EPA objects; wants a cleaner Smith plant
BY JAMES BRUGGERS | JBRUGGERS@COURIER-JOURNAL.COM | JUNE 4, 2010

Troubles continue to mount for East Kentucky Power's proposed Smith plant in Carroll County.

The Environmental Protection Agency says it wants the coop to consider cleaner technologies.

In a new letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversaw a draft environmental impact study on the proposal, EPA said it would prefer the plant be fueled by natural gas or coal gasification. EPA also said evaluation of renewable energy alternatives was insufficient and requested more information from the corps.

Nick Comer, spokesman for the power coop, said his company believes the coal-burning technology it selected would provide the most reliable and affordable electricity.

The cooperative had planned to start construction later this year. But in April, it filed with the state Public Service Commission to withdraw a request for approval of up to $900 million in private financing.

EPA also said it wanted more information about that decision.

In recent letter to state environmental regulators, covered by Watchdog Earth, EPA said the state didn't require an adequate assessment of soot and other dangerous particles that the plant was expected to emit into the air

 

posted by James Bruggers at 2:19 PM