[Gasification] FYI
Bill Klein
Bill_Klein at 3iAlternativePower.com
Fri Feb 18 18:23:54 CST 2011
This sent to me by a friend. - bk
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From: Biomass Magazine - ] Two California Biomass plants fined for air violations
_http://www.biomassmagazine.com/articles/5287/two-california-biomass-plants-
fined-for-emissions-violations_
(http://www.biomassmagazine.com/articles/5287/two-california-biomass-plants-fined-for-emissions-violations)
Two California biomass plants fined for emissions violations
By _Anna Austin_ (http://www.biomassmagazine.com/authors/view/Anna_Austin)
| February 15, 2011
After completing a joint investigation, the U.S. EPA and the San Joaquin
Valley Air Pollution Control District ordered two California biomass power
plants to pay combined civil penalties of $835,000 to resolve alleged
violations of the federal Clean Air Act and district rules, including excess
emissions of air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and fine particulates.
The settlements require Ampersand Chowchilla Biomass LLC to pay a total of
$343,000 and Merced Power LLC to pay $492,000. The companies are also
required to go through multiple steps to ensure future compliance, including
installation of devices to improve monitoring and reporting of air pollutants,
enhancing automation of the control systems for nitrogen oxides emissions
and preparing more stringent control plans to minimize emissions of air
pollutants.
Both plants have already made progress in complying with EPA orders. The
agency reported that so far, each have installed controls that reduce
emissions of nitrogen oxides by up to 180 tons per year and carbon monoxide by up
to 365 tons per year. EPA and the district will continue to monitor both
facilities for an additional two years to ensure completion of all
requirements, EPA said.
Both Ampersand Chowchilla Biomass and Merced Power are refurbished 12.5-
megawatt wood-fired power plants that began operating in 2008, and are
located within 13 miles of each other in the San Joaquin Valley south of
Sacramento. Owned by Global Ampersand LLC, the power they generate is purchased by
California's Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
EPA spokeswoman Margot Perez-Sullivan said the plants were investigated on
a case-by-case basis so the agency could not presume anything about Clean
Air Act compliance of the biomass power industry in general. She said due
to the confidential nature of EPA's enforcement issues, it could not provide
any additional details on the investigation.
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