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Highwood Air Ruling
MEIC Wins Landmark Air Pollution Victory against Highwood Plant
MEIC Wins Landmark Air Pollution Victory against Highwood Plant
The Highwood Mountains, with the Missouri River in the foreground. Photo © Edith Oberley of Bitterroot and Bergamot.
On May 30, 2008, Montana became the first state in the nation to require a coal-fired power plant to specifically consider air pollution controls for fine particulates—particles smaller than 2.5 microns in size. They are extremely dangerous to humans because they can lodge deep in the lungs and cause severe respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The requirement was imposed on Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative (SME), the proponent of the Highwood Generating Station, a 250-megawatt coal-fired power plant proposed for east of Great Falls. Highwood is expected to release approximately 140 tons of fine particulates into the air each year.
On June 6th (yes, just one week later) SME submitted a revised permit application to the State. The application essentially said that it would be too expensive and difficult to control fine particulates. To its credit, the State Department of Environmental Quality didn’t just take SME’s word. Over the course of the summer DEQ did its own research on control technologies and asked SME to answer more questions and conduct additional research.
DEQ is likely to issue a draft permit in early September. At that time the public will have the opportunity to comment on SME’s plans for controlling these dangerous air pollutants.
RECENT RELATED NEWS
Background on PM2.5 Emissions Case
IN THE NEWS
- Highwood plant foes slap DEQ with lawsuit (July 1, 2008)
- Montana Coal Project Smacked With Air Permit Remand
(Energy Prospects West, June 10, 2008) - Board sets high bar for particulate emissions for Highwood Station (May 31, 2008)
SEE ALSO
- Highwood and Air Pollution
- MEIC Appeals Highwood Air Pollution Permit
- “Air Quality in Gallatin County,” a presentation by Bob Jeffrey, Montana Department of Environmental Quality.