PA Plant - Among US' Worst - Ran W/O Mandated Federal Permit 25 Yrs. Despite 1,000+ Inspections

[hatrack]

An Indiana County power plant deemed one of the nation's biggest polluters operated without federally mandated permits even though it was inspected more than 1,100 times by state officials during the past 25 years, according to state records.

Despite those inspections, the coal-fired facility operated by EME Homer City Generating LP continued to spew pollutants at levels linked to Pennsylvania's status as a leader in premature deaths, respiratory disease and heart attacks, according to court records.

Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency filed a federal lawsuit against Edison Mission Energy -- parent of EME Homer City LP -- and the prior operators of 1,884-megawatt plant, alleging the facility poses a threat to the public's health and the environment in "downwind communities." The EPA is seeking daily fines ranging from $25,000 to $37,500 per violation, depending on when the infractions took place. In the past five years, the state has fined the plant about $40,000 for 79 emissions-related violations.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey and New York attorneys general joined the EPA's suit, which states the plant discharged "significant" amounts of sulfur dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere, contaminating ponds, lakes, watersheds and 3,600 miles of trout streams throughout Pennsylvania.

EDIT

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_722722.html

[Angry Dragon]

1. Corporations want to be treated as people so I say

arrest the execs and charge them with attempted murder
It is the only way we will even have a chance to
take this country back from the rule of corporations

[old mark]

2. K&R- PA went nearly all republican last November, and our Governor is owned

by the energy companies.

He will probably give this plant a "Good Citixen" award.

I see our state going rapidly downhill from now into the forseeable future.

How are things in Vermont?



mark

[GliderGuider]

3. Compared to which

TMI caused how much damage exactly?

And, lest we lose sight of one very salient fact, the TMI health problems were caused by the largest single (unrepeated, singular, never-happened-again) nuclear accident in US history. While this coal plant kills people every damn day in normal operation - just like the other 85 coal plants listed by SourceWatch as the dirtiest large U.S. coal-fired power plants that collectively were responsible for releasing 5.4 million tons of sulphur dioxide into the air in 2006 alone.

Time for a reality check, folks. I'm not saying build more nuclear (necessarily) but we sure as hell have to do something about the coal.

[Nihil]

4. If it ain't radioactive, nobody cares.

If it is radioactive but from a coal power station not a nuclear power station,
again, nobody cares.

Hundreds of thousands of people killed in wars for fossil fuels? Nobody cares.


The people around the power station are obviously not bothered about their
own health (much less the health of anyone else) so fuck 'em.

:shrug:

[Nihil]

5. QED (n/t)