Media Release

Report Reveals Hazards of Power Plant Pollution

EHC calls on decision makers to pursue alternative energy options

(March 27, 2006). Today, Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) released a scientific report on air quality modeling of two hypothetical power plants on the Chula Vista Bayfront. The report reveals that replacement of the South Bay Power Plant (SBPP) with a large, 650 megawatt plant would create three times more pollution and impact thousands more Chula Vista residents than a smaller plant coupled with a renewable energy strategy.

As a result of these findings, EHC is calling on the parties responsible for replacing the SBPP to seek new options that will improve air quality and environmental health in the region. The SBPP emits many hazardous air pollutants, including particulate matter.

The report comes at a time when decisions are soon to be made about how to replace the energy generated by the antiquated SBPP. These decisions will have a significant impact on South Bay residents and will have regional implications related to future energy sustainability and security.

The SBPP is currently owned by the Port of San Diego and is leased to Duke Energy North America. In 2005, Duke sold the SBPP lease to LS Power and is in negotiations with LS Power and the Port of San Diego regarding the terms of the lease transfer and the location of a new power plant on the Chula Vista Bayfront. The current lease between the Port District and Duke Energy requires “best efforts” to replace the SBPP by 2009. The air quality modeling analysis, commissioned by EHC and conducted by Environ International, assesses the potential impacts of two possible replacement plants.

Key results are:

• A large (650 MW) replacement plant would result in 3-4 times higher particulate matter (PM) levels than a small (65 MW) replacement plant.
• PM impacts from the larger plant would travel much farther into the community than impacts from the smaller plant. Elevated PM levels from the larger plant are predicted to extend to distances that would put residences and over 60 schools and preschools at risk.
• Chula Vista air quality is currently in violation of national and state air quality standards for PM. Pollution from a large replacement plant would perpetuate poor air quality for Chula Vista residents.

PM pollution, like that emitted by the SBPP, causes asthma and other respiratory illnesses, and has been linked to heart attacks, and premature death among the sick and elderly. Childhood hospitalization rates related to asthma in western Chula Vista are already 20% above the county average. In 2003, EHC released the results of a poll that showed that 72% of Chula Vistans favored relocating the South Bay Power Plant off of the Bayfront.

EHC has secured the commitment of the San Diego Unified Port District to hold at least one public workshop in advance of final lease negotiations with Duke Energy so that there is an opportunity for current information and public perspectives to be reflected in the lease negotiation discussions. “We appreciate this action on the part of the Port District. Now we are looking for the same commitment to public participation by Duke and the new owners, LS Power” said EHC Community Organizer Georgette Gomez.

The plant’s impacts are a case of environmental injustice. Census data indicates that the community living downwind of the SBPP is comprised of 72% people of color, with those living below the poverty level as high as 34%. “ Western Chula Vista has been shouldering the air pollution burden of this inefficient and outdated power plant since the 1960s” said Rebecca Pearl, EHC Energy Advocate, “The results of this new air quality study expose the seriousness of this issue and compel the community to ask questions about the lease negotiation, and demand that alternatives are explored. This is an opportunity to avoid another 40 year mistake by pursuing a clean energy future.”

The EHC policy recommendations are:

• Focus on Renewable Energy: Current plant should be replaced with an energy strategy that expands the region’s renewable energy supply through solar and wind generation.  This is consistent with the San Diego’s Regional Energy Strategy and the California Public Utility Commission’s “preferred loading order” of energy sources.  The process for determining this strategy should be launched by the Port, the City of Chula Vista and community stakeholders immediately.
• Implement Community Choice Aggregation: The City of Chula Vista should implement Community Choice Aggregation and other similar programs, in a manner which would improve the City’s ability to expand existing renewable energy programs and quality green collar jobs.
• Build a small, low-polluting replacement plant, only if necessary.  If complete replacement with renewable energy is not possible, consideration should be given to construction of a small plant which:

1. Uses “dry-cooling” technology, which will not require using bay water, and without cooling towers that would impact the Bayfront’s aesthetics and economic development.
2. Strives to significantly reduce air pollution.  Current air pollution emissions contribute to unacceptable burdens to downwind communities.  The Port District should work with Duke Energy and LS Power to ensure that any replacement strategy results in much cleaner air. 

• Ensure Community Involvement: Decisions about the replacement of the South Bay Power Plant should involve the most impacted community—residents in western Chula Vista and South San Diego.  The Port District and the City of Chula Vista should convene a stakeholder process modeled on the Bayfront Citizen’s Advisory Committee or the Power Plant Working Group.
• Phase-out Once-Through Water Cooling: The Port District and the City of Chula Vista should support state-wide efforts to develop and implement timely phase-out plans for Once-Through Water Cooling (OTC) of new and existing power plants.
• Defeat Sunrise Powerlink: Cities, the county, and SANDAG’s Energy Working Group should act immediately to oppose projects like Sunrise Powerlink that would also exploit communities and are incorrectly purported as the only alternative to large power plants.
• Adopt building efficiency standards: The Port District, the City of Chula Vista, and SANDAG should adopt building standards that require that all new buildings, developments, and retrofits be designed to use half of the fossil fuel energy of the county average for that building type.

The Air Quality Impacts Report is available at www.environmentalhealth.org.

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