Cleaning up the Coal Burners

Denver's unrelenting smog pollution has been the big news of late. So far in July 17 ozone alerts have been issued and the Denver metro area just violated federal clean air standards for ozone, the ingredient of smog. The health implications are staggering.

In the meantime, people are being told to go inside to avoid the harmful pollution, the state of Colorado aspires to prepare a plan, and we wonder how we could ever let ourselves get in this situation in the first place? Really though, this is beside the point. The real question is what are we going to do now to keep this from happening again. We have an answer: it needs to start with cutting smog forming pollution from coal burning power plants.

And speaking of coal burning power plants, we've just submitted scathing comments on Xcel's Energy's proposal to "cut" haze-forming pollution from coal burning power plants in Colorado. The plan is supposed to require Xcel to retrofit its coal burning power plants to keep our skies clear. The thing is that the plan doesn't actually cut haze-forming pollution and requires only meager retrofits.

As we reported earlier, Xcel's retrofit plan would allow a 300 ton increase in nitrogen oxide pollution at the Pawnee power plant, located in Morgan County. Nitrogen oxides don't just form haze, they form smog, acid rain, and pose a myriad of negative health effects.

That's not all, though. The Pawnee power plant was required to upgrade to the best air pollution controls possible in the late 1990's, but never did. The EPA threatened to sue Xcel in 2002, but nothing has happened since then. Will Xcel be let off the hook if it commits to half-assed retrofits at Pawnee.

The problems don't end there. Under Xcel's retrofit plan, the Denver metro area will see more sulfur dioxide pollution. Sulfur dioxide is even worse than nitrogen oxides, yet under Xcel's plan, sulfur dioxide could increase by over 273 tons annually from its Arapahoe, Cherokee, and Valmont power plants.

Not only that, but if Xcel followed EPA recommendations, sulfur dioxide could be reduced by over 25%. Xcel's retrofit plan blows off EPA recommendations.

We're urging the state and Xcel to take it a step further. We've proposed that sulfur dioxide be reduced from the Arapahoe, Cherokee, and Valmont power plants by 41%, which would ensure that these coal burning power plants are all using the best pollution controls.

Whether it's smog or haze, coal burning power plants here in Colorado need cleaned up.