EPA to coal advocates: Not so fast

It is obvious by now that the Obama administration is moving quickly on many fronts to reverse the disastrous policies of its predecessor. One is taking the political shackles off the Environmental Protection Agency and allowing it to do its job. One such action affects those of us living in the upper Midwest....

EPA raises objections to Big Stone II power plant

by Mark Steil, Minnesota Public Radio
January 23, 2009

The Environmental Protection Agency has thrown up a major hurdle to the proposed Big Stone II power plant. The coal-fired plant is being planned for construction near Milbank, South Dakota, just across the Minnesota border. The EPA is objecting to a South Dakota air permit for the plant. The EPA objection could also impact a recent decision by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to approve power lines for the project.

The EPA objection is over an air quality permit issued last November by the South Dakota Board of Minerals and Environment. At the time Big Stone II officials called the approval "a major step forward" for the plant. Now the EPA's Denver office is questioning whether the South Dakota air permit is adequate.

"We identified three key issues of the state's title five permit that we determined were not consistent with the requirements of the Clean Air Act," says the EPA's Carl Daly.

More here.