Clean Air, Clean Jobs plan endorsed by Air Quality Control Commission
Release Date: January 10, 2011
Denver
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Contact:
Charlie Montgomery
CEC
303-405-6707 |
Contact:
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Parents, citizens, industry leaders support critical haze reduction and public health benefits
With the deadline to submit Colorado’s State Implementation Plan (SIP) for regional haze fast approaching, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) heard testimony and public comment last Friday on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s compliance proposal. The recently approved Clean Air, Clean Jobs plan is a critical component of the agency’s application.
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issued a ruling in December, pursuant to Colorado’s recently passed “Clean Air, Clean Jobs Act” (CACJ), ordering Xcel Energy to retire five coal-fired units, and switch two to natural gas by 2017. The PUC also ordered advanced pollution controls on two other coal-fired units. As was initially intended, the recently approved CACJ plan was found to provide a comprehensive approach to tackling Colorado’s upcoming air quality requirements in a cost-effective manner.
After hearing supportive testimony from dozens of Coloradans, the AQCC approved the state’s SIP application in a unanimous vote. The application included both the emission reduction plan approved by the PUC under the CACJ and pollution control measures for certain other sources throughout the state. The SIP must now be submitted to the Colorado General Assembly before being sent to the EPA to keep Colorado on track for compliance with the federal Clean Air Act.
The approved SIP will reduce SO2 and NOx by more than 70,000 tons per year by 2018, a dramatic improvement from the plan Colorado submitted a few short years ago. The CACJ reductions account for more than half of these reductions, and will generate more than $200 million per year in public health benefits over current emissions.
Below is a statement from Elise Jones, executive director of Colorado Environmental Coalition (CEC), on behalf of CEC, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense, and Environment Colorado on Friday’s hearing:
"This is another historic milestone. Once again, a diversity of voices from across the metro-area stood up in support of clean air, and state regulators listened. Regional haze pollution not only mars the scenic vistas in our precious national parks, but also harms these sensitive ecosystems and damages public health, and we are finally on track to see dramatic improvements.”
“The Clean Air, Clean Jobs plan is the best approach for helping Colorado come into compliance with this critical air quality standard because the plan reduces the pollutants contributing to regional haze, NOx and SO2, by the most significant levels. In addition, the CACJ plan provides other critically important benefits, including lower mercury pollution, reduced ozone pollution, reduced nitrogen deposition in our fragile alpine ecosystems, reduced global warming pollution, and important public health benefits that will have families and children across the Front Range breathing easier."
"Clean Air, Clean Jobs was widely supported by a diverse group of energy companies, legislators from both political parties, public health advocates, local governments and conservation groups—many of whom voiced their support to the commissioners on behalf of clean air. This is a Colorado solution developed by Coloradans for Colorado.”
“We thank the AQCC for their work, and urge the General Assembly to give their final approval so the Regional Haze SIP can be submitted expeditiously to the EPA.”
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