The state has released results of a statewide screening process that identifies potential locations for the $1 billion emission-free FutureGen power plant, and Harrison County is one such site, FutureGen Texas spokesman Chuck McDonald said Tuesday.

"Harrison County is in a portion of the state that does meet the three initial screening criteria that the state is seeking for a FutureGen host site," he said, citing that criteria as access to coal, appropriate geology to sequester carbon dioxide or to use that carbon dioxide in oil recovery and appropriate oil reservoirs.

Although Harrison County does not have geology in which carbon dioxide can be stored, or used to recover petroleum reserves, such geology can be found in the nearby East Texas region, FutureGen spokesmen have said in the past.

Harrison County does have lignite coal, spokesmen have said.

Assets that make a specific site eligible do not necessarily have to be immediately at that site, McDonald said, adding "there's a lot of nuance to this.