Editorial: Make decision on Navajo power plant

Opinion

Friday, June 13, 2008

"No matter if you're for or against the proposed Desert Rock Power Plant, the time is past for the Environmental Protection Agency to act on an air permit.

Diné Power Authority and Houston-based Sithe Global Power applied for the air permit that is required to operate the plant way back in early 2004. Under federal law, the EPA has one year to make a determination and issue a decision.

It's more than four years later — and still no decision.

That all looks to change this summer, though. The EPA filed a consent decree last week in U.S. District Court in Houston, agreeing to act on the permit by July 31. Before the decree is final, however, the EPA has to publish it in the Federal Register and allow public comment on the document.

An EPA spokeswoman said unless the Department of Justice discovers facts that disclose problems with the consent decree, the federal agency will make a decision by the end of July.

Along with an air permit, Desert Rock must also obtain an environmental impact statement through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. That final approval may also happen later this year.

The EPA already is way behind on the air permit decision and must act either way. The agency claims responding to about 1,000 mostly negative comments on the draft air permit in the past year, and climate modeling uncertainties, have delayed the process."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Desert Rock air permit decision long overdue (The Farmington Daily Times 6/13)

Relevant Links:
Desert Rock Clean Air Act Proposed PSD Permit - http://www.epa.gov/region09/air/permit
Desert Rock Energy Project, BIA site - http://www.desertrockenergy.com
Desert Rock Energy Project, company site - http://www.desertrockenergyproject.com
Dine Citizens Against Ruining our Environment - http://www.dinecare.org