Energy Department backing out of Illinois-bound Clean Coal FutureGen project, officials say

Several lawmakers from Illinois said Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman made it clear in a meeting in Washington on Tuesday that he was poised to pull the plug on a showcase clean coal energy project slated for Downstate Illinois.

The Bush administration appeared on the verge of killing off the $1.8 billion FutureGen project only a day after the president highlighted plans for a big hike in energy research spending in his State of the Union address.

By Bob Secter | Tribune reporter

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