Moran Statement on Alexandria Settlement with Mirant Power Plant

Washington, D.C., July 2nd – Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia Democrat, issued the following statement in reaction to the settlement agreement reached between the City of Alexandria and Mirant regarding operation of the coal-fired Potomac River Generating Station.

“This is a reasonable compromise reflecting the need for stringent pollution controls to protect the health of Alexandria residents and reduce the environmental harm caused by this coal-fired plant,” said Moran.  “I applaud the Mayor, City Council and citizen activists for standing up to Mirant, forcing a tough agreement that will lock in lower emissions limits and establish a $34 million fund to finance implementation of the latest pollution control technology at the plant.

“While this settlement is a short-term victory for cleaner air, benefiting everyone living in the Washington Metropolitan Area, larger issues continue unresolved. Mirant’s Potomac Plant is an out-dated, coal-fired facility that will continue to spew harmful pollutants, albeit at a mandated lower level.  It’s a health hazard, environmental danger and major global warming contributor, and I remain committed to seeing it closed.  With City officials and local environmental leaders, we will continue working to hold the facility accountable to the new regulations dictated by the settlement.”  

The new regulations agreed to in the settlement include:

• Requires the investment of $34 million by Mirant for new pollution control technology for PM2.5 and PM10 emissions, including baghouses, enhanced pollution-control equipment, or a combination of modern technologies.

• Gives the City control over selection and implementation of these new technology controls

• Imposes a PM2.5 emission limit that complies with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

• Requires Mirant to drop its legal challenge to the sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions limit of 3,813 tons per year, thereby locking in this limit.

• Requires installation of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) continuous emissions monitors, on a defined schedule, allowing enforcement of applicable limits.

• Gives the City access to the plant during the design and installation of the new controls, and to critical monitoring data including PM hourly stack and ambient short-term SO2 5-emissions data.

• Requires immediate installation of additional fugitive dust controls.

• Requires installation and operation of an additional PM2.5 monitor.

The City approved the settlement last night following a unanimous recommendation from the City’s Mirant Community Monitoring Group, which met on June 30th to review the potential settlement.

Mirant’s Potomac River Power Plant, operating at full capacity, is the largest stationary source of air pollution inside the Beltway.  Power from the Potomac Plant is not generated for use by residents of Alexandria or the Northern Virginia region where it is located.  Rep. Moran, the City of Alexandria and local residents have been working to either dramatically reduce the plant’s pollution output or have it shut down.

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