Illinois delegation hopeful about FutureGen's chances

WASHINGTON – Illinois lawmakers say they're feeling hopeful about the prospect of building FutureGen in Mattoon after a meeting Wednesday morning with President-Elect Barack Obama's nominee for energy secretary.

The Illinois delegation, including U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, met with Steven Chu to bring him up to date about the clean-coal research power plant. The nominee was open to hearing about FutureGen, Durbin said in a conference call Wednesday afternoon.

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