GASP and Reliant Energy
Press Statement
February 19, 2004
Contact: Sue Seppi: (412) 441-6650
Anthony Picadio, Esq.: (412) 288-4010
Yesterday, February 18, 2004, Group Against Smog & Pollution, Inc. (GASP) and Orion Power Midwest, L.P., a subsidiary of Reliant Energy (Reliant), signed an agreement aimed at reducing high opacity (smoke) readings recorded at its Cheswick Power Station stack. This agreement is a positive step that Reliant is taking to improve air quality at its Cheswick plant. Reliant owns and/or operates approximately 18,000 MW of generating capacity across the US, and provides roughly 15% of the electric power consumed in the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland region. Opacity is a measure of the particulates that are released by many sources, including the smokestacks of electric power plants.
The adverse impact of fine particulates is well documented. Fine particles that readily enter the lungs can appear to the eye as haze. Lodged in the lungs, they can also enter the blood stream. In the body they can cause respiratory and cardiac problems. The heaviest health burden of fine particle pollution is borne by children and by the elderly. For all these reasons, the federal Clean Air Act and Allegheny County set limits on opacity emissions. Even though Allegheny County is far from meeting the present federal fine particulate standards, the EPA is considering further tightening the standard to protect public health.
From opacity data supplied by the Allegheny County Air Quality Program as reported by Reliant, GASP recognized that the Cheswick Power Station significantly exceeded the Allegheny County emission opacity regulations. Under the federal Clean Air Act, and the Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Act, private parties such as GASP and its members, are empowered to file lawsuits to enforce the Act where the regulatory agencies are not taking enforcement action. In this case GASP took the lead in negotiating a settlement with the company only after the regulatory agencies failed to respond to a notice issued by GASP detailing the serious nature of the emission problem.
Keith Bastian, General Manager of the Reliant Cheswick Station said, “When Reliant Energy acquired the Cheswick station almost 2 years ago, we quickly realized there were historic problems with the precipitator and with opacity excursions. Although efforts had been initiated by the previous owner to address these issues, we significantly expanded the scope of improvements planned for the facility and accelerated the schedule to accomplish the work. We are very happy to work cooperatively with GASP in resolving operational problems at Cheswick and demonstrating our commitment to clean air and the community.”
This agreement details the steps Reliant will be taking to reduce its emissions. The agreement will rely upon data provided by stack monitors, rather than the usual method involving visual observations, to determine opacity. Reliant has agreed to increase the collection efficiency of the particulate collector (precipitator) at the Cheswick plant. The goal is to significantly reduce opacity smoke levels at the Cheswick plant over the next three years.
Reliant has also agreed to support some environmental education projects to be undertaken by GASP. Reliant and GASP will be meeting regularly to monitor precipitator performance and improvements. “GASP is pleased with the spirit of cooperation demonstrated in this agreement and we look forward to improved air quality in the community”, said Jonathan Nadle, GASP President.
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