[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 134 (Wednesday, October 6, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2039]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DEDICATION OF THE NAVAJO GENERATING STATION SCRUBBERS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. BOB STUMP

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 5, 1999

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to an 
important construction project in my home State and District that has 
set a precedent for balancing economic values with the delicate needs 
of the environment. I am referring to the recent completion of a $420 
million air-emissions project at the Navajo Generating Station, or NGS, 
located near Page, Arizona, some 12 miles from the eastern boundary of 
the Grand Canyon National Park.
  NGS was built in the early 1970's by the Salt River Project, or SRP, 
the nation's third largest public power provider, and a consortium of 
other utilities, to serve the needs to nearly three million customers 
in Arizona, Nevada and California. With a 2,250-megawatt capacity, the 
power plant is the second largest in Arizona and remains, to this day, 
one of the largest coal-fired power plants in North America. NGS 
participants include the Salt River Project, the Los Angeles Department 
of Water and Power, Arizona Public Service Company, Nevada Power 
Company and Tucson Electric Power Company. A sixth participant, the 
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, sells its share of NGS electricity for 
power pumps of the Central Arizona Project, a 336-mile canal system 
critical to sustaining agriculture, industry and development in the 
greater Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas.
  At the time of its construction, NGS was recognized for its advanced 
environmental controls and strict compliance with the Clean Air Act of 
1971. Amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1977, however, put the plant 
on a collision course with new laws aimed at protecting clear vistas at 
our nation's national parks. Studies completed by the National Park 
Service indicated that the plant may be contributing to haze over the 
Grand Canyon National Park. Environmental groups subsequently filed a 
lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency demanding action to 
mitigate NGS emissions. Costly and protracted litigation, which would 
incur high costs to both taxpayers and customers of NGS, appeared 
inevitable.
  Rather than litigate, SRP took the commendable route of seeking an 
environmentally and economically responsible solution to the plant's 
sulfur-dioxide output. With financing from NGS participants, 
independent and thorough scientific studies were conducted. While it 
was discovered that much of the haze in the Grand Canyon region derived 
from urban smog, dust, forest fires and visitor traffic at the Grand 
Canyon itself, it was also discovered that the NGS did contribute to 
Canyon haze under limited conditions.
  In response to the results of the study, SRP and its NGS partners 
took the lead in reaching a balanced agreement to outfit the plant with 
additional emissions equipment. On September 8, 1991, I accompanied 
President George Bush and then-Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan 
and others to the south rim of the Grand Canyon to witness the signing 
of the NGS Visibility Agreement, the first such compact under the Clean 
Air Act. In accordance with that agreement, NGS is now outfitted with 
three wet-limestone scrubbers capable of removing more than 95 percent 
of the plant's sulfur-dioxide emissions. The last unit was put on line 
this summer.
  In addition, during the scrubber construction process, SRP was able 
to save $100 million. The savings will be passed on to NGS customers at 
a time when the utility industry is being opened to retail competition.
  Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, October 14, 1999, a ceremony will be 
conducted at the plant to commemorate the fulfillment of a promise made 
eight years ago. The Grand Canyon is one of the crown-jewels of our 
National Park System, with more than four million visitors a year. The 
Navajo Generating Station can no longer be credited with contributing 
to the haze at this national treasure.
  Mr. Speaker, the dedication this month of the NGS Scrubbers 
exemplifies a true balance between economic and environmental values. 
This effort deserves wide recognition.

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