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CLEAN AIR PLAN FOR OKLAHOMA REDUCES POLLUTION - Provides the state with maximum flexibility, while reducing emissions that harm human health, can trigger asthma attacks, and cause haze in our wilderness areas

Release Date: 03/07/2011
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Joe Hubbard at 214-665-2200 or [email protected]

(DALLAS, March 7, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a clean air plan which will improve visibility and protect human health by reducing pollution at three Oklahoma power plants. Operators of these oldest coal-fired power plants will be required to install technology or switch to cleaner burning natural gas to control sulfur dioxide (SO₂) pollution. These plants were originally built more than 30 years ago, and federal law requires them to take practical steps to modernize their pollution controls.

The new limits are expected to reduce emissions of SO₂ from the plants by about 95 percent, resulting in a reduction of approximately 61,000 tons of SO₂ per year. These three power plants emit greater than one-third (36%) of all the SO₂ pollution from the hundreds of industrial and utility sources in Oklahoma. Sulfur dioxide is toxic and can react with other chemicals to form small particles, which are harmful to public health.

“The steps we are taking to address the sulfur pollution from the oldest coal power plants will improve air quality for generations to come,” said EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz. "Everyone must continue to take efforts to reduce pollution, use cleaner sources of energy, and preserve our national wildlife areas."

EPA’s proposed Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) would reduce emissions at the Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E) plant near Muskogee, the OG&E Sooner plant in north central Oklahoma and the American Electric Power/Public Service Company of Oklahoma plant northeast of Tulsa. These reductions are necessary to meet regional haze requirements under the Clean Air Act. The plants will have three years to add SO₂ scrubbers, switch to natural gas, or use a combination of these approaches.

The Clean Air Act of 1990 requires states to control emissions that cause air haze. EPA has an obligation to create a federal clean air plan when a state implementation plan (SIP) does not adequately address Clean Air Act requirements.

EPA’s evaluation of the Oklahoma SIP found that all Oklahoma sources of air pollution except these three coal-fired power plants will meet the level of control needed to address these Clean Air Act requirements.

Publication of the proposal in the Federal Register will begin a 60 day public comment period. Upon publication in the Federal Register, additional information on the proposed rulemaking and opportunities to provide input will be available at http://regulations.gov
(docket number EPA-R06-OAR-2010-0190).

EPA will hold a public hearing on the proposal in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, April 13, 2011, at the Metro Technology Centers, Springlake Campus, Business Conference Center, Meeting Rooms H and I, 1900 Springlake Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73111, (405) 424-8324. There will be an open house from 1 – 3 p.m. and public hearing 4 – 6 p.m., and again from 7 – 9 p.m.

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

EPA audio link is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/mar2011.html