Environmental and Community Activists Hail Shutdown of Polluting Coal Plant

CONTACT: Shanna Cleveland, Conservation Law Foundation, 617-850-1716
Sylvia Broude, Toxics Action Center, 203-589-9989
Alfred Lima, Massachusetts Coalition for Clean Air, 508-672-8217

BOSTON, MA (November 5, 2009) In the face of pressure from environmental, public health and community groups to live up to a longstanding commitment to either clean up or shut down their coal fired power plant in Somerset, MA the NRG Corporation announced that the plant would shut down on January 2, 2010.

Conservation Law Foundation, Toxics Action Center and local residents have been working for over two years to overturn permit approvals by the Department of Environmental Protection that would relieve NRG of its obligation to shut down or repower the plant.  Instead, the Department issued permits for an experimental coal gasification technology without subjecting it to the full environmental review that should have been conducted.

This decision by NRG to shut down the plant a full nine months before the date set forth in the challenged permits demonstrates the lack of confidence NRG has in the validity of those permits.  “Shutting down Somerset for an indefinite period shows that this old coal-fired plant is not necessary for reliability and undermines the likelihood that the coal gasification project will move forward,” said Shanna Cleveland, staff attorney for CLF.

Al Lima, a member of the Massachusetts Clean Air Coalition, hoped that this would shift the community’s attention to the possibilities for beneficial re-use of the site.  “This waterfront site could be redeveloped to generate far more tax revenue, jobs, and benefits without jeopardizing public health and the environment in the way that a coal gasification plant would.”

“We are pleased that NRG decided to uphold the promise they made to the community to shut down this polluting plant,” noted Sylvia Broude, lead organizer for Toxics Action Center.  “Closing this plant will immediately improve public health in the area, and we will continue to fight to ensure that NRG will not proceed with experimental coal gasification technology that is expected to have significant public health impacts.”

CLF, Toxics Action Center and local residents remain committed to ensuring that NRG’s next steps do not harm the community or the environment.

#####

The Conservation Law Foundation (www.clf.org) works to solve the most significant environmental challenges facing New England.  CLF’s advocates the use of law, economics and science to create innovate strategies to conserve natural resources, protect public health and promote vital communities in our region.  Founded, in 1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.