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<br />The proposed Oak Grove units would burn Texas lignite. The Twin Oaks units would <br />burn lignite and Powder River Basin coal from Wyoming. The Calhoun County <br />Navigation District unit would burn petroleum coke, which produces emissions similar to <br />coaL The Formosa Plastics units would burn petroleum coke and Powder River Basin <br />coaL The NRG units would burn subbituminous and bituminous coal and Powder River <br />Basin coaL The remaining units would burn Powder River Basin coaL <br /> <br />The TCEQ has already approved the permit for the Sandy Creek unit. That decision is on <br />appeal to the District Court in Travis County. The State Office of Administrative <br />Hearings (SOAH) has recommended that the permit application for the two TXU Oak <br />Grove units be denied. The TCEQ Commissioners will soon consider that <br />recommendation. <br /> <br />TXU also seeks to construct an additional unit at the present location of the Alcoa <br />Sandow plant in Milam County. That unit was permitted following a settlement with the <br />EP A that provided for the shut-down ofthree other units at that location. This matter is <br />pending before the U.S. District Court in Austin. <br /> <br />What's wrong with the sixteen proposed units? <br /> <br />Of the major sources of electric power generation, traditional coal plants are one of the <br />dirtiest and most harmful to the air. Coal plants are also a major contributor to <br />greenhouse gases that cause global warming. The major emissions of a traditional coal- <br />fired power plant include: <br /> <br />· Nitrogen Oxides (NOx). Nitrogen oxides combine with other chemicals to cause <br />low-level ozone, an air pollutant that is the principal component of smog. Ozone also <br />contributes to asthma and other health and respiratory problems. <br /> <br />· Mercury (Hg). Mercury is a heavy metal that travels from the air to lakes and rivers, <br />and builds up in fish. Eating fish with high mercury levels can be dangerous to <br />human health (including neurological and brain damage) and is especially dangerous <br />for pregnant women and infants. <br /> <br />· Particulate Matter (PM). PM consists of small-sized particles suspended in the air. It <br />contributes to respiratory problems, nose and throat irritation, and cardiovascular <br />problems, and is increasingly understood to be a cause of early death. PM also <br />contributes to haze that reduces visibility. <br /> <br />. Sulfur Dioxide (S02). S02 is formed by the combination of sulfur in fuels with <br />oxygen during combustion. It causes breathing problems, contributes to smog and <br />reduced visibility, and adds to particle pollution. <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />.... .---.....T................r...-.-.-.... <br />