Two area power plants are among those that are set to shut down coal operations due to stricter pollution controls concerning waste water.
Reports say that Keystone Generating Station in Shelocta and Conemaugh Generating Station in New Florence are among at least 26 plants across 14 states that intend to shut down coal operations within the next ten years due to the high cost of stricter wastewater pollution controls. The new regulations from the federal Environmental Protection Agency requires plants that use coal to clean coal ash and toxic heavy metals like mercury, arsenic and others from plant wastewater before it is dumped into streams and rivers. The plants had an October deadline to tell state environmental regulators on how they planned to comply by either upgrading their pollution control equipment or by retiring the coal-fired units by December 31st of 2028.
The two area plants have been in operation for over 50 years and their shutdown would mean the termination of 320 full time workers and 170 contractors.
While Senator Joe Pittman is not happy with the recent news, he says the situation gives the plants time to work on some ideas on how to remain operational for their employees and their communities.
We reached out to local plant leaders and have not yet received a response.
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