As fuel prices continue to rise, renewable energy alternatives are gaining steam and Plainfield may be the newest location if plans for a biomass plant go through.

The biomass plant would burn construction debris and "green" or unused wood to create 37.5 megawatts of electricity. The plant, proposed by Plainfield Renewable Energy, is the majority of the way through the state's long-term power process. If all continues as planned, construction could start in February, said Dan Donovan of Plainfield Renewable Energy.

But, environmentalists say the plant will create too much pollution and use too much water, a valuable resource in light of the recent drought.

Representatives from Clean Water Action of Connecticut, Environment Connecticut and the Toxics Action Center gathered Wednesday in Hartford.

"We are calling for DEP to reject all pending applications" for the Plainfield Renewable Energy proposal, said Chris Phelps of Environment Connecticut. "They will be pumping a million gallons a day out of the river. For something classified as renewable, this would be a large impact."

Donovan said the plant will use only 500,000 gallons of water per day and will protect the wildlife in the river by using a cooling tower and a very small intake.

Roger Smith of Clean Water Action said the company could use more than a half-million tons of wood per year, and he said residents are not assured the wood is clean. In the past several years, lobbyists for the renewable energy plant were able to get the definition of clean wood altered to include treated wood, Smith said.

Donovan disagreed, stating all wood used at the plant will be tested. He said the DEP, EPA and other agencies have strict regulations about the types of wood, as well as the amount of emissions the plant is allowed to release.

Sylvia Broude of the Toxics Action Center said it is next to impossible to know what wood is clean and what isn't. She said she does not believe the company will test every piece of wood. Chemicals such as arsenic, lead, chromium and mercury could be contained in the wood and would go into the environment when the wood is burned, she said.

According to the environmental groups, the plant annually could emit 7,200 pounds of lead and 1,400 pounds of arsenic and still be considered clean energy. Donovan said the plant will only emit 17 percent of what the DEP allows, meaning 640 pounds of lead and 60 pounds of arsenic per year.

Donovan said he believes the environmental groups received bad information from a competitor hoping to get the plant's permits held up.

"Out of the proposed (renewable energy) projects, we're the only ones that have spent the money to be built," Donovan said. "We've spent over $1.7 million in this two-and-a-half year process."

The region's residents have learned about the plant through a series of public hearings.

"I'm for the plant if they make sure the air quality is OK," Ruth Stephens of Plainfield said.

"I work in the construction industry and see a lot of material that goes into the Dumpster," Sterling resident Jeremy Shippee said. "It makes sense to use it."