Blame the dumb SOBs that bought or rented a house with a view of the plant. It isn't like the plant is a new addition to the town. At least with other NIMBY crusades there's the introduction of something new in the picture (i.e. a landfill proposed in someone's backyard), thus the anger. These 'poor souls' don't have a leg to stand on.
Yes, but how much has the housing sector declined around the plant being abandoned for all these years? Would not a new development increase the values of a declining market?