CRWA in the News

Power plant pegged as one factor in Charles River algae

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

The Boston Globe, Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Environmental activists are calling for quick action on their proposal to reduce the amount of heated water discharged into the Charles River by a Cambridge power plant, saying there’s a link between the discharge and outbreaks of toxic blue-green algae on the river.

The Charles River Watershed Association and the Conservation Law Foundation have been battling the owners of the Mirant Kendall power plant, which is just north of the Longfellow bridge.

The activists, who are trying to get a permit issued last year to the plant tightened, criticized what they said were delays proposed by the company and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The issue is before the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board.

A spokeswoman for Mirant said it was “factually incorrect” to say that the power plant was the reason for the blue-green algae outbreaks.

"While the algae blooms are a relatively recent occurrence, Mirant Kendall has run its operations discharging water at the same temperatures at the same place for over 40 years, without any such occurrences. The fact is this phenomenon is occurring in water bodies throughout the Northeast and environmental scientists are still researching to understand the causes," company spokeswoman Felicia Browder said in an email.

The natural-gas-powered plant is allowed to draw in vast quantities of water from the Charles to cool its turbines and allowed to discharge the water at temperatures comparable to hot bathwater, CLF said.

The environmentalists believe that the heating of the water is one of several factors contributing to the growth of the algae, along with sunlight and elevated levels of phosphorus in the water, CLF attorney Cynthia Liebman said.

EPA attorney Ron Fein said the EPA needs to correct some parts of the permit after a court victory by CLF in a separate case in New York -- and that might cause some delays.

Still, he said, "We're trying to move forward as quickly as possible."

"Mirant is committed to working with the EPA and other stakeholders to find timely, reasonable methods to protect the local ecosystem," Browder, the Mirant spokeswoman, said.

Last year, an outbreak of the algae forced the cancellation of the first-ever Charles River swim race. But the race was able to go forward last month.