A final recommendation is still pending but the U.S. Department of Energy has said in a report that the FutureGen project in Morgan County should go ahead.
The agency released the final environmental study on Wednesday. It says the clean-coal project should receive $1 billion in federal funding. The State Journal-Register reports (http://bit.ly/17uijEH) a final decision on if the $1.65 billion project should come by the end of the year.
The Energy Department report finds that FutureGen would meet the country's goal of having diverse energy sources without significant environmental effects.
Supporters say FutureGen would create needed jobs in Morgan County. Opponents have argued it is an unproven technology. They say the project could threaten the local water supply, pollute air and damage farmland.
