EPA supporting plan to close two PNM plants

On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency offered support for the state of New Mexico’s plan for shutting down two of PNM’s coal-fired power-generating units in the Four Corners area in connection with a regional haze dispute. The proposal will be published in the Federal Register and will be up for public comment with the EPA. PNM and the other owners of the San Juan Generating Station near Farmington, had been ordered to cut emissions from the plant due to haze concerns. However, plans that required the use of costly pollution control systems, at the cost of nearly $1 billion in one case, would have caused a huge rate hike for PNM Customers. In 2012, Gov. Susana Martinez requested that PNM, the EPA and the New Mexico Environment Department meet to come up with a new proposal after one offered by the state was rejected by the EPA in 2012. The EPA, PNM and the state have been working to craft a settlement that is less expensive than one originally proposed. The settlement will require PNM to retire two of the four coal-fired units at the San Juan Generating Station and add pollution-control equipment. In addition, PNM agrees to no layoffs, to create 350 person-years of construction jobs and to build a natural gas peaking-station in the Four Corners area. The company will also provide $1 million in job training and economic development funds in the Four Corners...more

I wonder what the total cost is to PNM and the rate payers.  Haze?  Section 169a of the Clean Air Act placed parks, monuments and wilderness areas as Class I areas under that act.  We see what that has done to the four corners area, wonder what 500,000 acres of wilderness and national monument will do for Las Cruces?