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EPA Abandons Dirty Air Plans, Sytmies Desert Rock The Environmental Protection Agency in December abandoned its push to revise two air-pollution rules that would have allowed significantly greater air pollution at Mesa Verde National Park and would also have weakened rules that dictate when power plants need to install antipollution devices. This is a wonderful victory for cleaner air at Mesa Verde and other national parks. Last July, SJCA helped publicize the EPA's proposed weakening of air quality protections with an event held at the Park. We feared that this was EPA's way of smoothing the path for approval of the massive Desert Rock power plant proposed near Shiprock, NM. The abandonded provision would have changed how and when air quality is measured in Class 1 regions, which include 48 national parks. Under provisions of the 1977 Clean Air Act, measurements are taken at short- and long-term intervals to measure spikes during peak usage time as well as long-term averages. The proposed change would eliminate the shorter three-hour interval measurement, which proponents of the changes claim is a better representation of emissions in Class 1 regions. EPA officials had been trying to finalize the regulation change before President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in Jan. 20. But in December, an EPA spokesman said they were giving up. The proposed rule change had met stringent opposition from within EPA, with 8 of the 10 regional EPA office vocally opposed to the change.
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Oktoberfest, Downtown Durango, September 27-28, 2008 San Juan Citizens' VERY fun fundraiser. Live music, brew, kids events and food, and a drawing for a bicycle cruiser! More> |
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The GBR, Green Business Roundtable The Green Business Roundtable helps INSPIRE, EDUCATE, and IMPROVE the business community on environmental issues through a monthly lunch networking event. More> |
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Donate Now Support San Juan Citizens Alliance! Want to donate? Donations are matched by a challenge grant from Earth Friends Wildlife Foundation! |
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What’s Hot - San Juan County, NM Exceeds Legal Ozone Limit |
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What’s Hot - Northern San Juan Mountains Wilderness Local governments and concerned citizens are advocating wilderness protection for Sheep Mountain, expanded Mt. Sneffels, and BLM lands in Disappointment Valley and the Dolores River. Write Rep. Salazar today! More> |
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What’s Hot - San Juan Forest Plan |
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What's Hot - Colorado O&G Rules Beginning in January, 2008 the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) will take public comment on newly proposed oil and gas drilling regulations. The oil industry has mobilized massive resources to gut common sense health, safety and wildlife protections. More> |
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What's Hot - Desert Rock On July 31, 2008, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the Air Quality permit for the proposed Desert Rock coal-fired power plant. On October 2, 2008 Environmental Organizations and the State of New Mexico filed Supplemental briefs challenging EPA on issuance of the PSD permit. More> |
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What’s Hot - HD Mountains Diverse interests representing farmers, landowners, hunters, and conservation groups challenged the Forest Service decision authorizing dozens of wells in HD Mountains roadless area with a lawsuit filed on January 23, 2008. More> • Watch a 10-minute video on YouTube - "The Drill Man Cometh" |
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What’s Hot - Chaco Culture National Historical Park This World Heritage Site in San Juan County, New Mexico needs protection and is under pressure from energy development and road projects in the region. Read about Chaco here. |
| San Juan Citizens Alliance is a grass roots organization dedicated to social, economic and environmental justice in the San Juan Basin. We organize San Juan Basin residents to protect our water and air, our public lands, our rural character, and our unique quality of life while embracing the diversity of our region’s people, economy and ecology. |
