As a Army retired officer and commissioned federal officer of over 31

years active service, it's appalling that a federal agency like the USDA

(and as a farmer I believe the USDA should be the FIRST to fight a coal

plant that will pollute air and soil, valuable farmland) should be

very,very cautious at not compromising the mission and integrity of

another federal agency like the Dept. of Interior, charged with

preserving our national heritage.

We can find ways to generate new, clean energy for the 21st Century

without harming our valuable legacy and heritage, something you can't

fabricate or 'simulate' in a computer. , I visited many Civil War

battlefields as a Army ROTC instructor, teaching cadets on sacred

ground, what sacrifices were made, the right and wrong tactics, etc.

Putting malls next to battlefields compromises the integrity of these

'hallowed grounds', and although the portage route wasn't a battlefield,

it represents the Undaunted Courage of our young nation.

Putting a polluting coal plant - even on a boundary of the site - is

like saying a woman is only a 'little bit pregnant'......well it's ONE

or the other, either you've you've visually and environmentally impacted

the site is a YES or NO...........

This whole unfortunate episode reflects the same pattern of incomplete

planning during initial site selection in the first place and very

similar the the FLAWED Iraq occupation plans - or LACK of - that I've

personally witnessed as a FEDERAL officer.........

It matters NOT whether it's the USDA, Dept. of Interior, the Defense

Department, Homeland Security......Federal agencies must be held to the

highest standards.

The Department of Energy and USDA have 'promised' rural Americans a

'new, rural Renaissance', but that will be a 'false hope' if the USDA

SQUANDERS any more loans to a dying fossil fuel industry, that's dirty,

costly, unhealthy and risky.

Please exercise due dilligence and process.

Richard D. Liebert