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Last weekend's protest against the Cayuga Power Plant stirred up a lot of local issues that were only tangentially touched upon by the protesters.  While the goal of immediately converting to renewable, non-polluting energy is lofty, the lives and livelihoods of townspeople in Lansing are real and in real danger.  No matter where you stand on the closing or conversion of the Cayuga Power Plant, its impact on this community is enormous.

In the eight years I have been covering Lansing news one of the recurring themes has been long-time residents, especially those on fixed incomes, being taxed to the point where they can't afford to stay in homes, some of which have been in these families for generations.  When the plant was prosperous it kept taxes low for homeowners.  About three quarters of last year's school tax rate rise was attributed to the falling value of the power plant.

Even during the most depressing PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) renegotiations county officials repeatedly stated that plant officials were long standing 'good citizens' who themselves were victims of a faltering economy and rising coal costs in the face of lower gas costs.  Layoffs, last year's record low plant operation or 25% of capacity and increasing state regulations and pressure to close or convert coal-powered plants has come at the worst possible time -- when the State Education Department has piled on costly unfunded mandates while federal and state aid has significantly declined.

So protesters demonizing the plant operators didn't sit well with me, nor did the calls to close the plant at any cost.  I wondered what the protesters would be willing to give up.  There was a long line of gasoline-powered cars parked at the protest site, and I wondered how many protesters exclusively use solar powered cell phone and computer chargers.  Yet they were demanding Lansing residents give up jobs and homes and hard-earned income.

Tompkins County Legislator Carol Chock's encouraged protesters to work within the system to find ways to reach environmentally friendly goals while at the same time allowing the plant to stay open and make a profit, create good local jobs and bring back some of the tax income that has hemorrhaged from local municipalities as the power plant's value has declined.

Businesses exist to make a profit.  That's just the way it is.  Converting from coal to natural gas will make the Cayuga Power Plant profitable.  At the same time officials have included a 2 megawatt solar array as part of their solution, and said it is only a start toward increasing the plant's renewable energy footprint.  It is a small percentage of the 300 megawatt plant capacity, but it is something to start with.

Some time ago I reported on a local restaurant-supply business that was pushing its line of biodegradable 'paper' plates and 'plastic silverware' and cups that were actually made of potatoes and corn that would easily break down in landfills.  I thought at the time how marvelous it was that these things were coming into wide enough usage that they were competitive in price with less environmentally friendly plastic and paper products.  Win-win.

Contrast that to the young NYSEG employee who accosted me at a business fair at the Ithaca Farmer's Market a few years ago and tried to guilt me into paying NYSEG more for wind-generated energy.  Seriously?  If NYSEG is so passionate about wind power, why don't they cough up the extra money instead of sending a dope to guilt their customers?  Lose-win.

Guilt versus human nature.  Which do you think works better?

Public awareness had increased to the point where the price of the picnic-ware didn't hinder responsible environmentalism.  You didn't have to be guilted into paying more for the biodegradable products.  Every week I read about new technologies increasing the efficiency of solar panels and new ways of manufacturing them more economically.  I don't believe it will be long before they become competitively priced, though it won't be overnight (pun not intended).  Sure, some people will pay more because it is the right thing to do.  Most people will do the right thing because it doesn't cost too much.

Using clean sustainable energy to protect our world and future generations is a vital issue.  But it is not the only issue.  If protecting the environment for the people is important, aren't those people's livelihoods and communities important, too?  Keep in mind this is a community that recently renewed a fracking moratorium for a second year.  Is that the kind of baby anti-frackers want to throw out with the bathwater?

That's why Chock's approach makes so much sense.  She said the County Legislature is looking for solutions that allow everyone to win.  Plant owners can make a profit, continue to provide jobs and energy to the community, and contribute to municipal and school coffers.  Lansing residents can stay in the town they love and continue to nurture the community.  And sustainable energy solutions can be found and implemented, as well they should be.  Clean lake, breathable air, prosperous community.

As soon as possible.  Not immediately.  The Finger Lakes have survived for a long time despite the industrial age and modern environmental challenges.  No doubt they will survive a short while longer as win-win solutions are found and reasonably implemented.  Simply closing the plant may be idealistically justified, but would be enormously destructive to this town and county.

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