Current work in wildlife, rivers, public lands, and climate

Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Clean Air Plan Targets Coal-fired Facilities in Idaho

A Good Step Forward, but Falls Short of Considering Alternatives to Coal
Contact: Jeremy Nichols (303) 573-4898 x 1303

Boise, ID—A clean air plan proposed by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today would cut air pollution from twocoal-fired facilities in Idaho in an effort to tackle haze pollution throughoutthe American West, but falls short of considering cleaner alternatives to coal.

“This is a great step forward, but to truly protect ourhealth and our environment, we need to move beyond coal,” said Jeremy Nichols,Climate and Energy Program Director for WildEarth Guardians. “We applaud the EPA’s proposal to takethis step forward, but the fact is, coal can’t fuel clean air in Idaho.”

The EPA’s proposal would approve a Department ofEnvironmental Quality plan to limit air emissions from the Amalgamated SugarCompany’s sugar beet processing plant in Nampa and from Monsanto’s phosphateplant in Soda Springs. Bothfacilities burn coal, making them two of the largest sources of air pollutionthe State. The proposed plantargets haze forming pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and sulfurdioxides. According to the EPA,Idaho’s plan would reduce nitrogen oxides by 80% and sulfur dioxide emissionsby 65% from the sugar beet plant. The plan would also reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 50% from thephosphate plant, although it would not reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from thefacility.

However, the proposal overlooks opportunities to transitionaway from coal and toward cleaner fuels at both facilities. This, despite the fact that cleanerfuels, such as natural gas, are available.

The Amalgamated Sugar Company, for instance, has alreadybeen working with the State of Idaho and Idaho Power to stop burning coal and developa natural gas-fired combined heat and power operation at the company’s Nampasugar plant. Furthermore, the phosphate plantalready uses natural gas as a supplemental fuel.

“There’sno such thing as clean coal,” said Nichols. “EPA and DEQ can dress up this proposal all they want, butthe fact is it just doesn’t make the kind of progress we need to make inclearing the skies and safeguarding future generations.”

Idaho’s plan was required by the Clean Air Act, whichrequires States and the EPA to retrofit the oldest and dirtiest sources of airpollution with the best available pollution controls in order to limit haze in wildlands,including National Parks and wilderness areas. Retrofits can include switching fuels or even shutting downsources of air pollution.

Under the terms of a settlement with WildEarth Guardians,EPA is required to take final action on Idaho’s plan by June of 2011.

According to data from the State of Idaho, both the Nampasugar beet plant and the Soda Springs phosphate plant contribute heavily tovisibility in wildlands in Idaho and neighboring states. Every year, both facilities releasethousands of tons of haze forming nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide gases. Modeling prepared by theDepartment of Environmental Quality shows that every year, the sugar beetfactory contributes to 242 days of visibility degradation in seven keywildlands, including Hells Canyon and the Eagle Cap and Strawberry MountainWilderness Areas in Oregon. The phosphateplant contributes to 613 days of visibility degradation in 11 key wildlands,including Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.