One less coal plant being built to darken midwestern skies.

A power plant ran out of steam Monday as developers announced that they have decided not to build the $1.6 billion Big Stone II project near South Dakota’s border with Minnesota. The joint announcement by four utilities brings to an end one of the larger environmental debates in the state in recent years because of mounting public concerns about global warming and energy policy.

The proposed plant was also seen as a major potential pollution source for the Minnesota River. With one of the companies involved already stating that it can meet it’s requirements by expanding wind power, this looks like one of those cases where what isn’t happening is good news all around.