US government permits coal-fired power plant on Navajo land
Are you kidding me? This is 2008, right? Yet just last Thursday, the US government signed off on the permit for the Desert Rock Energy Project, which will result in the construction of a 1,500-megawatt coal-fired power plant with no air-quality regulations in northwestern New Mexico, right smack dab in the Navajo Nation.Now, this wasn't done against the will of the Navajo Nation, which may be even more disconcerting. In fact, Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. states that the benefits of this power plant, which includes $50 million in annual revenue to the tribe and thousands of jobs, far outweighs the environmental concerns. What environmental concerns, you might ask? The air permit given to the project does not limit mercury or CO2 emissions at all.
"This one massive plant will negate the emissions reductions being implemented by the northeastern states in the first mandatory regional program to cut global warming pollution," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. and chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. "The administration's shameful decision rewards polluters, flouts the Clean Air Act and fails the American people."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-02-2008 @ 6:14PM
gustavion said...
Why does this have to be a coal plant??
Individual consumers need the opportunity to support 'green' business. For example, http://www.simplestop.net stops your postal junk mail and benefits the environment. How does this coal plant help??
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8-04-2008 @ 12:29PM
Baron said...
Well, just b/c it doesn't have to be regulated, doesn't mean they won't put in the most efficient technology they can manage. I know that most green people are too concerned with themselves to realize this (or stay in office, Waxman), but businesses benefit from more efficient equipment too. Unless this plant is going to go for the cheapest, oldest equipment it can find, I am pretty sure they know that putting in the newest, most efficient (which, the side effect is generally cleaner air) equipment it can afford will mean that it generates more power for less money = better profits for them = better decision.
Now, if we didn't have some a misconception of nuclear energy, this would be a non issue.
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8-06-2008 @ 11:47AM
Ben Brown said...
While the Navajo president accepted the presentation of benefits to the tribe, many of the tribal members did not want to see this happen and do not feel it is in the Navajo or greater society's best interests.
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