Houston based GenOn Energy Inc. could face as much as could face $325 million in fines for water pollution violations at its power plant in Indiana County PA. A federal judge in Pittsburgh yesterday ruled that the wholly-owned subsidiary, GenOn Northeast Management Co., is liable for discharging metals into the Conemaugh River. The suit filed by PennEnvironment and the Sierra Club alleged that the violations date back to 2005. The judge found the facility committed 8,684 violations of the federal Clean Water Act. Each violation could carry a civil penalty of as much as $37,500. In 2005 the plant was run by Reliant Energy, which later became part of GenOn.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Mitchell must still decide what penalty to impose. Company officials refused comment until the penalty phase is completed. It is expected that GenOn will attempt to settle the 2007 lawsuit before the judge imposes a penalty.
Pennsylvania Sierra Club Water issues chair Thomas Au says, “GenOn’s long history of failure to comply with its pollution limits suggests that the quality of Pennsylvania’s rivers is worth less to the company than the profits it can take back to Houston.” He calls the ruling a real victory.
David Masur, the director of PennEnvironment, says the decision should force GenOn to comply with federal and state clean water rules as well as to pay a penalty large enough that the company doesn't profit from polluting.
Showing posts with label Penn Environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penn Environment. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
New EPA Rule Would Scale Back Mercury Emissions
The Environmental Protection Agency has drafted a new rule that would require power plants to make major cutbacks on emissions of mercury, arsenic and other toxins.
Though not finalized, environmental groups lauded the proposed regulation, called the Mercury and Air Toxics Rule.
PennEnvironment Field Director Adam Garber says the EPA is estimating the standard would reduce mercury emissions by about 91% from major polluters like power plants, especially coal-fired plants.
Mercury has been shown to cause neurological damage to unborn children, and several of the other air toxins addressed by the rule are tied to cancer and asthma.
Garber says the energy industry has fought the regulation for years and will probably continue to debate it in a series of public hearings this summer.
He says if the public comment phase goes smoothly, the regulation should be in place late this year or early in 2012.
Though not finalized, environmental groups lauded the proposed regulation, called the Mercury and Air Toxics Rule.
PennEnvironment Field Director Adam Garber says the EPA is estimating the standard would reduce mercury emissions by about 91% from major polluters like power plants, especially coal-fired plants.
Mercury has been shown to cause neurological damage to unborn children, and several of the other air toxins addressed by the rule are tied to cancer and asthma.
Garber says the energy industry has fought the regulation for years and will probably continue to debate it in a series of public hearings this summer.
He says if the public comment phase goes smoothly, the regulation should be in place late this year or early in 2012.
Monday, March 14, 2011
PennEnvironment Releases Solar Hot Water Report
Pennsylvania could reduce fossil fuel and energy consumption along with pollution, if more solar hot water systems were used according to a new report by PennEnvironment. The report was released during an event at the Plumbers Local Union No. 27 in Coraopolis PA. Solar hot water is used to provide heat to homes and businesses. According to the report, solar hot water systems have the ability to reduce Americans' energy bills by 9.9 billion dollars.
Matthew Ward, Western Pennsylvania Field Associate for PennEnvironment, says that solar hot water could greatly improve Pennsylvania. "By investing in this solar energy technology to produce hot water for homes and businesses, Pennsylvania could reduce global warming pollution by the equivalent of taking almost 275,000 cars off of our roads. And at the same time, with energy savings, people in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, all across Pennsylvania could replace their water heating bills by fifty to eighty percent."
Ward says solar hot water systems could lead to increased jobs with Europe's solar thermal industry employing 40,000 people. He says that the systems are cost effective and many businesses are already using them including Fire House No. 34 in Brighton Heights and the Ross Hill Retirement Residence.
Matthew Ward, Western Pennsylvania Field Associate for PennEnvironment, says that solar hot water could greatly improve Pennsylvania. "By investing in this solar energy technology to produce hot water for homes and businesses, Pennsylvania could reduce global warming pollution by the equivalent of taking almost 275,000 cars off of our roads. And at the same time, with energy savings, people in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, all across Pennsylvania could replace their water heating bills by fifty to eighty percent."
