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Sierra Club Seeks Penalties for Ongoing Violations at Montana's Colstrip Power Plant
Case Updates:
July 25, 2012
On July 25, Sierra Club and Montana Environmental Information Center filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue Montana’s Colstrip power plant's six co-owners — PPL Montana, NorthWestern Energy, Puget Sound Energy, Portland General Electric, Avista and PacifiCorp over alleged pollution violations.
The Sierra Club will seek severe penalties for on-going violations and overdue retrofits at the plant. The plant's owners have failed to install pollution control equipment as required under the Clean Air Act for older power generation facilities that undergo significant changes.
Those pollutants can cause health problems in people and are linked to environmental problems including acid rain, haze and surface water degradation. Colstrip is the second largest coal-fired power plant west of the Mississippi River, burning over 10 million tons of the fuel a year to generate about 2,200 megawatts of electricity.
A victory in this case would mean protecting the health of families in Montana and across the Northwest.
Details and Documents:
Coal-Free PSE Campaign Delivers 8,000 Signatures and Unveils Bold New Media
August 1, 2012, Sierra Club Press Release
Puget Sound Energy's Montana Coal Plant Violating Air Pollution Laws
July 25, 2012, Sierra Club Press Release
News Articles:
Mont. power plant sued over pollution controls
March 6, 2013 by Matthew Brown, Associated Press
Colstrip Power Plant Lawsuit: Environmental Groups to Sue Over Pollution Control
July 26, 2012 by Matthew Brown, AP
More Info:
See other "Safeguarding Communities" cases.