The WV Chapter of Sierra Club recently filed a Notice of Intent to sue Allegheny Energy over pollution discharges from their Albright power plant. The initial issue deals with water pollution violations from their coal ash impoundments, resulting in excessive discharges of arsenic into tributaries of the Cheat River. While a few of us have been discussing this quietly for a couple weeks, now that the NOI is public, we want to expand our interest group, and identify what issues and opportunities could be obtained to improve our air and water.

Coal ash activists will recognize this as another ash impoundment in our back yards.

We are also collecting data on mercury emissions.

There are issues related to new fine particulate and toxics emissions rules.

Oh, and did we mention global warming, and more.

This region is home to one of the largest concentrations of Sierra Club members in West Virginia. The meeting Saturday is intended to set goals and start planning for what will almost certainly be major issues in the next year or two regarding Albright.

The Albright Power plant is one of the oldest and dirtiest in the Allegheny Energy fleet. No scrubbers, limited emissions controls, etc. Yet Allegheny is proposing to use this plant to meet its requirements for "Renewable and Alternative Energy" under former Governor Manchin's Alternative and Renewable energy standard. But retrofitting this plant would be enormously expensive, and the most fiscally sound option for ratepayers may well be to shut it down and invest in energy efficiency instead.

At a minimum, we want Allegheny to clean up their arsenic discharges to the Cheat. But that is not likely to be the last issue for this old plant. Please plan to join us if you are in the region Saturday. If so, bring a friend. If not, please suggest names of others who might want to get involved.

Jim Kotcon 304-293-8822 (office) 304-594-3322 (home)

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Sally Wilts sallywilts@yahoo.com 2/6/2011 10:55 AM >>>

WV Chapter of Sierra Club will hold a strategy meeting about our campaign on pollution from Albright Power Station on Saturday February 12 at 1 pm. We have reserved a room in the basement of the Morgantown Public Library (no food or drinks allowed). The library is located on Spruce Street with parking across the street. We apologize for the short notice. Jim Sconyers and Jim Kotcon will be coming loaded with information.