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Sept. 27, 2002
BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S CLEAR SKIES INITIATIVE GETS SUPPORT FROM PUBLIC POWER
Jacksonville - The Large Public Power Council (LPPC), an organization composed of 24 of the largest locally-owned and controlled electric systems in the nation, today presented a letter of support for the basic tenants of the Bush Administration's Clear Skies initiative. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman accepted the letter in a presentation at JEA's Northside Generating Station in Jacksonville.
"Today, I was able to tour the Northside Generating Station, an impressive facility that is generating electricity with some of the cleanest coal technology in the world," EPA Administrator Christie Whitman told JEA CEO Walt Bussells. "Knowing your strong environmental track record, it's not surprising that you are giving your support to the President's Clear Skies proposal. This visionary and far-reaching plan will achieve mandatory reductions of 70 percent in three of the most noxious air pollutants emitted by power plants: nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and mercury. The President and I both know that building successful partnerships is vital if we are to realize our environmental goals. Only by working together can we ensure the continued stewardship of our country's precious natural resources and a future of cleaner air, purer water, and better protected land for this and future generations. It's a pleasure to be here today and to have the opportunity to see first hand the innovative steps that you are taking to ensure that our energy needs are met with a clear commitment to reducing harmful emissions and protecting the environment."
In its letter to President Bush, LPPC members said, "We commit to work with you and Congress to pass balanced multi-pollutant legislation for the power generation sector ..."
A basic philosophy behind the Clear Skies initiative holds that by harnessing the inherent strengths of America's free market system, electric utilities can - and should - achieve greater overall reductions in air emissions over the next twenty years.
JEA and other LPPC members advocate policies that grant industry the freedom to implement the most cost-effective emission reduction technologies and strategies in return for meeting more stringent overall clean air requirements. By focusing on the goal of cleaner air and allowing market conditions to influence strategies and technologies chosen to accomplish that goal, utilities can help make America's air cleaner then current requirements and can do it at the lowest cost possible for consumers.
"We are proud to be recognized for the innovative, diversified generating fleet JEA is bringing into service to improve air and water quality in our region while keeping our customers' rates low and stable. We believe that the Clear Skies Initiative is an outstanding way to continue to improve air quality across the country by expecting all electric utilities to creatively change their electric generation resources to improve the environment rapidly while encouraging economic prosperity," said Walt Bussells, JEA CEO.
JEA has voluntarily closed several older power generation units over the past few years and has replaced them with state of the art technologies. JEA's Brandy Branch Generating Station is one of the cleanest power plants in the world. And the POWER magazine 2002 Powerplant Award winner, JEA's Northside Generating Station, is one of the world's cleanest solid fuel power plants.
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