I chose to take a closer look at the Four Corners Generating Station located near Fruitland, New Mexico on the Navajo Nation because it is near where my family lives and coal has been a part of many tribal members lives for generation. This coal-fired power plant was originally developed with five coal-fired units but currently only two units are operational. Arizona Public Service Company (APS), the majority owner of the last two units, is planning on decommissioning them within the next 10 years. It generates power using a boiler and steam turbine generator and receives its coal supply from a nearby Navajo coal mine via a connected railroad. The coal is burned which creates high pressure steam that turns the turbine generator and produces electricity. This is then sent through transmission lines owned by APS and distributed to customers both on and off the Navajo Nation.
Emissions from this facility include sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide which caused health related issues for neighbors of the plant, even with safety measures like electrostatic precipitators in place. In 2015, after environmental groups filed a complaint citing a violation of the Clean Air Act, a settlement was reached that required a 160 million dollar investment to environmental upgrades for the plant, 6.7 million dollars to go towards health and environmental mitigation projects for tribal members and a civil penalty of 1.5 million dollars. With the planned decommission of this facility in the next decade, there has been a huge uproar for tribal members who have worked in the coal industry for generations and worry about what the future holds for them.
Kasper, M. (2018, October 1). Replacing coal with more coal: how Arizona Public Services Four Corners coal plant hurt customers, but earned investors profits. Enery and Policy Institute.
https://www.energyandpolicy.org/arizona-public-service-four-corners-power-plant/ (Links to an external site.)
Nguyen, D. (2019, July 9). As Plant Faces Closure, New Mexico City Weights Bet on Clean Coal Technology. Elemental Reports.
https://elementalreports.com/renewable-energy/2019/07/09/as-plant-faces-closure-city-in-four-corners-region-weighs-bet-on-clean-coal-technology/ (Links to an external site.)
Beyond electrostatic precipitators, what techniques can also be used to mitigate harmful or toxic air pollutants?
Our Service Charter
1. Professional & Expert Writers: Homework Discussion only hires the best. Our writers are specially selected and recruited, after which they undergo further training to perfect their skills for specialization purposes. Moreover, our writers are holders of masters and Ph.D. degrees. They have impressive academic records, besides being native English speakers.
2. Top Quality Papers: Our customers are always guaranteed of papers that exceed their expectations. All our writers have +5 years of experience. This implies that all papers are written by individuals who are experts in their fields. In addition, the quality team reviews all the papers before sending them to the customers.
3. Plagiarism-Free Papers: All papers provided by Homework Discussion are written from scratch. Appropriate referencing and citation of key information are followed. Plagiarism checkers are used by the Quality assurance team and our editors just to double-check that there are no instances of plagiarism.
4. Timely Delivery: Time wasted is equivalent to a failed dedication and commitment. Homework Discussion is known for timely delivery of any pending customer orders. Customers are well informed of the progress of their papers to ensure they keep track of what the writer is providing before the final draft is sent for grading.
5. Affordable Prices: Our prices are fairly structured to fit in all groups. Any customer willing to place their assignments with us can do so at very affordable prices. In addition, our customers enjoy regular discounts and bonuses.
6. 24/7 Customer Support: At Homework Discussion, we have put in place a team of experts who answer to all customer inquiries promptly. The best part is the ever-availability of the team. Customers can make inquiries anytime.