This post has been updated with comments from the governor’s office and the state Department of Ecology.
During this year’s legislative session, we reported on state Sen. Eric Oemig’s (D-45) failed efforts to kill a $4-$5 million tax break for TransAlta’s coal-powered steam plant in Centralia, the biggest single source greenhouse gas polluter in the state.
His proposal passed out of the Senate, but was eventually derailed because Gov. Chris Gregoire is in closed-door negotiations with TransAlta to work out an agreement on phasing out coal (by the late date of 2025, to the chagrin of environmental activists), and she wants to use the tax break as a bargaining chip.
TransAlta is currently in negotiations with the state for another source of pollution—nitrogen oxide (which causes haze)—and AP reporter Phuong Le managed to obtain a copy of the proposal. The AP story reports that two federal agencies—The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service—say the deal falls short.
The Sierra Club, a strong advocate for repealing TransAlta’s tax break (the company is based in Canada) and for faster action on lowering the plant’s CO2 emissions—sent out a press release condemning the nitrogen oxide deal.
The National Park Service also opposes the agreement. “The proposed consent decree does not require the best technology to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides, a key component of visibility impairment at the parks,” wrote the National Parks Service in a comment letter.
And Sierra Club spokesman Doug Howell tells PubliCola he’s worried about what this deal could mean for the CO2 negotiations. “It’s starting a bad trend,” he said. “If they’re cutting a deal that doesn’t address the concerns about haze, what does that mean for what they’re doing on [greenhouse gases].”
We have a call in to the governor’s office.
UDATE: Seth Preston, with the air quality division at the state Department of Ecology, says he’s only seen the AP quotes from the federal land managers—the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service—and not any “formal” response. He says if they have “compelling evidence” that the proposal isn’t up to snuff they will look at that. “Ultimately, the final decider is the EPA,” Preston says, “and we will consult with the federal land managers before submitting our propsal to the EPA.”
As for the concern that the nitrogen oxide deal doesn’t bode well for the pending CO2 deal, Gregoire spokesman Viet Shelton says, “We are committed to lowering the greenhouse gas emissions and the eventual closure of the coal plant.” He added that the governor is also committed to keeping the power grid on the west side of the mountains flowing—the Centralia plant produces steam power—and making sure jobs are secure.
