Conservation Law Foundation attorney Shanna Cleveland told a group of environmental activists and concerned citizens, who filled a room in the First Church in Salem Sunday night, the end is near for Salem Power Plant. 

The announcement came after a presentation co-sponsored by HealthLink and Salem Alliance For the Environment. 

"Dominion has plenty of answers, but the writing is on the wall," Cleveland told the crowd. "We need Dominion and ISO New England to be clear. If Dominion says they are not going to retire in 2014, then close in 2014, people are going to be out of jobs. The plan needs to be made public."

Rumors have been swirling that Dominion is getting ready to close the plant after they submitted a "permanent delist bid" with ISO New England in what some are saying are the first steps toward shutting the antiquated plant.

But representatives from ISO New England, the authority responsible for insuring adequate supplies of power across the New England region, and Dominion Energy said Friday, shutting the plant is not in the plans.

"Dominion can't afford to clean up and they don't know how to do it," Cleveland said in regards to tougher standards that will go into effect in regards to the Clean Air Act in the next couple of years. "Dominion owns Brayton Point and Salem Harbor stations. They have invested $1.1 billion in Brayton Point and $12 million in Salem. Where are Dominion's priorities in Massachusetts?"

Brayton Point is located in Somerset. 

"The writing is on the wall in terms of what plant will be around in the future."

In June, The Conservation Law Foundation filed a federal lawsuit against Dominion, saying the Salem Power Plant has repeatedly exceeded smokestack emissions limits.

The foundation alleges the plant has exceeded the federal Clean Air Act's pollution allowances at least 317 times in the past five years and should pay penalties of more than $10 million.

"ISO needs to plan an alternative (to Salem Harbor Station)," Cleveland said. "Dominion says they can make money in other energy markets, but they have said in the peak energy market, they will make negative money."

The Real Cost of Coal

During Sunday night's presentation, Professor of Latin American studies at Salem State University  and author of "The People Behind Colombian Coal" Avi Chomsky spoke about the people of the Colombian towns razed to create coal mines. 

A documentary, produced by Chomsky, was shown depicting the hardships the people of Colombia have gone through.

"They first thought the mines would bring progress and development," Chomsky said. "But it razed a town and has taken away their livelihoods. Salem imports their coal from Colombia, a place with human rights violations and has displaced villages for the mines."

A union representative from Colombia Jose Brito Mendoza spoke about the concerns he has about his workers, many now suffering from black lung disease.

Jeff Deyette, assistant director of energy and analysis for Union Of Concerned Scientists based in Cambridge told the crowd, Massachusetts imports 82 percent of its coal from Colombia. The rest, is brought to the state from Colorado and Kentucky. Only Colombia coal is burned at Salem's plant. 

"Massachusetts is the most depended on foreign imports," Deyette said while noting the state is also a leader in clean energy. "The good news is the Clean Air Act will be strengthened in the coming years with new EPA regulations."