The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board, acting on concerns about the effects on air quality of a proposed Dominion Power coal-fired, electricity-generating plant, voted Thursday to require all decisions related to Dominion

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Contact: Steve Calos, CCAN: 804.714.8300
Mike Tidwell, CCAN: 240.460.5838
Glen Besa, Sierra Club: 804.387.6001

 

 

 

Opponents of Wise County Coal Plant Applaud Air Board’s Decision to Take over Permit
Air Board Decision Cites Extraordinary Public Concern over Proposed Plant

ALEXANDRIA, March 21, 2008 – The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board, acting on concerns about the effects on air quality of a proposed Dominion Power coal-fired, electricity-generating plant, voted Thursday to require all decisions related to Dominion’s air permit applications to come directly before the board for a vote. Members of the air board cited the “extraordinary” number of comments from the public concerned about the negative effects of the plant, which Dominion predicts would cost $1.8 billion to construct.

“We applaud the Air Board for taking a closer look at the permit for this dangerous plant,” said Steve Calos, Virginia Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “There has been a tremendous outpouring of public opposition to this plant and we’re pleased that the Air Board took their concerns into consideration.”

The air pollution board is made up of citizens appointed by the governor and has the authority under Virginia law to issue or deny permits under federal and state air quality laws. Traditionally, the Board delegates this authority to staff at the Department of Environmental Quality. The Board may choose to make the final determination on a permit itself, however, when a particularly controversial project draws significant public input. Virginians have written over 1,000 individual comments to the Department of Environmental Quality citing concerns about mercury, air pollution, global warming pollution, the effects on the Great Smoky Mountains, and environmental justice concerns in Wise County.

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