EPA Files Objection To Coal Plant Air Permit

In a move that shows the that the new Obama administration wants to put the "EP" back in the EPA the agency has filed an objection to the Air Permit issued by South Dakota for the Big Stone II Coal fired power plant on Minnesota's western border. The state has 90 days to make changes to the air permit and the project still needs to have an environmental impact statement approved, so this is not the end for the proposed 580 megawatt plant, but even if it is eventually approved it will have more stringent air pollution controls than if the EPA had not stepped in.

Critics charge the plant will increase NOx and SO2 pollution which contribute to acid rain, increase mercury levels in the region, and add an unacceptable amount of CO2 to the atmosphere. If the price of carbon increases as part of a plan to fight climate change then the price of power from coal will skyrocket, leaving the electric customers footing the bill.

It would be better to think long term and invest in renewable energy sources and in improving the electric grid overall to make renewable sources more economical.

Fairbanks, AK and New Orleans, LA are currently the same temperature

And they are both warmer than us - I had -19F this morning.

Check it out: Fairbanks 5:48 AM AKST +32.5F

New Orleans 9:02 AM CST +33.4F

Less than a degree different and separated by almost 35 degrees of latitude on the same continent. This is why you can't judge climate by local weather, you have to look at long term trends.

January Is National Radon Action Month

Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that naturally occurs in soil. Radon causes around 20,000 lung cancer deaths annually, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

The EPA has declared January National Radon Action Month - a time to raise public awareness of the dangers of radon, and how to test for Radon in the home. Radon can occur in any home, but homes with basements are more at risk for elevated radon levels. Radon can enter through cracks in the foundation or the blockwork, or through the sump, or through an uncapped block wall like is commonly seen in Grand Portage. The only way to know is to test your home. Even homes that are side by side can have different radon levels.

If you would like your home tested for radon or would like to learn more about it, please call me at 475-2415 ext. 35, or stop by my office at the Trust Lands building at 27 Store Road.