By Erin Smith
Cambridge Chronicle, Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Environmental watchdogs are charging that the Kendall Square power plant could destroy river wildlife if the federal government allows the company to dump hot water in the Charles River.
The Conservation Law Foundation and the Charles River Watershed Association are appealing a permit that allows the Mirant Kendall power plant to dump up to 80 million gallons of water into the Charles. The permit allows the discharged water to reach temperatures up to 105 degrees.
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The plant at 215 First St. in East Cambridge takes water from the river to cool the plant’s turbines. Then, the plant discharges the heated water back into the river.
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The organizations charge that the heated water would create a “dead zone” for 50 percent of the river near the plant and increase temperatures along the entire river, threatening fish populations. The discharged water could worsen existing problems with toxic algae blooms and poor water clarity, the groups said.
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Cambridge and surrounding communities have spent million of dollars to clean up the Charles, said Carol Lee Rawn, the CLF lawyer handling the groups appeal.
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“It’s a shame to let a private company degrade that,” said Rawn.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued the new permit to the power plant in September. Several years ago, the EPA and the state’s Department of Environmental Protection began a bid to tighten Mirant’s permit requirements in an effort to clean up the Charles.
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CLF doesn’t think the new permit’s restrictions go far enough to protect the environment, but power plant officials think the new regulations go too far.
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Mirant filed a separate appeal with the government, arguing that the new permit requirements are now too strict.
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Representatives from Mirant did not return a call for comment.
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Both CLF and Mirant have until Dec. 15 to file additional arguments with EPA. The Local EPA office has until April 9 to file a response to the appeal.
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The appeals are heard at the Environmental Appeals Board, an independent administrative court within EPA that’s based in Washington, D.C. If the board upholds the permit, either CLF or Mirant could decide to pursue the appeal case in federal court.