DHEC proposes power plant mercury standardBy Tony Bartelme (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Santee Cooper's proposed coal-fired power plant in the Pee Dee would be allowed to release about 93 pounds of mercury a year into the air, according to a new proposal by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. The limit is 45 pounds less than DHEC's earlier standard and about 21 pounds less than what Santee Cooper said in July was technically feasible. "It's not a slam dunk whether we can operate within those (new) limits," said Laura Varn, Santee Cooper vice president of corporate communications. "We have to do some analysis and critical thinking and look at the technology to see if it's doable." But Blan Holman, a lawyer for the Southern Environmental Law Center, said that the standard is still too weak, and that different types of coal plants would pump out less mercury. "We don't think there needs to be a coal plant at all, but if you're going to build one in a state with a well-known mercury problem, it needs to be a plant with the best controls possible. It looks to us that DHEC isn't going to require that." Santee Cooper is seeking permits to build a 1,200 megawatt power generator near Florence. The utility says without it the region could face blackouts or brownouts within a few years. Mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin that causes health effects even in tiny amounts. Where some pollutants are measured in pounds and tons, mercury emissions are measured in ounces and pounds. Coal-fired power plants, incinerators and cement kilns are among the biggest man-made sources of mercury contamination. In February, federal courts struck down the Bush administration's mercury pollution reduction strategy, forcing states to clarify their own mercury pollution limits for new and existing coal plants. On Tuesday, DHEC unveiled its mercury emissions standard for the Pee Dee plant: 46.3 pounds of mercury a year per generator. (The utility is seeking permits for two generators.) Previously, DHEC gave Santee Cooper preliminary approval to release 69 pounds of mercury per unit. Santee Cooper said in July it could cut the plant's emissions to 57 pounds per unit with state-of-the-art scrubbers. Before the new mercury standard is finalized, DHEC will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. Oct. 23 at Hannah-Pamplico High School. In a paper outlining its standard, DHEC officials said they examined boiler systems and pollution controls similar to what Santee Cooper wants to build, and that their figures represent the maximum removable amount of mercury. |
Article tools |
|
Notice about comments: Charleston.net is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Charleston.net does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not charleston.net. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Full terms and conditions can be read here. |
Comments
This article has 9 comment(s)
Posted by zoomru on September 24, 2008 at 5:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WHAT ????????.......
"NEW" Standards !!!!
You mean to tell US all they weren't protecting US all ...BEFORE ??!
MY BACKSIDE !!
I highly suggest Santee "SANDANISTA" Cooper start looking to ..AIKEN !!!
Citizens of this STATE........WAKE UP !!
WHO ARE WE BENDING OVER FOR.....WEST VIRGINIA and South AMERICA ???
SENATOR ...ROBERT BYRD ????
WHERE is OUR "whip" ...James CLYBURN ?? Is he bending over for Robert BYRD ??
What about taxpaying jobs in AIKEN ???
Citizens of the PEE DEE....who has your BACK ????
Posted by BulldogTLC on September 24, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Agreed Crackcorn.
Posted by TheClick on September 24, 2008 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Where is DHEC's proclimation about the compact flourescent bulbs the enviro-whackos are demanding we use? They have a good bit of mercury in them; shouldn't there be a haz-mat collection site for the disposal of these bulbs? Simply throwing them away to be put in a landfill will cause much more contamination than the already strict gudlines in place for Santee Cooper by the EPA."
Every solid waste convenience location in Charleston County, as well as the Bee's Ferry Household Hazardous Waste drop-off location, will collect CFLs for recycling.
Posted by nikkiP on September 24, 2008 at 12:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Please tell me a better way to do it. The plant needs to be built within a certain amount of time to meet the energy needs of the state. Accepted fact, no argument against it other than blaming it on the power USERS, as opposed to the producers.
And yes, they will try and save money. Santee Cooper is a state owned and funded company, so they money they'd use to build a plant is also money taken from the state budget.
This plant is actually being designed (has been, and will be redone) as efficiently and safely as possible. Lets look at this from a purely economical perspective. If they build it with lax standards now, they'll have to spend more money down the road to keep it up to date.
Santee Cooper is not looking to poison anyone. The engineers and professionals on this project are not saying "Screw the people, let's just dump poison into the system." It's a balance between the costs of this, and finding the best way to go about it. they don't spend millions upon millions of dollars lightly. And yes, they do care about the state and the people that live here.
CFL bulbs are awesome, recycling just needs to be easier since we all know some people are lazy and would just rather throw them away. heaven forbid you go the extra mile.
Ok, now i have class.
Posted by zoomru on September 24, 2008 at 12:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WHAT ???..........
People.........
We have nuclear jobs and FUEL in AIKEN...right NOW !!
You mean to tell me we will RAIL and SHIP in COAL???
THIS IS NONE OTHER ...THAN PAYOLA !!
We are bending over for ROBERT BYRD !!
MY BACKSIDE !!!!!!!!!
Posted by zoomru on September 24, 2008 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CITIZENS.............
When NO politician comes out publicly on this is because if it received the PRESS it deserves they all KNOW that this issue is POLITICAL DYNAMITE !!!
Raping the environment is ONE THING...BUT
Sticking the finger into south Carolina JOBS and taxpayers in AIKEN.... Wholly - COBURG -COW !!!!
When no one running for OFFICE speaks about it when they get their quotes in the PRESS ??!!
This is a ticking TIME BOMB !!!
FOLLOW THE MONEY GOING OUT OF STATE !! AND coming IN !!
Posted by BulldogTLC on September 24, 2008 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very well said NikkiP. The only thing you are misinformed about is the part about the State Budget. Santee Cooper is completely self supporting and recieves no funding from the State Budget. They are also non-profit so they are not cutitng any corners to try to save money in the hopes of turning a bigger profit. They are responsible to the people of South Carolina. Santee Cooper's mission statement is and always has been, " The mission of Santee Cooper is to be the state's leading resource for improving the quality of life for the people in South Carolina." They are decicated to fulfilling this mission by providing affordable, reliable power and water that meets or exceeds all evironmental standards. Without affordable, reliable power, the economic development of SC would come to a screaching halt! How many companies do you think are going to be eager to locate in an area that is constantly experiencing blackouts? They are not taking the environment of the state in which they all live lightly.
Zoomru - You throw out Robert Byrd's name, but in fact, Santee Cooper coal comes from Kentucky and Pennslyvania.
Posted by panasonic on September 24, 2008 at 4:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DHEC has been dragging their feet on this for over two years now. Santee Cooper will meet all the standards in place and it's now time for the permit to be granted. By delaying the issuing of the permit, they are only making the plant more expensive to build which will mean more expensive rates for Santee Cooper's customers. The Coastal Conservation League (CCL) will also appeal the permit the month it is issued to further delay the construction. The more CCL appeal's and delay's the greater the likelihood of brownouts. It is rumored that CCL has over $7 million in the bank to be used to fight the construction of this permit. That's $7 million the have's will use to keep the have nots from them. Environmental movement in my eyes is about keeping the landed gentry away from us not lucky enough to be born wealthy.
Posted by zoomru on September 24, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
BULLDOGTLC.....Point Taken...Thanks !!
SO.... Henry "On Golden POND" Brown ? What are you going to do about it??
WHAT ??
YOU mean to tell US all here that you wiil allow back slappin' for the COAL and RAIL Lobby to RAIL all that coal from OUT OF STATE; when we have NUCLEAR FUEL RIGHT HERE IN AIKEN ????
LINDA KETNER ... Where are you ...CATWOMAN ??? WHERE ???
Citizens of AIKEN.... are you going sit and NOT raise your VOICE ???