Virginia Home to 4 of SELC's Top 10 Endangered Places

The Southern Environmental Law Center recently released its Top 10 Endangered Places of 2012. Virginia has four of the top 10, a testament to both Virginia's immense natural beauty and our Republican-controlled government's disinterest in preserving it.

Secretive Kaine Air Pollution Control Board Letter Revealed

After days of mysterious reports and devastating condemnations, Gov. Kaine's full letter to Virginia Air Pollution Control Board members has finally hit the net.

As has been reported, it couldn't be more vaguely worded. Kaine writes that he wants to provide "clear direction on my expectations," yet never actually references Dominion's proposed 585-megawatt, $1.8 billion coal-fired power plant in Wise County. Kaine also never says what form of air pollution he's so concerned about. As for what prompted the letter, Kaine only makes a murky reference to "recent reports."

In fact, the letter really only makes one thing clear - board members should do as Kaine directs them. The governor uses some form of the word "direct" seven times in a ten-sentence letter.

Let's review the expected annual emissions from the proposed plant:

- 5.3 million tons of carbon dioxide
- 4,132 tons of carbon monoxide
- 3,369 tons of sulfur dioxide
- 1,971 tons of nitrogen oxides
- 739 tons of particulate matter
- 139 tons of volatile organic compounds
- Up to 72 pounds of mercury

And we're supposed to believe this is "clean coal"? Right. As Cale Jaffe of the Southern Environmental Law Center said today, "If the issue is about enforcing the 'existing regulatory framework' as Gov. Kaine says, then this plant should not come close to getting permitted."

An Air Pollution Control Board hearing on the plant is set for next week in Wise Co. Learn more at CCAN's website.

Cross-posted from RK