EPA Will Drop Clean Air Case Against Duke Energy - Reuters

[hatrack]

WASHINGTON - "The U.S. government has agreed to drop a case against Duke Energy Corp.'s (DUK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) utility unit for failing to comply with anti-pollution rules regulating its aging coal plants, Duke said this week.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department will not pursue the case against Charlotte-based Duke for violating the Clean Air Act because "the plaintiffs cannot prove their case against Duke Energy at trial," the company said in a release.
Intervenors including Environmental Defense, the North Carolina Sierra Club and the state's Public Interest Research Group have also agreed to the motion, Duke said.

The EPA and Justice Department in December 2000 sued eight electric utilities for upgrading aging coal-fired plants without installing scrubbers or other devices to reduce air pollutants linked with acid rain, smog and soot, and health problems like chronic bronchitis and pneumonia.

Duke's utility subsidiary Duke Power, which serves 2.2 million customers in North Carolina and South Carolina, was among the utilities named in cases brought in the waning days of the Clinton administration."

EDIT

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/24707/story.htm

[barbaraann]

1. Great Smoky Mountains Nat. Park dying. (related?)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&e=2&u=/ap/smoky_mountains_report

[SharonAnn]

2. Yes, it's very strongly related. TVA is also HUGE offender and

is supposedly going to put stringent emissions controls on all their coal-fired plants which are causing great environmental damage here in East Tennessee (at least they raised our electric rates to pay for doing that).

We are also greatly affected by the output of power plants from Texas and Alabama. It's an "interstate" problem.

Since the EPA is actively finding ways to let power companies keep polluting, I really don't see any relief in the future.

[Mel]

3. I live in NC

Raleigh area and I tell you what I won't be going to our Mts. anytime soon! I went three years ago and the pollution was horrible! I went as a kid many times and never ever remember it being like it was on that Last trip! Ugggh!