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In Drive for Wind Power, Man Who Led Coal Plant Seeks Atonem

nytimes.com -- By KEITH BRADSHER July 2, 2009
Min Deqing, who delayed pollution controls at his coal plant in Lanzhou, is promoting clean energy. “I feel regretful, and sorry for the people,” he says.
A guilty conscience turned Min Deqing into northwestern China’s unlikely prophet of wind and solar energy.
Shortly after he assumed the top job, officials from the local environmental protection bureau came to him and asked that he install modern pollution-control equipment to help improve the city’s soot-filled air. Mr. Min had just finished three years as head of the power plant’s auditing department and knew just how bad the pollution was, he said.
But he stalled for three years before finally installing the equipment, because it was costly and he did not want to dent the plant’s profits

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Submitted Jul 03, 2009 By: teafortwo

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CISA All-Star Author Orange County Posts:830 Points:481,680 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:58:49 PM Ignore CISA Report Abuse New vision, new business. Amazing what gov't subsidies can do!
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:6,272 Points:1,113,505 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:54:35 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse if world leaders would only read these boards everyday all their problems would be solved
billsandi Champion Author Lexington Posts:7,209 Points:1,335,770 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:54:34 PM Ignore billsandi Report Abuse Is this article about China or the US?
CptnCanada Champion Author Saskatoon Posts:1,357 Points:221,640 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:54:28 PM Ignore CptnCanada Report Abuse Same everywhere business trumps sense
72_Monte Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:1,287 Points:739,380 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:52:55 PM Ignore 72_Monte Report Abuse Now they just need their government to get on board.
Yonkers111 Champion Author Scranton Posts:5,432 Points:417,490 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:49:40 PM Ignore Yonkers111 Report Abuse Clean it up.
LocalSpyGuy Champion Author Tampa Posts:1,576 Points:342,640 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:48:05 PM Ignore LocalSpyGuy Report Abuse Profits before the environment. Does this sound familiar?
Dkrdj5 All-Star Author Jacksonville Posts:922 Points:123,050 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:48:01 PM Ignore Dkrdj5 Report Abuse sounds like profit over people was the choice.
kyrunner Champion Author Lexington Posts:2,323 Points:438,075 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:47:52 PM Ignore kyrunner Report Abuse day49 is on target. China and Russia will NEVER go to the extremes the US is going and they will survive this global climate hoax. Happy Independence Day this 4th of July and I am praying it won't be our last. If Big Brother (BO)gets his way we will be celebrating "Dependence Day on the Government" next 4th of July.
olcowboy14 Champion Author Spokane Posts:3,240 Points:536,110 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:46:24 PM Ignore olcowboy14 Report Abuse What a passionate story, puts a lump in my throat, of coal. After this their gov't took him out and shot him.
pokey469 Champion Author Hamilton Posts:1,134 Points:261,215 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:43:31 PM Ignore pokey469 Report Abuse Heaven forbid you put a "dent in the plant's profits"
lgwhitlock Champion Author California Posts:1,686 Points:446,300 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:42:26 PM Ignore lgwhitlock Report Abuse How does this effect us in the USA? It does not effect gas prices yet since there are not that many plug-in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are still about a year out.
micpie Veteran Author Oregon Posts:465 Points:116,965 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:42:05 PM Ignore micpie Report Abuse Whatever! Happy 4th of July everyone!
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:6,272 Points:1,113,505 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:38:50 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse obama paying chinese shills now ????????
PithyOpiner Champion Author Stockton Posts:3,917 Points:429,340 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:31:13 PM Ignore PithyOpiner Report Abuse Wow! What a great story. I wonder if I'll want to read another story about China in an hour?
Cheepo Champion Author Tampa Posts:3,777 Points:1,923,740 Joined:Apr 2003	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:29:07 PM Ignore Cheepo Report Abuse Wind will work on boats, but who will try wind on airplanes???
REBA1055 Sophomore Author Ohio Posts:200 Points:274,060 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:24:18 PM Ignore REBA1055 Report Abuse Need to go back to the horse and buggy days and then we might get ahead a little just remember everything no a days causes pollution it will only get worse before it gets better unless we step it up.
banddaddy Rookie Author Raleigh Posts:94 Points:399,955 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:23:37 PM Ignore banddaddy Report Abuse Kinda sounds like a modern American CEO, only really interested in the profits so he can get his big bonus.
Lavinia Rookie Author California Posts:72 Points:91,090 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:21:10 PM Ignore Lavinia Report Abuse It will take legions of Min Deqings to bring our clear and pure air back.
RAC110 Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:1,448 Points:996,820 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:20:07 PM Ignore RAC110 Report Abuse let us see what we can that will be happening in the future with this
day49 Veteran Author Washington Posts:470 Points:487,500 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:19:12 PM Ignore day49 Report Abuse This is an article about a coal plant in China. China is notorious for either not having pollution control regulations or have very lax enforcement. Coal power plants in the U.S. have to meet our emissions regulations. And when tighter regulations are enacted, our plants will have to comply. I don't trust third world countries to do the same. Oh, if you thought the gas prices were high last year, wait until carbon taxing comes around. We'll be reminiscing about the good o' year of 2008.
krell58 Champion Author Missouri Posts:5,792 Points:1,143,705 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:11:24 PM Ignore krell58 Report Abuse Just put in a wood burner and go to town this winter.
