Nicole O'Connor
Train Tracks
Today's image is titled Blount Generating Station, where train cars primarily deliver coal to fire this power plant originally built in 1902. A downtown landmark marked by its row of four smoke stacks, this isn't the only facility that burns coal in the city. The Charter Street Heating and Cooling Plant, located on the UW campus and similarly supplied by rail, was declared last week to be in violation of the Clean Air Act following a lawsuit brought against the university by the Sierra Club. This may lead to the installment of new pollution-reducing technology at the plant, or perhaps to the construction of a new facility altogether.
The Blount Street plant, meanwhile, currently burns natural gas and refuse fuels, and is scheduled to phase out the use of coal by 2011. In a few short years, the air in central Madison may be considerably cleaner with these impending changes.
This is the latest entry of Madison Snaps: photos of Madison-area events and locations. The send a message. There is no compensation for Madison Snaps photos, which are © to the respective photographers.