Four
Corners Coal Plant
Causes Haze in Grand
Canyon, Mesa Verde and
Other National Parks
Conservation Groups Ask
Federal Agencies to
Require Nation's Biggest
National Park Polluter
to Clean Up!
Conservation groups have
asked federal agencies
to require New Mexico's
dirtiest coal-fired
power plant to take
measures to reduce its
air pollution, and
thereby lessen the
amount of haze it causes
in national parks and
wilderness areas.
The National Parks
Conservation Association
(NPCA), Earthjustice,
Sierra Club, San Juan
Citizens Alliance, the
Center for Biological
Diversity, Dooda Desert
Rock, Din CARE,
WildEarth Guardians, and
the Grand Canyon Trust
today petitioned the
Department of Interior
and the Department of
Agriculture to declare
that the pollution from
the Arizona Public
Service Companys Four
Corners Power Plant
(Four Corners) on Navajo
land in northwest New
Mexico is violating the
Clean Air Act by causing
poor visibility in
protected areas in
Arizona, Utah, New
Mexico and Colorado.
Emissions from this
dirty, outdated coal
plant have obscured
priceless views in our
national parks in a
brown haze for years,
said Stephanie Kodish,
Clean Air Counsel for
NPCA. It's time for EPA
to take action to
protect our residents
health and our cultural
and scenic treasures."
Four
Corners is the largest
single source of air
pollution in the state
of New Mexico, according
the Arizona Public
Service's monitoring
reports. Every year Four
Corners five generating
units burn over ten
million tons of coal,
and discharge into the
air of the Colorado
Plateau approximately
42,000 tons of nitrogen
oxides,12,000 tons of
sulfur dioxide, and
1,300 tons of
particulate matter.
These pollutants are the
major components of
haze.
Because Four Corners is
within 300 kilometers of
sixteen Class I national
parks and wilderness
areas, much of this
pollution degrades their
beauty. In fact, the
National Park Service
has found that Four
Corners has the greatest
visibility impact on
Class I national parks
of any coal plant in the
country. Places with
world-recognized
cultural and natural
value, including Mesa
Verde, Canyonlands, and
Arches National Parks
are among those most
affected by Four Corners
pollution.
When the wind is blowing
pollution from the Four
Corners plant to Mesa
Verde, Bryce Canyon or
Grand Canyon National
Parks, visibility is
seriously impaired, said
Roger Clark, air and
energy program director
for the Grand Canyon
Trust. Only when the
wind is coming from
another direction is the
clarity of the landscape
anything like what it
used to be. The number
of days when views in
these parks is clouded
by pollution seems to be
ever- increasing.
Air modeling done for
the Arizona Public
Service Company has
found that the plant's
air pollution reduces
visibility by 25 times
the amount defined as
causing impairment by
the Environmental
Protection Agency. The
Clean Air Act states
that Class I areas
deserve the highest
level of protection, and
should be free from
man-made haze.
Not only is the
pollution hurting
national parks, but the
Four Corners Region,
which is home to several
indigenous tribes, said
Anna Frazier, Din CARE
Coordinator, who lives
on the Navajo
reservation. Their
health and way of life
are impacted by deadly
chemicals from
pollution.
James Zion of Dooda
Desert Rock agrees. I
frequently travel to
Shiprock from Gallup on
business, and in winter,
the horizon is yellowed
with pollution, he said.
Much of this pollution
seems to be coming from
the Four Corners plant.
As an attorney who
represents Navajo
clients interested in
tourism and economic
growth, I am concerned
that tourists will not
want to visit this area
because of all the
pollution in the air."
Janette Brimmer, an
attorney for
Earthjustice, says her
organization is also
concerned. The Four
Corners coal plant has
had a free ride for too
long with devastating
impacts on some of our
nation's most pristine
places, she said. EPA
must step up and enforce
the Clean Air Act to
protect the air from
Four Corners' dirty coal
pollution.
Big Blend Radio
Interview
Representing the
National Parks
Conservation
Association, Karen Hevel-Mingo
was a featured guest on
'The Nature Connection'
show on Big Blend Radio
where she she discussed
the pollution in our
Southwest National
Parks. The show aired
live on April 16, 2010.
To listen to her
interview, please
CLICK HERE!
Send Your Comments Today
to President Obama
Tell President Obama
that EPA must require
reductions in coal plant
air pollution that will
benefit people and our
national parks.
The deadline for
submitting comments is
May 7, 2010.
Click Here to Tak Action
& Email This Letter!
Learn more by visiting
www.NPCA.org
