Duke Power is acting dirty: It's a 'major' pollutant and should be treated as one

Duke Power should not receive an amendment reclassifying its newest coal generator as a ""minor"" source of pollution" which would result in fewer environmental regulations.

The 800-megawatt generator which is still under construction at the existing Cliffside Steam Station in the N.C. mountains" is currently classified as a ""major"" source of pollution by the Federal Clean Air Act and is thus subject to regulation by the N.C. Division of Air Quality.

The proposed amendment would classify the generator as a ""minor"" source instead. This cannot be allowed to happen.

Duke Power argues in its correspondences with the air quality division that the new generator will produce less than 25 tons of hazardous air pollutants per year" and thus qualifies as a minor source of pollution that can be regulated by the company rather than the state's air quality department.

However for the past three years Duke Power has consistently estimated that the new generator will produce roughly 217 tons of hazardous air pollutants per year — a figure that is far above the threshold required to be considered a minor source.

But suddenly in December Duke Power modified its estimate to less than 25 tons per year — an 88 percent drop that conveniently puts Duke Power into the range that qualifies one as a minor pollutant.

The large and sudden disparity between the numbers alone should be enough to make anyone highly skeptical.

In December federal Judge Lacy Thornburg ordered Duke Power to pursue the maximum environmental controls possible for the generator consistent with being labeled a major source of pollution.

If the air quality division accedes to Duke Power's request for an amendment however the ruling could be nullified.

The air quality division must not continue to wallow in its indecision. It does not and should not have to justify itself to Duke Power. Rather it should uphold its duty to protect the residents of North Carolina from hazardous pollution.

Furthermore Gov. Bev Perdue should publicly comment on the situation and encourage the division of air quality to make the right decision — Duke Power cannot be allowed to unnecessarily pollute our air.