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Wyoming Coal Plant ProposalsWyoming currently receives approximately 96 percent of its electricity from coal-fired power plants, and plans are in place to build more. Here is a list of the current proposals. Follow the links to find out more about each proposal and what efforts are underway to oppose them:
1. Two Elk 1Location: East of Wright, Wyoming Developer: North American Power Group (NAPG) with subsidiary Two Elk Generation Partners Type: Conventional pulverized waste coal Megawatts (MW): 325 gross, 250 net Customer: Merchant Power Producer More information: Since obtaining their original permit in 1997, plant developers have had difficulties obtaining financing and bringing the project to fruition. They have acquired $445 million in tax-exempt industrial revenue bonds (even though the normal limit for power plants is $10 million) because proponents have labeled the plant as a "solid waste disposal and recycling facility" due to the fact that it proposes to use waste coal from neighboring mines. However, non-government backers have not been so quick to provide financial support. As a result, construction has repeatedly been delayed. Based on site inspections and company status reports, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) determined in August of 2008 that Two Elk had not performed any construction of the power plant for the last two years in violation of its air quality construction permit from DEQ. As a result, DEQ notified Two Elk that their permit was no longer valid. Nevertheless, when the company appealed that determination, DEQ reversed itself and re-instated the permit - basing its decision on documents that have not been made available to the public. Powder River Basin Resource Council and Sierra Club appealed DEQ’s settlement with Two Elk in state court. The groups are bringing the action to revoke the permit, which would force the company to apply for a new permit and conduct updated analyses of the plant's environmental impacts and emissions control technology. Contact: For more information, contact Shannon Anderson at (307) 672-5809 or sanderson@powderriverbasin.org. 2. Two Elk 2Location: next to Two Elk 1, near Wright, Wyoming Company: North American Power Group (NAPG) Type: proposed supercritical or IGCC Megawatts (MW): 750 MW (if using supercritical technology) or 600 MW (if using IGCC technology) Customer: Merchant Power Producer More information: North American Power Group submitted an application for an air quality permit in January 2008. The Two Elk 2 plant would burn 1.8 million tons of waste coal per year from the Black Thunder Coal Mine, the largest surface coal mine in the world. Air pollution from the plant would directly affect Thunder Basin National Grassland and other nearby lands including Badlands National Park across the border in South Dakota. Contact: For more information, contact Shannon Anderson at (307) 672-5809 or sanderson@powderriverbasin.org. 3. Dry Fork ProjectLocation: Gillette Company: Basin Electric Type: Conventional pulverized coal Megawatts (MW): 385 Owner: Rural Electric Cooperatives More information: The Dry Fork project is currently under construction and has an estimated cost of over one billion dollars. The plant would be constructed near the Dry Fork Mine in the Powder River Basin, in order to have easy access to coal. Basin Electric hopes to have the project completed by 2011. Since the Wyoming Department of Environmental Protection issued the draft air permit in March 2007, the Powder River Basin Resource Council, Wyoming Outdoor Council and the Sierra Club have been actively fighting the construction of the plant. Together, these groups have appealed the issuance of a final air permit for the Dry Fork station before the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council. Under the current permit by Basin Electric, the plant would be designed to use dirty and outdated technology that would have a detrimental impact on air quality in Gillette and its neighboring communities. In an effort to protect public health and local interests, Powder River Basin Resource Council has played an active role in pushing Basin Electric to use the best available technology to control emissions and maximize efficiency of the Dry Fork plant. Despite their efforts, the state Environmental Quality Council recently rejected arguments that the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality should have considered cleaner technologies before issuing an air permit for the plant. However, emissions limits for mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides remain in the appeal for the Dry Fork project. Hearings before the Environmental Quality Council on these issues are scheduled for the week of November 17 2008.Contact: Shannon Anderson at sanderson@powderriverbasin.org or (307) 672-5809. |
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