POWER PLANT NEIGHBORS NEED TO BE KEPT INFORMED

Kinder Morgan Power Co.'s plan to build a power plant in southwest Cape Girardeau County has a lot of people who live in the quiet, undisturbed rural area up in arms.

That was evident during a recent meeting between residents of the area, others interested in the proposal and representatives of the company.

Those who would live near the plant are concerned about many issues, including air pollution, but they are most concerned about the fact that the electric power plant would use a lot of water which would come from underground wells, and residents legitimately fear water levels would drop drastically.

The company already has tapped a well, and soon afterward a huge sinkhole developed on one of the farms. No one has traced the sinkhole to the well, but area residents assume the well caused it.

The meeting was the first in which both sides have come together to discuss the plant, and it came long after announcement that the plant would be built. Kinder Morgan could do itself a world of good if it would straightforwardly inform its future neighbors of developments as the company proceeds.