO BUSINESSES LEFT! No business can sustain the kind of regulations that ODumbo wants to force on them. And for what??? A bogus “global warming” scam perpetrated by fat-a$$ Algore, another piece of human garbage. Obama fiddles and the rest of the country sleeps or goes to gay pride parades. I am telling you right here and right now…there is going to be HELL to pay for what these bastards are doing to us.
I keep forgetting. Why is nuclear off the table?
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/
The ice caps are not melting, unless you consider freezing to be the same as melting.
At least they are planning to build something that will actually produce electricity more than 25 to 40% of the time (solar and wind turbines can not break through those two output barriers). OK, wind turbines produce more than 40% of the time, but, to date, can not break through the 40% capacity factor.
The rest of their energy policy seems to depend on pixie dust and hope. Maybe, we won’t need as much energy if we are all poor.
Because they just shut down yucca mountian???
It’s a futuristic coal plant and so if children are our future, why shouldn’t they pay for it? (I’ve been reading my “Stupid to English” dictionary too much lately).
And what happens when FutureGen decides to tell the bond holders “stuff it”? I hope they come out with their pitch forks, torches and more modern interments and hunt down the dogs who robbed them of their birthright.
Two Arms, Two Arms-The ObamaLibs are Coming!
If you have Two Arms use a rifle
If only One Arm use a revolver or pistol.
—
Keep the change-I’ll keep my guns
It’s ironic, but Illinois has more nuclear power plants than any other state in the union.
Oh yes, the wind turbines. Those things that kill migrating birds, and fling ice chunks far and wide in the winter, actually killing humans. That was such a great idea, in the same category as using corn for fuel.
My Gadsden flag is flying……of course, the liberal wags here and elsewhere will say, stupidly, that this is what we wanted, isn’t it?… coal production?…… they won’t look at the big picture… Never thought the day would come , but I am not in support of this administration and will not serve under it’s leadership.
They are not a bad idea to SUPPLIMENT other forms of production but can never be a PRIMARY source of energy.
Nuclear is going to be the ONLY option in a few years. We need to be building the plants NOW, even if we don’t rev them up yet. We have to have this stuff at least in the works. Unless Obama can make those hamsters grow into giants and we can put people to work making huge hamster running wheels. Shhh…don’t suggest that to a lib. They might think it is a viable option and request an earmark to do a study.
Ron Paul is right: attacking earmarks is just grandstanding. That’s Congress’ job; to deliver money to their districts and to represent their constituents. It’s an appropriations bill. We actually WANT earmarks because that dictates where the money specifically goes. That’s Congress’ job. Without them, the power would go to the Executive. Contrast this to TARP that has NO earmarks. Wouldn’t you rather have that money specifically tagged up front? If you want to cut spending, then you reduce the size of government – you don’t do it in a budget bill, you do it through other legislation.
I am suprised the greens are not looking more into space projects. Moving production into space would not polute the earth. Oh thats right, they worry about such things as poluting space with radioactive waste.
Looks to me like giving FutureGen more money is just bailing out a bunch of British, Chinese, Australian and German investors.
I just perused the websites and investor relations pages of all the FutureGen Alliance members and that’s what it shows, sprinkled with only a few American owned companies.
If its a good idea, then private ownership will make it happen and fast. If they are looking for Government input, it means its not working and they want some return so they can exit and they think they can get exit money, under the guise of making it work, at the public trough.
That should be a top priority with them, considering they came from outer space themselves!
Glenn Beck is in the building…gotta go!!
sonofdy,
With the new satallite looking for ‘new earths’ lets send all the greens, dem’s, code pink, etc. so they can make the ‘new earth’ what they want. See how long that earth lasts! Our earth and our Republic is cratering by the minute now.
L
I thought Obamessiah was going to levy coal plants so hard they would not be able to operate?
Earmarks are about 1% of the budget. They may be wasteful, but they’re not the end of the world. Give it a rest.
Blovate about the gunman in Alabama, or the one in Germany. Were they illegals? Were they Muslims? Were their guns supplied by the NRA?
Yeah, but by the time they are finished building it, it will be obselete. Replaced by pinwheels, shiny panels of low efficiency, and tiny toy cars with low operational distances, running off batteries or farts or something.
It will be efficient, somehow. Perhaps after the reeducation camps run out of “interns” and the population is reduced to about 10%. Unfortunately, there will be no future generations, since most of these greentards do not breed. Maybe they could “bus” in some more non-citizens to take over?
Since 1% is no big deal – please send 1% of your paycheck to me. Thank you.
Sorry Mr Chu, but YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE! Even if you are incapable of acting so.
As I watch these cabinet members in action, all I can think is what a hoot those cabinet meetings with Obama must be!
you’re awful picky! What’s the problem, this is chump change.
Thanks for the DNC talking points.
Sadly, in the brave new spending mad world of obama, this is true.
HE HE LGM thinks the nra is in germany.
1% might be true (I’m skeptical of that statistic even under very forgiving measurements) if you don’t consider the fact that the omnibus bills were not structured such that the earmarks (i.e. specifically appropriated and named pet projects that bypass executive branch discretion) became the core of the bill itself.
It’s a technicality only, and the unsubstantiated statistic of 1% would be blown out of the water if you consider all pet projects, regardless of their location in the bill, as earmarks.
Trillions of dollars passed… lgm’s way of thinking would have you believe that this is all necessary spending, regardless of the fact that this amount is unprecedented. How many of these projects would have been passed if considered individually, or even according to industry? Certainly not 100%. There’s a reason they jammed it all into one bill.
