Brady-Enerson said the power plant is the third-largest stationary source of carbon dioxide in Ingham County, adding that the emissions are concerning to many nearby residents.

Infrastructure Planning and Facilities Director of Utilities Bob Ellerhorst said removing the power plant would take a long transitional period, because of cost and centralized heating on campus.

“The power plant heats the buildings,” Ellerhorst said. “It’s what kept them from freezing last week.”

MSU Office of Campus Sustainability Director Jennifer Battle said the university has acknowledged that many community members want a no-coal environment.

“Energy is not a bad thing,” Battle said. “We just want to produce it in the most responsible way possible.”

Battle said that in the short term, the university is researching ways to use existing systems for energy efficiency while lowering carbon emissions. She said one such way is using a different fuel source, such as torrefied wood, in the existing coal boilers.

Once primarily a coal plant, the power plant now uses two-thirds natural gas and one-third coal, Battle said. It also uses a small percentage of biofuels, something the university is hoping to increase through research.

Michigan Clean Water Action is also campaigning for proper practices for storage and removal of coal ash, the byproduct of coal production.

Brady-Enerson said coal ash is laced with health-endangering heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic, among others. In many coal plants across Michigan, irresponsible storing and removing of coal ash has polluted surrounding water supplies.

The ash is removed five days a week, Ellerhorst said. It is transported in open top trucks, covered with a tarp, to a Granger landfill bottom to prevent seepage.