PGE, environmental groups reach Boardman settlement
By Erik Siemers, Business Journal staff writer
Business Journal staff writer
PGE announced Tuesday a settlement with environmental groups concerning emissions from the Boardman coal plant.
Portland General Electric Co. on Tuesday said it has reached an agreement with the Sierra Club and other environmental groups to settle a lawsuit over emissions from its coal-fired power plant near Boardman.
The Portland-based electric utility (NYSE: POR) said a consent decree was filed in U.S. District Court in Portland to resolve the claims by the environmental groups in 2008 of Clear Air Act violations.
The decree requires court approval after a 45-day review by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice.
Under terms of the settlement, PGE and the plant’s other co-owners will pay $1 million to the environmental groups for legal expenses and another $2.5 million to the Oregon Community Foundation for environmental projects in the Columbia Gorge and northeastern Oregon.
PGE owns 65 percent of the plant.
The settlement also specifies caps on permitted sulfur dioxide emissions while the Boardman plant remains in operation. It also allows for continued operation of the plant through 2020, when PGE plans to cease operations.
“We work closely with our state and federal regulators as part of our commitment to comply with applicable statutes, permits and regulations,” PGE CEO Jim Piro said in a news release. “While we believe we have strong defenses against the claims, we think it’s time to put the lawsuit behind us, and we’re pleased the funds we provide to the Oregon Community Foundation will add to the environmental benefits the 2020 plan offers Oregon.”
PGE in December got approval from state environmental regulators for its plan to invest an estimated $60 million in emissions control technology in advance of closing the plant by Dec. 31, 2020.
@ErikSiemers | esiemers@bizjournals.com | 503-219-3418
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