Washington State Energy Council Delays Power Plant Application over Greenhouse Gas Emissions Concerns
On November 27, 2007, the State of Washington’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council stayed an application for a new “clean coal” power plant by Energy Northwest (a consortium of 20 public utilities in the Northwest United States), citing climate change concerns.
The Council ruled unanimously that the application failed to meet the requirements of a law enacted earlier this year, mandating that all new energy facilities include a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program (GGRP). The statute requires that electrical generators limit greenhouse gas emissions to specified levels; any emissions above the statutory limit must be captured and sequestered permanently. Energy Northwest’s application did not contain any specific plans for emissions capture, so the Council ordered that the application process be halted until Energy Northwest offers a suitable GGRP.
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