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PennFuture and the Environmental Integrity Project announced a settlement of its lawsuit against Allegheny Power for violation of soot and particulate matter standards at the Hatfield's Ferry Plant in western Pennsylvania. The agreement requires immediate steps to reduce sooty discharges through flue gas conditioning and other measures, and will further reduce particulate matter through installation of a scrubber no later than June 30, 2010. The settlement is expected to ultimately save over 200 lives and $1.2 billion in health costs annually by reducing exposure to fine particle pollution that triggers asthma attacks and premature death from heart disease

 
July 13, 2006  

PennFuture, EIP Reach Settlement with Allegheny Energy
Stopping Massive Air Pollution from Hatfield's Ferry Power Plant
Agreement will Prevent 200 Deaths and Save $1.2 Billion in Health Care Costs Annually

Pittsburgh, PA -- Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture), with the support of the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), today announced that they had reached an agreement with Allegheny Energy to stop massive air pollution violations at its Hatfields Ferry plant in Greene County, Pennsylvania. The agreement calls for immediate action to reduce soot pollution and long-term reductions that will result from installation of scrubbers. Because the Hatfields Ferry plant is one of the largest sources of particulate pollution in the state and the nation's fourth largest source of dangerous sulfur dioxide pollution, this one agreement will mean 200 fewer premature deaths and savings of $1.2 billion in health care costs annually.

"I am absolutely thrilled that this is the last summer when I have to keep my grandchildren inside to protect their lungs from this dangerous soot," said Charlotte O'Rourke, local resident and plaintiff in the PennFuture case. "Before the lawsuit, this plant polluted the air with soot six out of seven days, making life unbearable. I was reluctant to sue, but now I am glad that my neighbors and friends will finally have relief."

"This agreement will not only improve the health of local families, it will also make the area much more attractive to new residents and industries," said Charles McPhedran, senior attorney for PennFuture. "The clean-up will also mean new local jobs, as workers install and operate the modern pollution controls. PennFuture is proud that our work will make such a positive difference in the lives of the local residents."

"This is a great result, and EIP was proud to work with PennFuture and Charlotte O'Rourke to help make it happen," said EIP Director Eric Schaeffer. "Allegheny's willingness to make a big investment in scrubbing this plant was the key to resolving our lawsuit."

PennFuture is a statewide public interest membership organization that advances policies to protect and improve the state's environment and economy. PennFuture's activities include litigating cases before regulatory bodies and in local, state and federal courts, advocating and advancing legislative action on a state and federal level, public education and assisting citizens in public advocacy.

The Environmental Integrity Project (http://www.environmentalintegrity.org) is a non-profit non-partisan organization dedicated to stronger enforcement of existing federal and state anti-pollution laws, and to the prevention of political interference with those laws. EIP's research and reports shed light on how enforcement and rulemaking affect public health. EIP also works closely with communities seeking enforcement of environmental laws.

A fact sheet on the settlement is can be downloaded above.

It is also available online at www.pennfuture.org.

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For Immediate Release    

Contact:  Jeanne K. Clark (for PennFuture)
                 412-258-6683 or 412-736-6092
                 Ailis Aaron Wolf (for EIP)
                703-276-3265