Coexisting With Coal: Will Proposed Plant Expansion at Coleto Creek Be Clean Enough?

By Tara Bozick, Victoria Advocate, Texas

Feb. 12–Chad Gray and his father, Larry Gray, fish year-round on the lake south of the coal plant.

They can see the Coleto Creek coal plant from their home in Perdido Pointe and this father and son have differing views about the plant’s proposed expansion.

College student Chad Gray said he never sees visible exhaust coming from the current Unit 1 plant. He would continue eating his caught fish after Unit 2 comes in.

But Larry Gray is not so sure the fish would be safe to eat after the plant doubles its operations.

Larry used to work for the health and environmental safety department for Bayer Corp. in Baytown, and he’s worried about doubling the coal and mineral residue in one lake.

International Power announced a $1.2 billion expansion of the coal-burning plant in Goliad County on Jan. 4. The power company designed the second unit with technology to lower emissions and to minimize harm to the environment.

“Most of the plant operation today is an environment operation as well as a strict technical operation,” Kelly Tomblin, director of external affairs, said.

Plans for Unit 2 include using low nitrogen oxide burners and a sulfur dioxide scrubbing system to reduce emissions. Particulate matter, which includes lead and respirable dust, will be controlled using a baghouse, or fabric filtration, system. A sorbent injection system will help control mercury emissions.

International Power also installed a baghouse for Unit 1 on April 30, Tomblin said.

In anticipation of the improved technology, the company plans to leave space to install a carbon-capture system in the future, site manager Michael Fields said.

“We’ll have the cleanest coal plant in the state,” Fields said. As the industry expects stricter regulations, Fields said the company is investing in environmental controls now for future operations.

But Karen Hadden, executive director of the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition, said International Power isn’t using the latest clean technology, which she claims is gasification –a system that reduces waste and emissions by separating and capturing pollutants, releasing only water vapor and carbon dioxide in the air.

“They’re not saying they’re going to capture their carbon now,”Hadden said. “They should be doing that as a minimum.”

The SEED Coalition is a grassroots effort advocating sustainable energy strategies for Texas, including the use of renewables and conservation, Hadden said.

Tomblin said gasification is one option down the line for International Power, after its efficiency is proved, but the Coleto Creek site is not structured for it.

Hadden also worries about mercury pollution in Coleto Creek fish, as the coalition has already found traces in fish. While they didn’t exceed regulated limits, Hadden said she believes expanding coal operations could cause a fishing advisory to result.

All of International Power’s environmental efforts aren’t enough, said Luke Metzger, director of Environment Texas, a statewide citizen-based environmental advocacy group.

“Coal should be our last resort,” he said. In addition to global warming concerns, the mining of coal from the ground is environmentally destructive and shipping provides more risks for environmental harm, he said..

Metzger doesn’t believe the state should be importing coal from other states when Texas has clean options like wind, biofuels and practicing energy efficiency.

International Power plans to burn low-sulfur coal from the Power River Basin, located in southeast Montana and northeast Wyoming.

While Robert Lowery, who lives 10 miles from the plant, hopes Texas will use more renewable energies like geothermal, wind and solar, he said he believes technology has reduced pollution to acceptable levels. He’s already installed geothermal air conditioning and heating at his Colet Inn Bar and Grill, but he said these newer technologies won’t meet future demand yet.

Wayne Key, former Goliad County commissioner, lives around the plant and said it would boost the county’s economy. His only concern is the water getting too hot and forcing the plant to shut down at times.

International Power would try to make a good environment for the community, County Judge Harold Gleinser said.

“They’ve done everything they can to put a clean plant out there,” he said.

But Hadden said he believes local opposition will spring up as people learn more about the plant.

“The bottom line is coal plants remain dirty and polluting,” Hadden said. “I think the utilities should rethink things right now.”

Tara Bozick is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6504 or tbozick@vicad.com.

2005 emissions from Coleto Creek Unit 1:

14,395 tons of sulfur dioxide

3,869.9 tons of nitrogen oxide

683.57 tons of carbon monoxide

347.12 tons of particulate matter, including 0.57 tons of lead

94.22 tons of volatile organic compounds, including toxic compounds that destroy ozone and increase cancer risk

_Source: Summary of emissions inventory, Corpus Christi Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regional office.

To see a video: –Coal Power video To hear audio: –Karen Hadden, executive director of the SEED coalition, explains that increased energy efficiency is possible now. (:22) audio –Hadden is highly critical of coal-powered generating plants. (:24) audio

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Copyright (c) 2008, Victoria Advocate, Texas

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