Thanks to the diligent efforts of Local 350 President Norm DeLong, Officer Ed Good and Region 3 Director Don Opatka, R.E. Burger plant's units 4 & 5, once on the verge of permanently closing for failure to install pricey environmental control equipment, are remaining open. Local 350 not only convinced Burger owned FirstEnergy at the 11th hour to file with the federal court for a three-month extension on Dec. 29, 2008 — two days before deadline — to keep the plant open, they kept a running dialogue with management to consider the possibilities and benefits of switching to biomass. And on April 1, 2009, FirstEnergy announced that R.E. Burger will be retrofitted to generate electricity using biomass fuel instead of coal.

Biomass Conversion Less Costly

The smart move is not only saving the jobs of the 105 employees on site, but will pave the way for the creation of up to another 200 jobs in the economically hard hit Akron, Ohio community. It is now poised to become one of the largest biomass fired plants in the country.

Just months ago, the coal-fueled plant's future looked bleak. In a case dating back to 1999 brought by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2005 FirstEnergy agreed to install $1.6 billion worth of pollution control equipment at several of its coal-fired plants, including R.E. Burger. In addition to the settlement, there was pressure from new air emissions regulations that were established — in the form of the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR), and a patchwork of state rules. Ballpark estimates for the coal scrubber equipment for the Burger plant ran as high as $380 million. If the equipment was not installed, the plant would be shut down. "We were told on December 23, 2008 we were done," recalls Good."Best case scenario, the last day of the plant being open would have been Dec. 31, 2010, but it could have been closed anytime before."

Upon receiving that notice, Good joined Local 350 President DeLong and Region 3 Director Opatka and immediately brought the case to the attention of Governor Ted Strickland, a former congressman in the district where the plant sits. "We have a great relationship with Strickland," explains Good, who is also Chairman of the Belmont County Democratic Central Committee and played an important role in the UWUA's support of President Barack Obama.

In late December, officials from First- Energy were still intent to shut down the plant, and had indicated they would not file for an extension. "Local 350 got the support of Governor Ted Strickland, Dr. Mark Shanahan, Strickland's energy adviser, and Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Chairman Alan Schreiber to appeal to FirstEnergy on Dec. 29, 2008 to file for a 105 day extension in federal court," says Good. "We also reached out to Congressman Charlie Wilson and Ohio State Senator Jason Wilson," adds DeLong. On Dec. 30, 2008, the court granted FirstEnergy a 90-day extension to come up with a plan to keep the plant open.

'Couldn't Have Worked Out Better'

"Local 350 officers really were the ones who were the boots on the ground and did all of the legwork," says Opatka. "They were about ready to board the place up and they just kept right after the company to get the extension. Couldn't have worked out better."

Established in the 1950s, R.E. Burger, which generates 312 megawatts of electricity for some 190,000 homes, has been criticized for years for being an environmental threat. Biomass is a combination of grass, trees, corn and even bison droppings, compressed into blocks of fuel. This energy crop would act as a carbon sink, removing as much carbon dioxide from the environment when it is growing as it releases when it is burned. In addition, burning with biomass at the plant would produce lower, safer emissions overall than if using scrubbers for coal.

Estimates for costs to retrofit the plant for biomass range between $200-$240 million, says DeLong, considerably less expensive than the coal scrubber equipment. "The repowering with biomass is a step forward not only for Ohio but for our country and new energy generation," said State Senator Wilson. "We're very excited."

Had the plant closed, it would have had a drastic impact on the community."In addition to loss of jobs, there would be roughly $1.5 million in tax evaluation lost," emphasizes DeLong.

"This project will help jumpstart the biomass renewable industry here in Ohio and also serve as a model for projects throughout the U.S.," said Governor Strickland. "What's happened here as a result of the union and the company and the state officials and federal officials and the local community working together ... saved the plant."