How Expensive is Clean Air?

The future of FutureGen isn't looking so bright. "FutureGen is a public-private partnership to design, build, and operate the world's first coal-fueled, near-zero emissions power plant, at an estimated net project cost of US $1.5 billion". An article in last weeks Science Times says that the government seems to be reniging on it's promise to pay for 70% of the project because it is too expensive.

With the budget of the so-called FutureGen project having nearly doubled, to $1.8 billion, and the government responsible for more than 70 percent of the eventual bill, the administration completely revamped the project.

The Energy Department said it would pay for the gas-capturing technology, but industry would have to build and pay for the commercial plants that use the technology. Plans for the experimental plant were scratched.

There is also an op-ed piece in todays NYT concerning FutureGen and G.W.'s commitment to slowing climate change. Too expensive at 1.8 billion dollars. It's about the cost of less than one week of war in Iraq. A single B2 bomber costs 2.2 billion dollars. A single aircraft carrier....over 4 billion dollars. But attempting to design technology that may reduce climate change is too expensive.