Minutes of the Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition January 23, 2006 The January meeting of the MVCAC was held at the home of Larry and Martha Schwab on January 23, 2006. There were 13 participants in attendance. Duane began the meeting by asking participants to provide updates. Jarrett stated that he is still investigating Longview's application for a storm water permit. He has also been in touch with the PSC about the current air quality in Ft. Martin. Cindy indicated that we cannot be part of the Health Fair, because they do not permit private groups to participate. However, we can have a table at the Walk for Breath and Life again (we did this last year). Duane reported that Cliff and John have been asked to develop a draft flyer. Deb provided a Treasurer's report. We currently have a balance of $1567.00. Expenditures in 2004 included: $2000 to the Environmental Law Center at the University of Pittsburgh to fight the proposed Greene County waste coal plant, $500 to attorney Mary Ann Maul for expenses relating to the PSC noise task force, $920 to Cliff Harvey for the flyers that are being developed, and $63 for the post office box. We received a $50 donation from Joy Easton. Jim K. reported that the state Sierra is considering giving us money, but they would like to have a detailed budget from us first. He also noted that we are close to being out of attainment for small particulates. We will know by the end of the quarter. Larry H. indicated that the EPA is considering a change in the standards for the emission of small particulates. According to the Denver Post, more than 2000 studies have shown that the current standards are not strong enough. However, the new standards that EPA is considering are not strong enough to reduce the number of premature deaths due to particulate exposure in several of the cities that EPA studied. The EPA's proposal would cut the permissible daily exposure from the current 65 micrograms per cubic meter to 35 micrograms per cubic meter. But the EPA's own scientists recommended a tougher standard of 30 to 35 micrograms per cubic meter. Also, the plan would leave the annual limit at 15 micrograms per cubic meter, even though the EPA's health experts called for tightening the standard to 13 to 14 micrograms per cubic meter. California even now limits the yearly exposure to 12 micrograms per cubic meter. If you think the standards should be tighter you can write to the EPA. Use Docket ID No. OAR-2001-0017 and submit your comments by one of the following methods: Federal e-rulemaking portal: www.regulations.gov E-mail: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov Facsimile: (202) 566-1741 Regular Mail: Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460 Last Tuesday, Duane attended the hearing at the Public Service Commission regarding the proposed scrubbers for the Ft. Martin power plant. He reported that Commissioner Shaw recused himself from the hearing. Duane was the only citizen who made a public comment. All of the other individuals who commented were attorneys. In his comments, Duane indicated that the MVCAC supported the scrubbers under the conditions stipulated by the PSC's Consumer Advocate, Billy Jack Gregg. Duane spoke with Mr. Gregg before the hearing and discovered that he had negotiated all of the consumer protection language that we had discussed in our MVCAC meetings. The hearings led to something called a "stipulation," which is already in writing and includes the amortization, scheduling, and other details. A representative for Longview requested that they be part of the stipulation, but the Commissioners denied this request. The PSC will consider the stipulation and will act on it some time in April. The proposed construction period for the scrubbers is 2007-2009. The public hearing regarding Longview's proposed transmission line certificate will be held in Morgantown, possibly as early as the first week in February. Briefs are currently being prepared. Duane met with Chuck, our noise expert, to prepare comments on the noise standards for the proposed plant, which is one of the four issues that remain to be addressed if Longview is to be awarded a siting certificate (along with a plan for the plant, financing information, and property tax information). See Jim Kotcon's excellent Letter to the Editor from Friday, January 20 for a cogent discussion of these issues. Longview has asserted that it cannot address these issues until it receives a siting certificate, but, so far, the PSC has continued to maintain that Longview cannot receive a siting certificate until it addresses these issues. There will be an evidentiary hearing regarding the transmission and siting certificates in March, and we will be intervenors. The statutory limitation for PSC to make its final ruling on these permits is June 27. It is not too late to submit comments to the PSC. Paula has sent out several emails with the contact information. We need to find ways to encourage the public to come out to the hearing. Deb made a report on our application for 501c3 status. In order to proceed, we needed to develop a set of Articles of Organization. She presented a draft version that she and Duane had created. After some discussion and minor revisions, Jim moved that the Articles be accepted. The motion was seconded by Paula, and the motion was passed by consensus. The 501c3 application requires that a conflict of interest policy be included. Deb requested that she be permitted to use the policy developed by the IRS. Jim moved that we use this policy. Sandy seconded the motion, and the motion passed by consensus. Duane circulated a proposed budget. After some discussion and minor revisions, Jim moved that the budget be accepted. The motion was seconded by Larry S., and the motion was passed by consensus. Deb announced that the Sundogs program has been launched at Cheat Lake Middle School, however, the air quality module has not yet been developed. Jim suggested that it was time to mount another fund raising campaign. Duane appointed a fund raising committee, consisting of Jim, Paula, and Donna Weems (if possible), to develop a fund raising letter and the address list for mailing. Respectfully submitted, Linda Shuster. January 24, 2006