TRENTON — New Jersey’s top environmental official urged the federal government today to expedite action on pollution wafting into Warren County from a coal plant operating on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River. Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin, contending the plant regularly exceeds federal clean-air standards, urged the Environmental Protection Agency to step-up a review of a...
TRENTON — New Jersey’s top environmental official urged the federal government today to expedite action on pollution wafting into Warren County from a coal plant operating on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River.
Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin, contending the plant regularly exceeds federal clean-air standards, urged the Environmental Protection Agency to step-up a review of a petition he filed in May to halt the pollution from the Portland Generating Station in Upper Mount Bethel Township.
Owned and Operated by RRI Energy Mid-Atlantic Power, the Pennsylvania plant has been the subject of clashes with the state for several years — and has now created an unlikely dispute between Martin and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, who complained about the same facility when she was DEP commissioner from 2006 until 2008. In 2007, Jackson filed a lawsuit, which is still active, making similar claims about EPA inaction.
But the EPA decided today to put off action until next Jan. 12, contending it needs more time.
"This is a long-standing air pollution issue affecting New Jersey residents that can be improved with strong federal action,’’ Martin said in a statement. "In view of the serious public health violation, the federal Environmental Protection Agency should be moving expeditiously to reduce pollution coming from this plant. Anything less is unacceptable."
The EPA explained the delay in a notice published yesterday in the Federal Register. It argued that Martin’s petition triggered rules requiring EPA action within 60 days. The EPA notice said more time "is required to afford EPA adequate time to further review and evaluate the basis for the petition, prepare a proposal that clearly elucidates the issues to facilitate public comment, and provide adequate time for the public to comment prior to issuing the final rule."
RRI contends it operates the Portland plant in compliance with all permit limitations issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and intends to comply with more restrictive rules on its operations anticipated in the future.