Bronco_Beerslug
10-04-2004, 02:33 PM
No real surprise here that Bush has basically given immunity to the power giants when it comes to emissions.............
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By Ken Ward Jr.
Staff writer
The Bush administration has “seriously hampered” government efforts to force coal-fired power plants to reduce their air pollution, according to a report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general.
Inspector General Nikki L. Tinsley wrote that the Bush rule changes have blocked the reduction of more than 2 million tons of annual air pollution.
In a 67-page report released last week, Tinsley said utilities are wiggling out of EPA enforcement lawsuits because of the change in rules.
The report focuses on the Bush EPA’s plan to make it easier for companies to rebuild power plants without installing the latest pollution control equipment.
In its rewrite of the New Source Review rule, EPA proposed to allow utilities to undertake maintenance projects up to 20 percent of the cost of the plant without installing the latest emissions controls.
In the late 1990s, the Clinton EPA filed a series of lawsuits against power companies that it alleged had expanded their plants without installing new controls. Industry officials, though, argued the expansions were simply routine maintenance, which is exempt from New Source Review.
With its new rules, the Bush administration sought to expand the definition of routine maintenance, allowing more work on plants without kicking in the New Source Review requirements.
The inspector general said the EPA enforcement lawsuits have been effective.
For example, settlements with seven companies to date have already required companies to install emissions control devices on more than 74 power-generating units over a 10-year period. These settlements prompted annual reductions of 440,000 tons of sulfur dioxide and 210,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, the inspector general said.
“Further, if allowed to continue unimpeded, ongoing NSR enforcement actions may garner even greater environmental benefits,” the inspector general said.
By requiring tougher controls on the 97 units EPA is currently taking enforcement action against, the agency could reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 1.8 million tons and nitrogen oxide emissions by 629,000 tons a year, the inspector general said.
http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/Today/2004100318?pt=10
------------------------------------
By Ken Ward Jr.
Staff writer
The Bush administration has “seriously hampered” government efforts to force coal-fired power plants to reduce their air pollution, according to a report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general.
Inspector General Nikki L. Tinsley wrote that the Bush rule changes have blocked the reduction of more than 2 million tons of annual air pollution.
In a 67-page report released last week, Tinsley said utilities are wiggling out of EPA enforcement lawsuits because of the change in rules.
The report focuses on the Bush EPA’s plan to make it easier for companies to rebuild power plants without installing the latest pollution control equipment.
In its rewrite of the New Source Review rule, EPA proposed to allow utilities to undertake maintenance projects up to 20 percent of the cost of the plant without installing the latest emissions controls.
In the late 1990s, the Clinton EPA filed a series of lawsuits against power companies that it alleged had expanded their plants without installing new controls. Industry officials, though, argued the expansions were simply routine maintenance, which is exempt from New Source Review.
With its new rules, the Bush administration sought to expand the definition of routine maintenance, allowing more work on plants without kicking in the New Source Review requirements.
The inspector general said the EPA enforcement lawsuits have been effective.
For example, settlements with seven companies to date have already required companies to install emissions control devices on more than 74 power-generating units over a 10-year period. These settlements prompted annual reductions of 440,000 tons of sulfur dioxide and 210,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, the inspector general said.
“Further, if allowed to continue unimpeded, ongoing NSR enforcement actions may garner even greater environmental benefits,” the inspector general said.
By requiring tougher controls on the 97 units EPA is currently taking enforcement action against, the agency could reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 1.8 million tons and nitrogen oxide emissions by 629,000 tons a year, the inspector general said.
http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/Today/2004100318?pt=10