Ward says solar hot water systems could lead to increased jobs with Europe's solar thermal industry employing 40,000 people. He says that the systems are cost effective and many businesses are already using them including Fire House No. 34 in Brighton Heights and the Ross Hill Retirement Residence.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
PennEnvironment: Shale Panel Seems Like "Stalling Tactic"
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett’s new Marcellus Shale Commission leaves some environmental advocates cold.
During his budget address, Corbett announced a 30-member panel aimed at drafting drilling policies. The commission, headed by Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley, will “oversee how we can build around this new industry and how we can make certain we do this while protecting our lands, our drinking water, our air, and our communities, all the while growing our workforce,” according to Corbett.
Erika Staaf, the clean water advocate for environmental group PennEnvironment, said the new commission seems like a stalling tactic. “We know what the policy handles are that are needed to address the problems and the dangers related to Marcellus Shale gas drilling. We know what the regulations are that need to be updated,” she said. “Legislators have already drafted countless pieces of legislation to address Marcellus Shale gas drilling, and the updates for regulations.”
Staaf is also upset a third of the commission is made up of people with ties to the drilling industry. Representatives from Range Resources, Exxon, Chesapeake and other energy companies will sit on the panel, as will former energy executive Terry Pegula, whose family donated $280,000 to Corbett’s gubernatorial campaign. State and county-level government officials are also on the commission, as are a few environmentalists. “Really, the deck is stacked against them,” said Staaf. “There’s a handful of environmental groups, but when it comes down to a vote with only 15 to 20 percent being from the environmental community, it doesn’t sound like they have much of a voice on this panel.”
Corbett wants the commission to issue its report within 120 days.
During his budget address, Corbett announced a 30-member panel aimed at drafting drilling policies. The commission, headed by Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley, will “oversee how we can build around this new industry and how we can make certain we do this while protecting our lands, our drinking water, our air, and our communities, all the while growing our workforce,” according to Corbett.
Erika Staaf, the clean water advocate for environmental group PennEnvironment, said the new commission seems like a stalling tactic. “We know what the policy handles are that are needed to address the problems and the dangers related to Marcellus Shale gas drilling. We know what the regulations are that need to be updated,” she said. “Legislators have already drafted countless pieces of legislation to address Marcellus Shale gas drilling, and the updates for regulations.”
Staaf is also upset a third of the commission is made up of people with ties to the drilling industry. Representatives from Range Resources, Exxon, Chesapeake and other energy companies will sit on the panel, as will former energy executive Terry Pegula, whose family donated $280,000 to Corbett’s gubernatorial campaign. State and county-level government officials are also on the commission, as are a few environmentalists. “Really, the deck is stacked against them,” said Staaf. “There’s a handful of environmental groups, but when it comes down to a vote with only 15 to 20 percent being from the environmental community, it doesn’t sound like they have much of a voice on this panel.”
Corbett wants the commission to issue its report within 120 days.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Report Says Agribusiness Blocks Clean Water Efforts
Penn Environment has released a report saying that agribusiness spends millions nationally and at the state level on campaign contributions and lobbying to block clean water efforts.
Clean Water Advocate Erika Staaf says agribusiness includes some of the biggest contributors to water pollution and is one of the most influential special interest lobbies, with one lobbyist for every 4 legislators in Washington.
Staaf says the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau used its influence with the legislature for a bill enabling farmers to appeal local ordinances directly to the attorney general. Since passage in 2005, then Attorney General Tom Corbett, who is now governor, filed more than 30 lawsuits against townships trying to regulate factory farm practices, facilitating the siting and operation of many factory farms.
According to Staaf, factory farms foul waterways if the large quantities of manure are not safely stored and when too much manure is applied to cropland and runs off into streams, so regulation is imperative.
Staaf says Representatives Kelly, Thompson, Gerlach, Meehan, Fitzpatrick, Shuster, Marino, Barletta, Dent, Pitts, Murphy and Platts voted recently to restrict the EPA and other agencies from enforcing existing clean water laws and cleanup efforts. Staaf thanked Representatives Brady, Fattah, Altmire, Critz, Schwartz, Doyle and Holden for "voting against this harmful bill."
Clean Water Advocate Erika Staaf says agribusiness includes some of the biggest contributors to water pollution and is one of the most influential special interest lobbies, with one lobbyist for every 4 legislators in Washington.
