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Brandon Shores Power Plant Violations Checked |
Brandon Shores Power Plant to Curb Visible Emissions
Constellation
Energy has agreed to settle a claim by the Center on behalf of the
Patapsco River Conservation Association alleging over 9,000 Clean Air
Act permit violations at its Brandon Shores power plant on the Patapsco
River in Maryland. The Center notified the company of its intent to
bring a citizen suit if the violations were not addressed. Through
negotiations, the Center has secured commitments from Constellation to
steadily reduce the number of violations or pay significant penalties
and install upgraded control systems. The company also agreed to
provide $50,000 in funds for remedial environmental projects on the
Patapsco River. The settlement will result in real reductions of
particulate matter and hazardous air pollutants from the plant.
The
facility’s air pollution permit states that air emissions from
smokestacks must be no more than 10% “opacity,” with 0% representing
essentially invisible emissions and 100% representing complete
blackness which allows no light to pass through. The higher the
percentage, the dirtier the emissions are. Emissions exceeding the 10%
limit have occurred in recent years with great frequency, to the
increasing frustration of local citizens, thereby prompting the
Association to act to curtail the excessive pollution.
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