Idaho rejects Clean Air Mercury Rule and coal plants

Washington (Platts)--14Aug2006

Citing health concerns and intending to prohibit mercury emissions in the
state's atmosphere, Idaho Governor James Risch directed the Department of
Environmental Quality to keep Idaho out of the federal Clean Air Mercury Rule.

This decision temporarily slams the door to coal-fired power plants being
built in the state, thanks in part to the two-year moratorium signed by the
governor in April (PCT 4/19). The moratorium banned construction of merchant
pulverized coal plants and directed the governor to develop a comprehensive
energy plan for the state. But, it exempts integrated gasification
combined-cycle plants and those built by regulated utilities (PCT 2/22).

"I am directing the Department of Environmental Quality to develop rules that
keep us out of the mercury cap-and-trade program," Risch said in a statement
on August 9. "If we do nothing, the EPA will automatically opt Idaho into the
trading program. I don't want to see us importing mercury emissions from other
states into Idaho."

The decision is not unexpected as the Idaho Board of Environmental Quality,
state senators and environmentalists already asked the governor not to join
the EPA program (PCT 6/30; 6/16).

The Environmental Protection Agency finalized CAMR in March 2005. The rule
gives states the option of following CAMR or opting out of the program, which
requires a state to develop its own rule (PCT 3/15/06).

Under the rule, each state is assigned an emissions budget for mercury and has
to submit a plan on how it will reduce mercury emissions from coal plants.
Idaho has a zero budget.

"Idaho is in a unique position because we don't have any coal-fired plants,"
the governor said. "With my decision to opt-out of the Environmental
Protection Agency's interstate trading program on mercury emissions, it means
that we will have decided to prohibit mercury discharge by coal-fired
electrical generating plants into Idaho air."

For more news, request a free trial to Platts Coal Trader at
http://coaltrader.platts.com


 

Copyright © 2005 - Platts

Please visit:  www.platts.com

Their coverage of energy matters is extensive!!.