Staaf says the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau used its influence with the legislature for a bill enabling farmers to appeal local ordinances directly to the attorney general. Since passage in 2005, then Attorney General Tom Corbett, who is now governor, filed more than 30 lawsuits against townships trying to regulate factory farm practices, facilitating the siting and operation of many factory farms.
According to Staaf, factory farms foul waterways if the large quantities of manure are not safely stored and when too much manure is applied to cropland and runs off into streams, so regulation is imperative.
Staaf says Representatives Kelly, Thompson, Gerlach, Meehan, Fitzpatrick, Shuster, Marino, Barletta, Dent, Pitts, Murphy and Platts voted recently to restrict the EPA and other agencies from enforcing existing clean water laws and cleanup efforts. Staaf thanked Representatives Brady, Fattah, Altmire, Critz, Schwartz, Doyle and Holden for "voting against this harmful bill."
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Regulations Would Tighten Gas Drilling Standards
A proposal to update Pennsylvania’s natural gas drilling regulations has moved from the public comment phase to an Independent Regulatory Review Commission.
Clean Water Advocate Erika Staaf of PennEnvironment says the regulations would require three things: safer wells, a list of the toxic chemicals used in the drilling process and quarterly well inspections.
Staaf says while the new “Chapter 78” rules would be an important step forward, she says the proposal should be stricter in regulating the return of hydraulic fracturing fluid to waterways once it’s been treated.
“The quality of the restored or the replaced water supply will be considered adequate if it’s comparable to the unaffected water supply, even if that original water supply didn’t meet drinking water standards. We believe that it is unconscionable that a gas driller could supply someone with drinking water that does not meet drinking water standards.”
Staaf says more than 2,000 people commented on the proposed regulations.
Standing legislative committees and the Independent Regulatory Review Commission will comment on the proposal before sending it to the Department of Environmental Protection. From there, a final version will have to pass through those regulatory bodies again before being okayed by the state Attorney General.
Clean Water Advocate Erika Staaf of PennEnvironment says the regulations would require three things: safer wells, a list of the toxic chemicals used in the drilling process and quarterly well inspections.
Staaf says while the new “Chapter 78” rules would be an important step forward, she says the proposal should be stricter in regulating the return of hydraulic fracturing fluid to waterways once it’s been treated.
“The quality of the restored or the replaced water supply will be considered adequate if it’s comparable to the unaffected water supply, even if that original water supply didn’t meet drinking water standards. We believe that it is unconscionable that a gas driller could supply someone with drinking water that does not meet drinking water standards.”
Staaf says more than 2,000 people commented on the proposed regulations.
Standing legislative committees and the Independent Regulatory Review Commission will comment on the proposal before sending it to the Department of Environmental Protection. From there, a final version will have to pass through those regulatory bodies again before being okayed by the state Attorney General.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Lawsuit Threat Ends Violations
Four days before environmental groups were to file a federal lawsuit for violations of environmental laws by the waste coal-burning Seward Generating Station near Johnstown in Indiana County, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection issued a new permit to the plant’s owner, RRI Energy of Houston, Texas, that requires the facility to upgrade and comply with environmental standards.
Penn Environment Director David Masur says the company’s own reporting listed 12,000 violations of the Clean Water Act and Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams law over five years.
Hot water going into the Conemaugh River caused ten to twenty degree temperature swings in a matter of hours, which harmed local ecosystems, and there were toxic emissions and groundwater contamination, according to Masur.
Masur says it’s good news that the violations will stop, but it’s bad news that the DEP did not fine the company because it sends the message to polluters that there will be no penalty for breaking the law.
Masur says the Clean Water Act establishes the right of citizens to sue when government agencies are not enforcing the law, and it was the threat of a lawsuit that finally resulted in an end to the environmental violations in this case.
Penn Environment Director David Masur says the company’s own reporting listed 12,000 violations of the Clean Water Act and Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams law over five years.
Hot water going into the Conemaugh River caused ten to twenty degree temperature swings in a matter of hours, which harmed local ecosystems, and there were toxic emissions and groundwater contamination, according to Masur.
Masur says it’s good news that the violations will stop, but it’s bad news that the DEP did not fine the company because it sends the message to polluters that there will be no penalty for breaking the law.
Masur says the Clean Water Act establishes the right of citizens to sue when government agencies are not enforcing the law, and it was the threat of a lawsuit that finally resulted in an end to the environmental violations in this case.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)