Conservation Groups Oppose Four Corners Power Plant Lease

Several conservation groups in New Mexico are calling on the federal government to not allow the Four Corners Power Plant to burn coal for another quarter-century. The U.S. Interior Department is in the process of considering a 25-year lease on the power plant with Arizona Public Service, said Mike Eisenfeld, New Mexico energy coordinator for the San Juan Citizens Alliance. He said an Environmental Impact Statement, which considers future environmental issues, shows that the plant will continue to emit high levels of carbon dioxide, which is a major cause of climate change. "This document hardly even recognizes the enormous impact that the Four Corners Power Plant would have on the entire Southwest region, when it comes to climate change and disruptions of natural systems and the drought conditions that exist here," he said. The Four Corners Power Plant near Farmington provides electricity to Phoenix and various areas in the Southwest. Arizona Public Service is hoping to extend a lease with the federal government on the coal-fired power that would start in 2016...more