The U.S. Supreme Court rulingthis week on a law limiting mercury and other emissions from power plants will not affect a coal-fired plant in northwestern New Mexico.
Operators at the San Juan Generating Station took aggressive steps to limit the amount of mercury that was escaping into the air several years ago as part of a settlement agreement with the New Mexico Environment Department.
The nation’s high court sent a federal rule limiting emissions back to the EPA this week for more cost analysis.
Environmentalists voiced concerns that the power plants already in compliance, like San Juan, might turn off their pollution controls while the matter gets ironed out.
SJGS’s settlement with the state reduced the amount of mercury coming out of the plant by more than 98 percent.
Because of the binding settlement agreement, no matter what the final outcome is with the EPA, San Juan has no wiggle room.
