Opposition groups against the proposed power plant to be located near Richland-Chambers Lake, have made t-shirts to display their distaste for this type of facility to locate in Navarro County.

That is the slogan found on t-shirts being distributed around town by a concerned citizens group against the proposed power plants that has residents from Richland-Chambers Lake and farmers and ranchers near the proposed location very upset.

The group has met on two occasions to discuss some of the problems that could arise if the power plants are allowed to set up shop in Navarro County.

Air and water are the main issues at the top of the list.

Lake area resident Vicky Prater said their main concern is the fact the proposed plant, which plans to locate near the Pisgah Ridge area, will use approximately 15 million gallons of water per day; she believes this could pose a huge problem since the county has barely recovered from drought conditions over the past few years, or if the same situation happens again.

“We are very disappointed that us citizens only found out about the power plants in December,” Prater said during the Corsicana City Council meeting held Tuesday evening. “You had to of known a lot longer than December … something’s not right here.”

Prater asked the City to slow down the process until more information can be obtained concerning the safety, health, and well being of the citizens.

Gregory Singletary basically echoed Praters suggestion, but hoped they would delay any action towards the project until an environmental impact study can be obtained.

Diana Rawlins told the council to wait until the power plant obtains its air permit.

“Things are getting ready to change in the air quality numbers at TCEQ,” Rawlins said.

Eddie Pevehouse, a resident near the proposed power plant, is one of the people spearheading the group, and has brought up the subject of the power plant that is located in Ellis County.

“Ellis County’s air quality has reached the non-attainment level for ozone,” said Pevehouse, a point she has made during the past two meetings, and commissioner’s meetings. “That is not an achievement we want for our county and its people.”

According to a report obtain from the Texas Lone Star Sierra Club Chapter, wind direction during the smog season blows mainly from the south-southeast, meaning that the prevailing winds could carry NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) emissions from the plant directly into the D/FW Metroplex increasing the ground level ozone and smog levels.

This would mean more high ozone days in the DFW ozone non-attainment area above the 8-hour ozone standard and higher concentrations of ozone above the EPA standard.

NOx raises significant concerns based on the December 21, 2007 permit application.

The LS Power/Pin Oak Creek plant in its TCEQ permit is expecting to emmit 1,318 tons per year of NOx along with 275 tons of Sulphur Oxide (SO2) and 7,930 tons of carbon dioxide right on the D/FW regional air shed.

The Sierra Club report also indicated in their findings that the D/FW area is struggling to find 20 tons per day of NOx reduction and this one plant will wipe out 18% of D/FW SIP (State Implementation Plan) progress achieved in meeting the 20 tons per day NOx reduction.

The emission limits for oxides of nitrogen pollution are not protective of public health for Dallas County, Tarrant County, Denton County, Collin County, Ellis County, Johnson County, Kaufman County, Rockwall County, and Parker County residents and other downwind communities and citizens.

The NOx emissions may not even be protective of Navarro County residents since nitrogen oxides are highly acidic as acid-forming gases and will also form secondary toxic fine particulate matter as the large concentrations of NOx agglomerate in the air after being emitted from the stacks, which the TCEQ has been ignoring in its health effects review of power plant emissions, the report claims.

What are the health effects of Nitrogen Oxides?

According to the information gathered from the Sierra Club report, the emissions that will be released from the Pin Oak plant is approximately 1,318 tons a year or 2,636,000 pounds.

The report indicated that Nitrogen Oxides ozone-smog forming pollution can result in higher rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

Acid rain gas and forms of secondary fine particulate matter in the air after release is harmful to health the report indicated.

Breathing acidic gases and particles into the lungs causes an attack on the mucous membrane lining of the entire respiratory tract and will kill sensitive lung tissues especially in the alveolar sacs where gaseous exchange occurs between the lungs and the bloodstream according to the report.

Fine particulate matter as Nox-PM2.5 will contribute with other PM2.5 particles in the atmosphere to cumulative health impacts and contribute to increased risk of heart attacks, respiratory problems and premature mortalities where people are exposed to these emissions, the report claims..

During Tuesday’s council meeting, Patrick Patterson, who lives just a few miles upwind from the Pin Oak Creek Power Plant, made a short and brief statement before returning to his seat.

“We don’t need this power plant,” Patterson stated.

The next scheduled informational meeting is planned for Tuesday, March 11, 2008, at The Palace Theater, beginning at 6 p.m. and will be hosted by the City of Corsicana.

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