Environmental group: Pennsylvania power plants big pollutersSep 22 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - David Hurst The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
Pennsylvania power plants, including one in New Florence, once again made an environmental group's "dirty" list. This time, PennEnvironment is hopeful a new EPA guideline could help clean up carbon emissions at the state's coal-fired plants -- and those across the nation -- by requiring pollution to be cut 30 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2030. "We're going to see more extreme weather -- flooding and harsh winters -- if we don't start reining in pollution now," PennEnvironment's Stephen Riccardi maintained. Locally, he said the state's power plants produce 47 percent of Pennsylvania's carbon emissions. And the 1,700 megawatt Conemaugh Generating Station in New Florence ranked as the state's second worst offender, Riccardi said. "This area is pretty much ground zero for carbon emissions," he added, noting five of the nation's worst-polluting power plants are located in Pennsylvania. The environmental group's statewide tour, which also included stops in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, comes at a time the EPA is extending a public comment period on its latest emissions guidelines, aimed at cutting the pollution blamed for causing global warming. Power companies -- and employees -- nationwide have blasted the plan, saying it will force plants to close and send energy costs soaring. And a dozen states, including neighboring Ohio and West Virginia, have filed a suit in the U.S. District Court of Appeals to stop the changes. Efforts to reach Dave Benson, chief operating officer for the consortium that owns the Conemaugh Generating Station, were unsuccessful Thursday. Dave Gaier, spokesman for NRG, which operates a list of power plants in Pennsylvania, including the waste coal-fired Seward station, said NRG views achieving significant greenhouse gas emission reductions -- domestically and globally -- as essential for creating sustainable businesses and a sustainable economy." He noted NRG plants in Shawville and New Castle are being converted from coal to natural gas, and that the company not only complies with state and federal environmental laws but also invests in a wide range of clean energy initiatives. The company supports responsible "policies that focus on moderate, near-term emissions reductions, coupled with more aggressive out-year targets that will allow NRG and the rest of the power sector to continue to deploy a wide variety of clean energy solutions," he said. David Hurst is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5053. Follow him on Twitter @TDDavidHurst. http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=33752180& |