Sevier Power Company, the same ones who lost their request to build a 270 Mw coal-fired power plant through a Utah Supreme Court decision in January 2009 has returned with an application filed with Utah’s Division of Air Quality on September 9, 2011.
This application, together with their 1300 odd page Notice of Intent (NOI) took over one year to complete after receiving a Conditional Use Permit from Sevier County, Utah
The new proposal is for an 870 MW plant using natural gas as a fuel. In design, it would be similar to plants now up and operating near Mona and in The Vineyard on the site of the old Geneva Steel Plant. Our hope is that, if it is built, it will be with state of the art equipment designed and now available after those two plants were permitted and built.
While certainly less polluting than its original coal-fired counterpart, the proposed power output would be double so there is not a lot less pollution to deal with in total. Gone, however are some of the most noxious hazardous air pollutants (HAP’s) such as mercury, selenium and others associated with coal fired power plants. Nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide constitute the bulk of the chemicals that are regulated by both the state and federal government and are of particular concern when considering Natural Gas Power Plants.
Another major consideration is the drilling and fracturing process Natural Gas is collected. Aquifer and ground water pollution should be considered when considering Natural Gas facilities.
The full text of the application may be found on Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality website.
We will be posting more information on this application over the next month. Meanwhile, we are gathering data and intend to approach UDAQ with some new and important considerations which should be aired in respect to air quality in Sevier County.
Check out our page detailing our requirements for the Natural Gas Power Plant proposal Sevier County, Utah for our campaign to ensure Sevier County Utah’s clean air and water.