Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Mike Papantonio, and Appalachian Voices’ Mary Anne Hitt discuss the destructiveness of Mountaintop Removal coal mining on the Air America Radio Show, Ring of Fire. To listen to the podcast,  CLICK HERE

The press release from the North Carolina Dept of Environment and Natural Resources follows below…

Michael F. Easley, Governor William G. Ross Jr., Secretary

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Release: Immediate Contact: Diana Kees
Date: June 2, 2008 Phone: (919) 715-4112

DENR TO ENSURE “MAXIMUM ACHIEVABLE” LIMITS ON HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS AT NEW CLIFFSIDE PLANT

RALEIGH – The proposed coal-fired power plant at Cliffside Steam Station in Rutherford County must have the maximum achievable limits on hazardous air pollutants including mercury, the state Division of Air Quality (DAQ) informed Duke Energy today.

“DAQ has concluded that a formal public process consistent with the Clean Air Act … should now be initiated to ensure that the permit contains the most stringent limits on hazardous air pollutants that are in fact achievable,” DAQ Director Keith Overcash wrote in a letter to Duke.

The division issued an air quality permit to Duke Energy in January 2008 for a new 800-megawatt boiler at its Cliffside Steam Station near Forest City, with conditions that will lead to substantial reductions in the facility’s emissions of key pollutants despite a large increase in electric power production.

After DAQ issued the Cliffside permit, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned the federal Clean Air Mercury Rule, concluding that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acted inappropriately in exempting coal-fired power plants from portions of the Clean Air Act that deal with the control of hazardous air pollutants.

The court’s decision means that all new coal-fired power plants must demonstrate that they use the most stringent or “maximum achievable” controls for mercury and other hazardous air pollutants. Although opinions differ as to whether the courts will apply this ruling to permits issued before the court decision, the DAQ has concluded that it is in the public’s best interest to ensure that the new Cliffside unit meets that standard.

“There is an ongoing national debate over the impact of the decision. In particular, opinions differ about whether the ruling affects a previously issued permit under which construction has begun but is not completed,” Overcash wrote. “Whatever the outcome of that debate, the Division of Air Quality must be assured that the recently permitted Cliffside Unit 6 incorporates emissions limitations for mercury and other hazardous air pollutants that are the most stringent achievable for such a source.”

The permit for Cliffside Unit 6 issued in January 2008 will result in significant reductions in total emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and mercury in spite of the increased power production. The permit also requires Duke to mitigate the plant’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions even though neither state nor federal regulations currently require industries to control their emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

More information about the Duke Cliffside permit can be found online at HYPERLINK “https://www.ncair.org/permits/psd/cliffside.shtml” https://www.ncair.org/permits/psd/cliffside.shtml. Additional information about other air quality issues can be found at the DAQ Web site, HYPERLINK “https://www.ncair.org/” www.ncair.org/

###

Office of Public Affairs Diana Kees, Director
Phone (919) 715-4112 FAX (919) 715-5181
1601 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1601 diana.kees@ncmail.net
An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer

From Solar Nation:

Congress has spent nearly a year debating how to pay for these expiring tax incentives, which make it cheaper for individuals and companies to install renewable energy systems and build energy-efficient buildings. The House doesn’t want to pass any legislation without an identified source of funding, and the Senate won’t consider raising taxes elsewhere to fund the clean energy provisions. Call it stalemate, call it deadlock, call it a stand-off; the bottom line is, the clean energy revolution is being strangled. CLICK HERE to Take Action!

https://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2008/05/20/johns.mountain.mining.cnn

CNN’s Joe Johns investigates the effects of mountain-top mining in West Virginia.

Per Kimberly Brewster, Operations Director for Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy

For more details, CLICK HERE

Appalachian State University has joined more than 500 universities, colleges and community colleges in pledging to implement a comprehensive plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by the year 2050. Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock formalized the goal by signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment on Earth Day April 22.

Led by the efforts of ASU’s Sustainability Council, the university has already implemented 3 of 7 benchmarks outlined in the commitment that are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“I can’t think of a more appropriate day to sign this agreement than on Earth Day,” Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock said. “It took a while to get to this point, but Appalachian has been very careful to make sure that we can fulfill the requirements that are in the document.”

For the full article see here.

Wow! Last week was exciting.

In West Viriginia the Young Dem’s passed a multi-pronged resolution on coal and green jobs that included a call for No New Mountaintop Removal Permits. See the full story here.

The Washington Post wrote an extensive article on the issue featuring the direct connection between Washington DC power companies and MTR companies. “God gave us coal to mine, then, didn’t He?”

MTR was also featured on the Kojo Nnamdi show, and Mary Anne was a guest speaker on the Bob Kincaid show (live from the Congressional reception).

Please visit iLoveMountains.org at https://www.ilovemountains.org/news/389 to view this blog post.

The Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy is once again hosting attorney Stephen Small, the nation’s leading expert on the tax and financial benefits of conservation easements, for a continuing education workshop on May 13th. Please see details below and feel free to forward to all who may have an interest.

Workshop Topics:

* Tax Planning and Conservation Easements

* Estate Planning and Post-Mortem Conservation Easements

* Tax and Legal Issues for Corporations and Other Entities

* NC Conservation Tax Credit Program

For more information CLICK HERE

Coal is a major energy provider in the United States, and with the upcoming election it is a deciding factor over who the next president of the United States will be. Coal, while being a large energy provider in many states in the U.S. is also a large contributor to the pollution in our environment. While global warming become more of a problem the world is looking for cleaner and more reliable energy source. The Charleston Gazette expands on the subject and the upcoming election in their article “Coalfields Turn Into Battlefields” to read the article and become more informed click here.

Want to save money & energy? Who doesn’t. WAMY Community Action and Blue Ridge Electric are hosting a weatherization preparation program. It takes place on Thursday, April 17th from 8:30am until 11:00am and Monday, April 21st from 6:30pm until 9:00pm.

It will be held at the Cooperative Extension in Boone located between Department of Social Services and Southern States on Rivers Street.

Get a free Weatherization Kit

Includes:
3 compact florescent light bulbs

Low flow shower head and 2 faucet aerators

Can of expanding foam for sealing holes

Several types of weather stripping materials

Water and energy saving tip materials

For more information…
call WAMY Community Action at 828-264-2421

For more information…call WAMY Community Action at 828-264-2421

For more information on the petition visit:
https://www.rallycongress.com/minersdaymemorialassociationofwestvirginia/951/

For more information on Kathy Mattea and Homer Hickam at the WV mines see:
https://www.timeswv.com/intodayspaper/local_story_060014124.html