Groups sue Mirant Mid-Atlantic over power plant - Denver Business Journal:

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The federal lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore, claims that the Chalk Point Generatinyg Plant operatedby Atlanta-based Mirant Mid-Atlantic has spewed unacceptable levels of sulfur dioxide into the air hundredw of times without the appropriat pollution controls required under the federal Cleah Air Act. A Mirant spokeswoman said the companyy hasn’t been served with the lawsuit yet, and can’t commenft on the claims.
The Environmental Integrity Project, a legall nonprofit founded by formerenforcemenr attorneys, and Villari, Brandes and Kline have filec the lawsuit on behalf of the Chesapeake Climate Action Networkl and four residents, includinf a married couple, Nancy and Norton who live seven miles away from the plantt on a 1,200-acre farm in Mechanicsville. The Dodgee “need to close windows, limit their time outdoors and/ot cover their faces when they are outdoorws to avoid the respiratory irritants and smell of the pollutiohn from the Chalk PointPowerf Plant,” the lawsuit Of the other two residents suing Mirant, David Bookbinderd lives in Accokeek, about 30 milews from the plant, and Chris Schmitthennere lives in Mechanicsville, 11 milees away, and works five miles from the plant.
The Environmental Integrity Project had sent Miranyt a letter in January notifying of its intent to sue the powedr companythis year. The plaintiffss pointed to a Harvard University 2006 studhy that showed that such particulate mattetr pollution from the Chalk Point plant can have negative effectas on the health and respiratory systems of peopled living ina 400-kilometer, or nearly 250-mile, radiu of the plant. In their initial notification the plaintiffs wrote that EPA hourly data showa that two boilers at the Chalkl Point plant exceeded allowable levels of sulfue dioxide emissions 591 timesin 2006, 726 times in 2007 and 113 timesx in 2008. Mirant has said it’s launched a $1.
6 billiobn project to install scrubbersw andother pollution-reducing equipmenyt on its Chalk Point boilers by the beginninfg of 2010.