SILVER SPRING, Md. Aug. 24, 2005 -- U.S. Newswire

 

Maryland activists say they are appalled that a Virginia power plant may have to shut down entirely due to pollution violations and want officials to investigate power plants owned by the same company in D.C.'s Maryland suburbs to see if similar violations exist.

According to published reports, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has found that Alexandria's Potomac River Power Plant, owned by the Mirant Corporation, is in serious violation of national air quality standards. The agency is forcing Mirant to immediately clean up the power plant or take the nearly unprecedented step of shutting down completely to protect public health.

"Mirant has been caught red handed polluting the air and endangering the health and well-being of people in our area," said Mike Tidwell, executive director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. "If we can't trust them to honestly control their air emissions in Virginia, how can we trust them in Maryland?"

Tidwell and other activists are calling for the Maryland Department of the Environment to investigate the three Mirant plants in Maryland to see if their pollution poses a public health threat. The findings about Mirant's excessive pollution comes from data collected from 2000 to 2004. The data was collected as part of a study Mirant agreed to participate in as a result of a 2004 settlement relating to alleged ozone violations.

"If it weren't for the work of the people of Alexandria, we never would have known about this pollution," noted Tidwell. "We applaud their efforts and call on Maryland's leaders to show the same concern for public health by fully investigating Mirant's operations to ensure the company is complying with the Clean Air Act."

A growing coalition of faith, health, community activists and environmental groups are pushing for Maryland to adopt a bill dubbed the Healthy Air Act, which would require Mirant and others to clean up their coal-fired power plants.

"The news about Mirant's extreme pollution problems at one of its power plants makes it more important than ever for Maryland legislators to protect the public's health by passing the Healthy Air Act," said Dr. Gina Angiola, a physician and Montgomery County activist. "Cutting toxic pollution from these plants will be a major step towards a cleaner, healthier Maryland."

The House Economic Matters Committee, chaired by Del. Derrick Davis (D - Prince George's) overseas the electric industry in Maryland and will debate the Healthy Air Act in January.

"We urge Chairman Davis to conduct hearings as soon as possible into Mirant's operations to ensure that the company isn't doing anything to jeopardize the health of the public or our environment," said Tidwell. "Let's make sure that what's happening just across the river in Alexandria isn't also happening in Prince George's, Montgomery or Charles County, where Mirant also has plants."

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