EPA objects to coal plant, Sierra Club claims new day

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Environmentalists claimed on Friday that a new era regarding coal-fired power plants had arrived with the Obama administration after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency turned back South Dakota’s approval of a big coal-fired power plant in that state because of pollution concerns.

“EPA is signaling that it is back to enforcing long-standing legal requirements fairly and consistently nationwide,” said Bruce Nilles, head of the Sierra Club’s effort to stop coal power plants.

The EPA on Friday said the timing of the objection letter to South Dakota officials — sent on Thursday in the third day of Barack Obama’s administration — was not related to the new president.

“It would be fair to say” that the letter would have been sent under the Bush administration, said Carl Daly, unit chief for EPA Region 8 air permit unit.

The proposed $1.3 billion Big Stone II plant near Milbank, is in northeastern South Dakota, near the border with Minnesota. About half of the power from Big Stone II would be sent to Minnesota.

Reuters