Clean-burning coal years away -- environmentalists

Friday 4 May 2001

Clean-burning coal years away -- environmentalists
New power plants can't legally be fast-tracked

by Dennis Hryciuk

Federal Environment Minister David Anderson is right to question so-called "clean-burning" coal for power plants, environmentalists said Thursday.

"It's clear that clean-coal technology doesn't exist at this time," said Tom Marr-Laing of the Pembina Institute.

New power plants proposed for Alberta won't have such technology because it won't be available for at least 15 years, Marr-Laing said in an interview.

On a visit to Alberta this week, Anderson said he wants to know more about the cleaner coal that Premier Ralph Klein has talked about for the plants. The federal minister suggested Ottawa could become involved in reviewing the projects to consider their air emissions, possibly slowing down the approval process.

Klein has said he wants to fast-track that process and referred to a meeting in Calgary with Prime Minister Jean Chretien last month, where the premier said he was assured Ottawa would not put up undue roadblocks to approval.

Marr-Laing said Klein and Chretien can't get around laws requiring full reviews of the projects.

"It's inappropriate for either Premier Klein or Prime Minister Chretien to say they can cut a political deal on this. Federal law requires Ottawa to consider possible involvement in the process."

Marr-Laing said his organization and other environmental groups in Alberta will present legal arguments that require a federal review of projects such as TransAlta's $1.8-billion, 900-megawatt expansion at its Keephills facility and Epcor's $500-million, 400-megawatt expansion at Genesee -- both near Lake Wabamun.

Both projects could offset increased emissions of greenhouse gases with projects such as solar or wind power plants that act as credits against those emissions, Marr-Laing said. But no technologies are available to offset increased emissions of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, heavy metals or particulate matter -- substances produced by coal-fired plants that can contribute to respiratory and other illnesses.

Although TransAlta has said it hopesfor approval of its Keephills project by year-end, that's unrealistic, particularly if Ottawa is involved, Marr-Laing said.

Federal assessment of the projects is needed to review cumulative effects in combination with existing power plants, said activist Brian Staszenski.

"All we're seeing from the TransAltas and the Epcors is that they're not treating cumulative effects seriously," said Staszenski, executive director of the Environmental Resource Centre. "Our only option is to have the feds come in."

Officials for both TransAlta and Epcor could not be reached for comment.

In Edmonton, Anderson said there could be reduced U.S. demand for Canadian natural gas if clean coal technology becomes a reality.

But petroleum industry spokesperson David MacInnis said that reality is many years away.