|
|
|
|
: 3/2 large brick home, with large shop on 1 ac corner lot. $259,900. See pics @ or 576-4069.
COLLEGEPORT – Oyster Lake is a delicate ecosystem home to an array of birds and other wildlife. It also offers many recreational activities for water lovers, specifically anglers.
And if plans announced Thursday become a reality, it also could be neighbors with Exelon Nuclear’s new nuclear power plant. The plant, if built in Matagorda County, would be 10 miles south of Collegeport near the lake. A site 20 miles south of Victoria is Exelon’s secondary choice for the plant.
Water lovers at the lake put down their fishing poles for a brief conversation Friday on the impacts and effects the facility could have on their favorite fishing hole.
“It can affect the fish, the animals, the people,” said Pam Green, a housewife who lives in Ganado. “Nuclear plants do concern me.”
Green, who’s been fishing at Oyster Lake for 40 years, pointed to the South Texas Project about 20 miles away in Wadsworth as a reason for alarm, noting there could be problems.
But her friend and fellow angler, Dusty Parks, gave a different view on how Exelon Nuclear could affect the area.
“I really don’t have any concerns because we’ve had that other plant in here, and there haven’t been any problems,” said Parks, who’s from El Campo. “It’d just bring more jobs to the area.”
Employment opportunities also were on the mind of Dionicio Padron, who owns a house across from the site proposed by Exelon Nuclear.
“As long as they give me a job. And as long as it doesn’t blow us up, I don’t have anything to be concerned about,” Padron said. “I think it’s good for the community and state. I don’t see anything wrong.”
If the plant does become a reality, it would bring about 2,000 construction jobs and about 700 permanent jobs. It could take eight to 10 years for permitting and construction to be completed, an Exelon Nuclear spokesman said in announcing the company’s plans.
However, Padron’s daughter, Elizabeth Padron, said she was concerned with the impact the plant could have on the animals that live in the surrounding habitat.
“There’s a lot of wildlife out here. It’s kind of bad for them,” she said, before adding: “It’s really going to change with the noise.”
Some of the anglers also were concerned about the plant polluting the water they rely on for swimming and fishing. However, Parks remained optimistic.
“If they do a good enough job containing this one as the other one, I’d think I’d be safe enough,” Parks said.
While some people are concerned about the power plant contaminating their favorite fishing hole, others are worried the plant would prevent them from getting to the lake.
“My No. 1 concern would be the habitat and No. 2 would be getting access to Oyster Lake,” said Stephen Logan, who runs a dance shop in Bay City and enjoys kayaking in the lake.
Justin Buehler is a reporter for the Matagorda Advocate. Contact him at 979-244-1330 or jbuehler@vicad.com, or comment on this story at www.victoriaadvocate.com.