Cuzilla Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:7,461 Points:1,303,325 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:09:01 PM Ignore Cuzilla Report Abuse "It was costly and did not want to dent the plant's profits." People in this country are going to find out just what the ramifications of that statement means in real terms here!
fizbos Champion Author Maine Posts:1,700 Points:961,485 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:06:10 PM Ignore fizbos Report Abuse Perhaps a prelude to US coal plants being carbon taxed into oblivion.
threewheeler All-Star Author Seattle Posts:947 Points:49,880 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:06:01 PM Ignore threewheeler Report Abuse better late than never
w4kh Champion Author Riverside Posts:5,416 Points:989,570 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:00:21 PM Ignore w4kh Report Abuse The polluters in the US all get high paying jobs as lobbyists or even Environmental Protection Agency heads... and all because we would rather have cheap gasoline and electricity than breathe clean air!
Eichhornchen Champion Author Detroit Posts:1,326 Points:256,425 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:54:40 PM Ignore Eichhornchen Report Abuse can't imagine anyone here doing something like that. Atonement is not in a politician or executives vocabulary
jiamusi45 All-Star Author Calgary Posts:844 Points:35,755 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:53:43 PM Ignore jiamusi45 Report Abuse For so long China did'nt have many vehicles on there highways, now with there drive for a middle class they are going the way of the G7.
Bleeder Champion Author Virginia Posts:2,585 Points:550,640 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:53:42 PM Ignore Bleeder Report Abuse You would never find this in the US.
NavyStore Champion Author Seattle Posts:1,296 Points:904,260 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:53:36 PM Ignore NavyStore Report Abuse True Xpoint, but in the business world everyone internalizes profits & externalizes liabilities. Pollution and it's control is a liability that everyone on the planet ends up paying. If we put these cost into a product (like a cap 7 trade system does) prices will go up in the short term, but long term cost DROP! Example: Love Canal, NY. All those toxic chemicals were illegally dumped and covered over and the company that did it was driven into bankruptcy because of the fines & cleanup costs. If there had been an infrastructure & verifiable regulation in place to process (or at least store) it properly, those billions of dollars could have gone to something else (like roads, healthcare for employees, dividends for shareholders...). Everyone, in every nation needs to be demanding that the TRUE cost of a product is included with the actual price. Once we have a level playing field, America can always kick some economic booty!
REKEY Champion Author South Carolina Posts:2,243 Points:458,440 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:51:58 PM Ignore REKEY Report Abuse The difference in the Far East and our mentality.
Ken1935 Rookie Author Phoenix Posts:61 Points:237,655 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:50:04 PM Ignore Ken1935 Report Abuse Never happen around here
gypsykid Champion Author Florida Posts:1,068 Points:214,915 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:45:15 PM Ignore gypsykid Report Abuse wow someone with a conscience? (eyeroll) too little too late
LexusLS400 Champion Author Orange County Posts:2,093 Points:420,860 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:40:13 PM Ignore LexusLS400 Report Abuse "(He wore out three wind gauges, all bought with his own money, and is now on his fourth.)" . Were they made in China? LOLOL
DIESEMAN Rookie Author California Posts:74 Points:62,855 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:39:25 PM Ignore DIESEMAN Report Abuse SO TRUE XPOINT
Xpoint Champion Author Idaho Posts:3,389 Points:456,985 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:35:14 PM Ignore Xpoint Report Abuse Wind power can be a good source of alternative power, but ...... "IT HAS TO BE COST COMPETETIVE."
KillChain All-Star Author Albuquerque Posts:813 Points:319,725 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:32:08 PM Ignore KillChain Report Abuse Hope he didnt have a gun pointed at his head in his "new" job.
Maintroll Champion Author Lexington Posts:2,230 Points:438,055 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:30:13 PM Ignore Maintroll Report Abuse It can be done here as well.
Bud122CA Champion Author California Posts:1,640 Points:408,210 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:29:23 PM Ignore Bud122CA Report Abuse Glad someone is doing something over there.
bluebird1 Champion Author Toronto Posts:9,235 Points:1,859,035 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:24:41 PM Ignore bluebird1 Report Abuse Sounds good for China & Mr Min... and no China is not stepping up to its polution problem in a big way - only isolated incidences & much in fear of oil crisis occurring.
ccycles All-Star Author Missouri Posts:807 Points:635,670 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:22:50 PM Ignore ccycles Report Abuse better late than never
snewwee Champion Author Detroit Posts:3,600 Points:740,880 Joined:Sep 2007	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:21:41 PM Ignore snewwee Report Abuse Part of the 'who knew WHAT when' Theory.
teafortwo Champion Author Washington Posts:1,674 Points:152,470 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:19:05 PM Ignore teafortwo Report Abuse A clear demonstration of how one person can make such a big difference. Both good and bad. If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.
weenerdog Champion Author Detroit Posts:3,484 Points:657,450 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:18:20 PM Ignore weenerdog Report Abuse can you imagine what would happen if US politicians/lobbists followed his lead?
nigelb Champion Author Virginia Posts:1,992 Points:332,160 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:14:37 PM Ignore nigelb Report Abuse Interesting because I did not realize China was as active in controlling pollution. Shows why we need to do the same in the US otherwise others will be the developers of alternative energy and we will be behind the curve - just like what happened to the auto industry. [Edited by: nigelb at 7/3/2009 1:15:06 PM EST]
Tenshot All-Star Author Quad Cities Posts:597 Points:723,390 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 1:11:00 PM Ignore Tenshot Report Abuse Mr Min you are a good man