FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 21, 2012
Contact:
Jenna
Garland, (404) 281-6398
Historic
Settlement Will Clean Up Louisiana’s Most Toxic Coal Plant
Settlement Agreement Will Bring Clean
Energy Investments and Restoration Projects
BATON ROUGE, LA – The United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) has reached an agreement
with Louisiana Generating, the Louisiana branch of NRG Energy, which had
allegedly violated the Clean Air Act at its Big Cajun II coal plant. The Big
Cajun II plant, in New Roads, is Louisiana’s single-largest source of sulfur
dioxide pollution. The settlement agreement, once final, will result in
Louisiana Generating spending $250 million to install pollution control
technology to reduce the toxic sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate
matter pollution. The settlement agreement plans for one of the three coal-burning
units at the plant to be powered with natural gas.
“Today’s settlement is a testament to how committed the EPA is to
protecting Americans’ health,” said Jordan Macha, with Sierra Club. “Louisiana
Generating’s Big Cajun coal plant is the single-largest source of smog
pollution in the state, contributing to thousands of cases of asthma, millions
of dollars in medical bills and lost productivity in the greater Baton Rouge
area each year. Cleaning up this coal plant is a good first step for our health
and our communities.”
Today’s settlement comes during a period of major changes
in Louisiana’s energy economy. Louisiana is the only state in the Deep South
with a renewable portfolio standard pilot program, proposed and implemented by
the Public Service Commission. This clean energy standard is driving the
development of renewable energy projects across the state, without raising
electricity prices. The Commission is preparing to vote on an energy efficiency
resource standard, prepared in partnership with key stakeholders over the past
two years, which will set a statewide goal of energy savings for utilities.
This program will save families millions of dollars each year in energy
savings, as homes and businesses are improved to use less energy in a smarter
way.
“In a state dominated by energy interests, the news that one of the
state’s dirtiest coal plants will be cleaned up marks a real shift. Cleaning up
the Big Cajun II coal plant is another strong step on the path toward building
the clean energy economy in Louisiana,” Macha added. “Once the efficiency
standard is implemented, Louisiana families will be able to enjoy the health
and prosperity of a clean energy economy.”
According to the settlement agreement, Louisiana
Generating and NRG Energy also commit to:
- Spend
$10.5 million on environmental mitigation projects, including installing solar
panels;
- Contribute
$1 million total to forest and parks restoration projects;
- Invest
up to $4 million in electric vehicle charging stations in Southern Louisiana.
The settlement can be viewed here: http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/air/documents/decrees/lagen-cd.pdf.
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