HERE'S WHY YOU SHOULD ACT NOW

The EPA is currently is considering what actions to take to achieve additional visibility improvements in the Grand Canyon National Park. CAP supports efforts to protect the Grand Canyon and has been actively involved in efforts to find ways to improve air quality in the region.

Where the EPA and CAP differ is in which technology to use to achieve this goal.  There are two different technologies that may be capable of accomplishing the goals of further improving visibility at the park. While the two technologies vary greatly in cost, studies show no visible difference between the two in improvements to air quality.

The Navajo Generating Station participants, including CAP, are voluntarily installing a $47 million technology to reduce haze generating emissions at the plant, which will be completed by 2011.  However, the EPA may mandate the alternative technology, which could cost up to $1 billion to install and cost $15 million per year to operate. Also, it would require the daily importation of 31 tons, or two tanker trucks, of anhydrous ammonia.  

A comparative analysis was conducted by industry experts, which showed that the technology being installed by the NGS participants will provide the most cost-effective improvements to visibility near the Grand Canyon.

Bottom line, the technology seemingly preferred by the EPA will significantly increase the price of power and water, and the difference in visibility will be invisible to visitors.

It is for these reasons that CAP recommends that the EPA consider the installation of low-NOx technology at NGS as an initial step followed by monitoring and further analysis to determine if additional steps need to be taken to improve visibility in the Grand Canyon National Park. 

If the EPA does not take this approach and the Navajo Generating Station is shut down because of excessive costs, it would have a direct impact on the price of power and water for Arizonans. It would also have a devastating effect on the Native American tribes which depend on the power plant for employment and income.

The Navajo Generating Station represents a critical source of employment and revenue for the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe.  The NGS employs 545 full-time employees, almost 80% of whom are Navajo.  The Kayenta Coal Mine, which supplies coal for the NGS, employs another 422 tribal members.  The revenue received by the Hopi Tribe from coal sales makes up the bulk of the Tribe's funds for governmental operations and provides employment for hundreds of Hopi.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION
(copy and paste the following paragraph into your email)

I support Central Arizona Project and CAP stakeholders in efforts to convince the Environmental Protection Agency to follow reasonable measures to improve air quality and reduce emissions from the Navajo Generating Station. Please consider allowing the NGS owners to proceed with installing technology which will improve visibility throughout the Southwest most cost-effectively.  EPA can then proceed with monitoring and evaluation to determine whether or not additional actions are required. This balanced approach would properly account for the interdependent needs of the Navajo and Hopi tribal nations, the industrial and agricultural economies of the most populous areas of Arizona and the precious environment we all want to preserve and protect.