April, 06 2015, 03:45pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Alison Flowers, 303-246-6297, alison.flowers@sierraclub.org
Jessica Tritsch, 612-963-9642, jessica.tritsch@sierraclub.org
Minnesota Power Slated to Update Coal Plant's Long-Overdue Pollution Permit
Over the next year, Minnesota Power must update its air pollution permit at the Taconite Harbor coal plant to meet current health-based clean air safeguards that protect communities
DULUTH, Minn.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has agreed to a timeline for revising the long-overdue air pollution permit at Minnesota Power's Taconite Harbor coal-burning plant to meet health-based clean air protections established nearly five years ago. This comes several months after dozens of faith, health, youth and environmental groups and leaders submitted a letter calling for the MPCA to hold Minnesota Power accountable by acting on the expired permits. For Taconite Harbor, the air pollution permit was more than a decade overdue, putting nearby Northern Minnesota communities, iconic public parks, and recreation areas at risk. The new agreement is the result of a settlement with Sierra Club, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and Fresh Energy.
"I'm looking forward to the residents of the North Shore having some relief and cleaner air to breathe," said Dr. Gordy Dodge of Schroeder, Minn. "Northeastern Minnesota deserves this small reprieve from harmful coal pollution, but we know there's much more to do."
A 2014 settlement between Minnesota Power and the Environmental Protection Agency over previous clean air violations requires Minnesota Power to reduce pollution at both Clay Boswell and Taconite Harbor coal plants. Air pollution modeling conducted by experts demonstrated that even with those required reductions in pollution, Minnesota Power's Taconite Harbor coal plant is likely to result in significant violations of EPA clean air standards for sulfur dioxide pollution, if left unmitigated.
Exposure to sulfur dioxide pollution from coal plants and other sources for as little as five minutes can cause lung function impacts, asthma attacks, and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Children and adults with asthma are particularly at risk for adverse health effects from short-term sulfur dioxide pollution exposure. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, northeastern Minnesota has the highest rates per capita of asthma-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations in the state.
"Minnesota Power needs to address the ongoing health and air quality concerns associated with its coal plants," said Jessica Tritsch with the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign in Minnesota. "There's so much at stake -- our health, our natural legacy and our growing clean energy economy. Rather than continuing to throw good money after bad retrofitting and propping up these dirty, obsolete facilities, it's time for Minnesota Power to do more than the minimum, and clean up our air for the long haul."
Minnesota Power's Taconite Harbor coal plant pollution also adversely impacts some of the state's most popular and iconic parks and public spaces, including the Superior Hiking Trail, Temperance River State Park, Crosby Manitou State Park, Lutsen Mountains ski area, and the Sugarbush Ski trail on the shore of Lake Superior.
The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our 3.8 million members and supporters to defend everyone's right to a healthy world.
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The mega-container ship that lost propulsion before toppling Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in a Tuesday morning collision was involved in a previous crash, and was cited last year for propulsion-related problems.
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The 9-year-old Dali was also detained by port officials in San Antonio, Chile last June after inspectors discovered a problem related to the vessel's "propulsion and auxiliary machinery," according toThe Washington Post, which cited records from the intergovernmental shipping regulator Tokyo MOU.
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According to a July 14, 2023 Labor Department letter to Maersk regarding an Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation, the Danish company "suspended and then terminated" a worker "in retaliation for reporting unsafe conditions and contacting the U.S. Coast Guard."
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Last September, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks "asserted that the development of all-domain, attributable autonomy systems (ADA2) is an essential way for the Pentagon to maintain its comparative cutting-edge and keep up with the technological advancements of other states," notes the letter, which was addressed to her and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
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In addition to Public Citizen, the coalition included the American Friends Service Committee, Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, Backbone Campaign, Demand Progress Education Fund, Fight for the Future, Future of Life, National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, RootsAction.org, United Church of Christ, the Value Alliance, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom U.S., Win Without War, and World Beyond War.
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Video published on social media shows Palestinians running toward the Mediterranean Sea in Beit Lahia as aid parcels parachute downward. Eyewitness Abu Mohammad toldCNN that the people who drowned "don't know how to swim."
"There were strong currents and all the parachutes fell in the water," Mohammad said. "People want to eat and are hungry. I haven't been able to receive anything."
Ramy Abdu, chair of the Geneva-based group Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, said that some of the victims died after becoming entangled in parachute ropes.
BREAKING| 9 Palestinians drowned and 5 others missing in the Sea of Gaza while trying to get humanitarian airdrop aid due to falling into the sea. pic.twitter.com/tSPpbrKsTg
— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) March 26, 2024
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