United States Regional Administrator Region 9, Ariz ona, California

Environmental Protection 75 Hawthorne Street Hawai i, Nevada, Guam

Agency San Francisco, CA 94105-3901 American Samoa,

Northern Marianas Islands

For Immediate Release: October 6, 2010

Contact: Margot Perez-Sullivan, (415) 947-4149, perezsullivan.margot@epa.gov

EPA proposes pollution controls for nation’s larges t source of NOx: Four Corners Power

Plant Move would reduce 36,000 tons of NOx - equal to tak ing half gasoline cars and trucks in

Arizona off the road - improving public health and visibility

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed requiring additional pollution controls for the Four Corners Power Plant located on the Navajo Nation near Farmington, New Mexico to improve visibility and hu man health. EPA’s proposal will require plant operators to install the most stringent pollu tion control technology available for this type of facility. These controls will reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from approximately 45,000 tons per year to 9,000 tons per year.

Every year over 280 million people visit our nation ’s most treasured parks and wilderness areas. Yet, many visitors aren’t able to see the spectacul ar vistas because of the veil of white or brown haze that hangs in the air, reducing visibility and dulling the natural beauty. There are 16 national parks and wilderness areas in the vicinity of the Four Corners Power Plant, including the

Mesa Verde and the Petrified Forest. These control s are estimated to reduce the visibility impact by an average of 57% at these areas.

In addition to reducing visibility, nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with other chemicals to form ozone and small particles, both harmful to the publ ic’s health. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react in the presence of heat and sunlight. Children, the elderly, people with lung diseases such as asthma, and people who work or exercise outside are at risk for adverse effects from ozone and particul ate matter.

“The Four Corners Power Plant is the largest source of nitrogen oxides in the nation,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pa cific Southwest Region. “Adding new pollution controls at this 45-year old plant will r educe these emissions by 80%—we will all be able to see the results and breathe cleaner, health ier air.”

The Clean Air Act’s Regional Haze Rule requires the use of Best Available Retrofit Technology at older coal-fired power plants to reduce haze and improve visibility. EPA’s proposal is achievable by installing and operating Selective Ca talytic Reduction on all five units at the plant. The installation and operation of SCR is estimated to increase the electricity bill for the average Arizona Public Service residential customer by abou t 70 cents per week.SCR is cost effective technology that will result i n the greatest visibility improvement of all

devices the agency considered. When the proposal i s finalized, the Four Corners Power Plant will have five years to add the controls.

EPA will continue to consult with the Navajo Nation and other affected tribes, and the Federal Land Managers before taking any final action. There will be a 60-day public comment period on the proposed action as well as two public hearings in the Four Corners area.

For additional information on the proposed rulemaki ng and opportunities to provide input, please

go to: http://www.epa.gov/region9/air/navajo/index.html#pr oposed