…but that’s not important enough for us to discuss here. /sarc
lgm has inferred on several occasions that Michelle should consult him prior to posting to ensure that it’s “important”. I would suggest that lgm not read and comment on the posts he considers “unimportant”, but then he wouldn’t have the opportunity to tell us why Republicans are worse, that conservatives bloviate, or that we should “give it a rest”. That is, after all, what seems most important to lgm.
lets see, 1% lgm of 410b is 4.1b dollars. sounds like chump change to me. or as you libs so frequently remind us, it sounds like 10% of the cost of the war on terror.
1 BILLION an hour is being spent by this congress. That is worse than any government in history.
self-correction
COROT-Exo-7b would be my choice to send them to. It is about twice the size of Earth. However, it is much closer to it’s parent star and may be tidally locked (meaning one size always faces the star, just like one side of the moon always faces the Earth.) Such a planet could be molten lava on one side and frozen ice on the other, truly a “hell planet”. Perfect place to send them.
To heck with all of this. Where is the puppy HE promised to his kids? I need an answer!
By the time Congress gets done earmarking the bill for this “futuristic coal-burning plant” (FuCoBurP)the cost will probably be $2.3 TRILLION. The new plant, in addition to burning coal in a “futuristic” manner, will also probably have to have anti-gravity generators so that it can float in mid air since nobody will want it built in THEIR state. It will also have to have teleportation capability to teleport the coal from the mine to the airborne FuCoBurP. The FuCoBurP will have to be completely automated because nobody will want to work in such a hazardous environment with the coal dust, fumes, and danger of midair collision with jetliners, geese etc. Finally, there is the problem of getting the energy from the airborne plant to users on the ground which would require some type of energy beam similar to that used by the starship Enterprise. Since none of the technology required for any of these systems has been invented yet, Congress will surely approve funding for the project in typical Obama-style fashion with the assurance that the ideas will all successfully work themselves out.
sonofdy said (#29):
No. He tries to say obviously stupid things to make fun of you. Trouble is, you don’t get it, Gomer.
He is from Chicago- a Democrat and MamaBama’s baby Daddy–can not be held accountable.
—
Keep the change-I’ll keep my guns
Some group of underage munchins need to sue the Congress and President about them taking away their liberty with run away generational theft.
According to our Constitution, we are supposed to secure liberty to ourselves and Our Posterity.
A shaky case can perhaps be made that if current voters put politicians in power who want to spend spend spend, so be it. However, it doesn’t seem there is any common sense reading that allows the spendocrats to mortgage the liberty of future generations to buy power for contemporary spendocrats.
Which are impossible to distinguish from the obviously stupid things he says in absolute sincerity.
Yeah, right lgm…that is what you did. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Surrrrre!
Verification: you say obviously stupid things.
At least you are out of the denial stage….
Shame on you for the ad hominem attack.
Yep, that earmark is pretty bad. However, far more heinous are the hypocrite Senators who decried the earmarks, yet kept their own earmark in the bill, and then voted against it.
The puppy, where’s the damned puppy?
He promised!
send all your congressional critters this new song by Kathleen Stewart at:
It Ain’t Your Money to Spend!!!
http://www.kathleensings.com
Anyone ever think about SODA POP? It is CARBONATED with CO2. Also when BEER is made the fermentation process produces Alcohol and CO2, that is how it gets it’s head. So how do we cap and trade the beverage industry? Do we need to trade Carbon Credits when having a Beer?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIouq2u9kUo
Just go there
Here’s a great story on yet another of Barry O’s lies.
Ouch. Quoted for truth on that one.
So, by voting against it, negating the earmarks they put in, that makes them worse than someone who put in an earmark and then slobberingly voted it to passage, to be signed by a President who supposedly hates earmarks? You’re half right, the Republicans who submitted earmarks then voted against the bill shouldn’t have submitted them in the first place. To make them worse than the Democrats that submitted earmarks then voted for them in a continued drunken Congressional spending spree is a contrived partisan point.
Oh, now they notice.
*headdesk*
Oh yeah, earmarks for “shovel ready” plans. On the farm, we have a lot of “shovel ready” things that need addressed, but I’d bet my last dollar there is less crap to shovel on the farm than there is in the messiah’s budget. It’s amazing, not even 100 days and the media doesn’t have squat to say about the tax deadbeats, the “waivers” for lobbyists, out of control spending, pissing off our friends and sucking up to our enemies, and doing more harm to the economy in general since Nov 4th than in the eight years previous. Of course after 9/11, we had a leader we could have faith in and stand behind, totally different from now. Even more still, obummer was taped making the comment (but released very conveniently after the election) that he planned to kill coal…which is probably one of the few promises he’ll actually keep. I’d laugh when the liberals start whining about how their electric bills are going to go through the roof except those same short sighted idiots and driving up our bills as well. I guess we all just have to suck it up, grit through the jimmy carter sequel, and vote the liberals out in ‘10!
So what does France do with their spent fuel? What’s a breeder reactor again?
Which means it will actually cost at least $4.6 billion, and quite probably a LOT more.
AHEEMM, did you really think they even considered that???
Even the French figured it out.
The FRENCH!
As someone who speaks w/ an Appalachian accent and has been ridiculed for sounding like a dim-wit hick straight off the set of the “Beverly Hillbillies,” in states outside the South, I find this remark halfway offensive.
I just sent the following to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison;