EDF welcomes new steps to reduce dangerous air pollution in Arizona and the Four Corners

(Boulder, CO – January 18, 2013) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new steps to protect people in northern Arizona and around the Four Corners region from unhealthy air pollution.

EPA unveiled a proposal this morning to limit emissions of oxides of nitrogen from the Navajo Generating Station – one of the single largest sources of oxides of nitrogen and carbon dioxide pollution in America.

Environmental Defense Fund experts welcomed the announcement today.

“The emissions from the Navajo Generating Station and related industrial activities have a serious impact on people nearby,” said EDF General Counsel Vickie Patton. “The emissions also harm the Golden Circle of national parks in the Four Corners Region, including the Grand Canyon National Park — the crown jewel of our national park system. We welcome EPA’s proposal to limit the extensive emissions of oxides of nitrogen at the Navajo Generating Station by using widely available modern pollution controls, and we look forward to working with EPA and many others on these complex issues to secure final protections that protect human health and the environment.” 

The Navajo Generating Station is a three-unit, 2250 megawatt coal-fired power plant on Navajo Tribal lands in northern Arizona. EPA has proposed a plant-wide emission limit on nitrogen oxides of 0.055 lb/MMBtu — which will reduce those emissions more than 80 percent. EPA has also proposed two alternative implementation schedules based on a variety of considerations.  

The action is being undertaken pursuant to EPA’s responsibilities under our nation’s clean air laws to protect air quality and restore the grand vistas to America’s premier national parks.  

Read EPA’s full proposal here.