EPA Focuses On Carbon Dioxide As Latest Power Plant Pollutant

The plan calls for Arizona to reduce CO₂ emissions from in-state power plants by 34 percent by 2030, putting it in the moderate range compared to states throughout the country. The period for mandatory reductions begins in 2020 with what’s being called a “glide path” from that time until 2030. The glide path is a gradual step down in emissions to meet the overall goal in 2030.

Approximately 100 people attended the town hall. Speakers included Allen, District 5 State Representatives Brenda Barton and Bob Thorpe, and Eric Massey, Air Quality Division director with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Allen addressed the most recent restrictions being imposed and their impact on Navajo County.

“I’ve been so concerned about this subject. I believe it’s critical to our economic well being in our county that we address this,” stated Allen. “In Navajo County our jobs are mostly government related, whether it’s at the schools, county government, even the hospitals, which receive government funds. Where is the industry needed to provide wealth to our communities? We are being told that we could lose the plant here (in Joseph City) in less than 10 years even though polls taken show that 80 percent of the people say that climate change is not a concern. But leaders go forward with their regulations anyway.”

Allen referenced Dr. Fred Singer, an atmospheric and space physicist who has spoken out against the theory of global warming, saying, “Dr. Singer says that the green house model for the computer is wrong and that people (industry) produce perhaps two percent of the CO₂ emissions, while nature produces most of it. Carbon emissions are not the enemy of the environment, poverty is.”

Massey addressed the group and outlined the EPA’s Clean Power Plan to reduce CO₂ emissions.

“They implemented their plan in 2003, deciding that greenhouse gases threatened public health. They took inventory, and determined that 80 percent of emissions from coal, oil and natural gas comes from industry, with 39 percent from power plants, 34 percent from cars and the remaining seven percent from individual activity,” said Massey.

“They addressed the car concerns through cleaner engine technologies and cleaner fuels. The average car gets 20-25 miles per gallon, but by 2025, they will get up to 50 miles per gallon. With this accomplishment, they’ve moved on to power plants.”

According to Massey, the EPA is employing a rarely used aspect of the Clean Air Act. “Since there is no off the shelf solution for tail end emission reductions (the emissions coming from the stacks), they are looking to what’s being developed (in the plant) and controlling how we do it. They want to change how we produce energy and look at alternative energy, but they’re looking just at carbon emissions without looking at overall pollution,” he said.

Massey said that the EPA sets the goal and sets the deadline, then tells each state to provide its plans for meeting that goal in the timeframe. If EPA officials don’t like the plan, they can change it or implement their own. “We found a balance to keep sustainability for power plants, but the EPA said no. The fact is that federal plans do not help the state and they produce no real change toward ending pollution. We understand that it’s about jobs, electricity and communities. The environmental aspect needs to bring balance to it all,” said Massey.

Thorpe opened his address by stating that he is not supportive of the global warming theory. “CO₂ is an important aspect of life. We all put out CO₂ and if we stopped, all of our plant life would die. I’m concerned about overreach that is driven by politics and not science,” he said.

Thorpe received applause when he noted that he will sponsor legislation that would state that anything that comes out of Washington, D.C., but not through Congress would be ignored and no state resources would be used to address it.

Barton stated that she is tired of the propaganda that is being used to destroy jobs and communities. “People take photos of the steam coming from the plants and make the steam look dark like smoke just to sell the message. What the reality will be is higher costs for utilities. People won’t be able to eat, go to the doctor or turn on the heat because they’ll be too poor. I’m not buying that climate change is the world’s biggest disaster. Just because the government says CO₂ is a pollutant doesn’t make it so,” she said, adding that the alternatives would be much more costly.

Allen spoke of the loss of the timber industry when concerns regarding the Spotted Owl arose. “We lost the timber industry infrastructure in the 1990s, then when the lie came out it was too late. Now we have too many trees and the results have been catastrophic. Trees need to be cut, but we can’t afford the millions of dollars for new infrastructure. Where will we get the money for infrastructure when they realize they were wrong here? We won’t see fires with this, we’ll see massive blackouts,” said the senator.

Allen encouraged those present to make their voice heard by writing the EPA during the comment period.

The senator concluded by saying, “We need to vitalize community service groups in each community consisting of individuals who encourage and motivate community members to become involved. We need to show what the unintended consequence will be if this takes place.”

A public comment period regarding the Federal Plan Requirements for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Electric Utility Generating Units is open through Jan. 21, 2016. To make a comment, visit www.regulations.gov and enter the following information to be directed to comment: EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0199.

Rep. Bob Thorpe (left) addressed the audience in a recent town hall in Joseph City regarding the EPA’s plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions produced by power plants such as the Cholla Power Plant. Senator Sylvia Allen (second from left) hosted the meeting, which included additional guest speakers Rep. Brenda Barton (second from right) and Eric Massey (far right) of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.