Environment, energy needs weighed

Commissioners found Santan balance

Neighbors opposed to the Santan power plant expansion won't see it this way, but the lengths the Arizona Corporation Commission went to achieve balance between Santan power plant opponents' concerns and regional electricity needs is fairly remarkable.

In addition to the 34 conditions of approval attached by a Corporation Commission committee to the Salt River Project proposal, the commissioners added three more important stipulations that address the most legitimate concerns of expansion proponents:

There will be no high-polluting diesel fuel burned on the Gilbert site - none, never. Not even in the face of blackouts.

Salt River Project must review its plant operations and emission controls every five years. It's obligated to make whatever upgrades that are available with the latest technologies - forever.

The carbon monoxide emission offsets must be achieved from the site, not elsewhere in the Valley.

By law, for every pound of emissions produced by the plant, SRP must reduce pollution overall by 1.2 pounds. Those offsets can take place miles away anywhere in the Valley. The Corporation Commission said residents near the Santan should benefit exclusively from the offsets.

These provisions go far beyond what's required by state and federal environmental law. The Corporation Commission imposed some of the nation's toughest standards for power plant operations.

Commissioners signaled early during three days of oral arguments and public comment on the Santan their concerns about the proposal's impact on air quality. Of all the issues raised by the Santan opponents, air quality is the most relevant.

The Valley, for a variety of reasons, has bad air that either causes or triggers respiratory ailments among many, many residents. Asthma sufferers, a recent series in The Arizona Republic explained, have a particularly tough time here. Eliminating dirty diesel fuel as an energy source reduces significantly the emissions that most aggravate those with respiratory ailments.

The SRP burned diesel at the bi-fueled Santan during a few days last winter. Those with asthma and other respiratory problems reported an increase in discomfort during those days.

With the commission's conditions, diesel fuel will never burn again at the Santan, which usually runs on cleaner-burning natural gas. Salt River Project will need to find another way to supply electricity to its customers if the natural gas supply becomes unreliable.

Nothing short of demolishing the existing plant would have satisfied some of the more rabid opponents of the SRP facility. That's a position that is entirely unreasonable.

Although sympathetic and respectful to the Santan's neighbors, the commissioners were able to sort through the confusing, political din to make a fair and responsible decision.

In approving the Santan project with their important conditions, the commissioners found the right balance between protecting the environment and securing the Valley's supply of reliable energy long into the future.

The Arizona Republic editorials represent the position of the newspaper, whose editorial board consists of Keven Willey, Phil Boas, Jennifer Dokes, Doug MacEachern, Joel Nilsson, O. Ricardo Pimentel, Robert Robb, Laurie Roberts, Linda Valdez, Ken Western and Steve Benson.