Wisconsin power company reaches settlement with EPA and Sierra Club
In late June, the La Crosse, Wisconsin-based power company Dairyland Power Cooperative reached an agreement with both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Sierra Club. This settlement effectively ended years of litigation between the entities based on a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club – an environmental protection agency – against Dairyland in June 2010 alleging that the power company violated the Clean Air Act.
"A long, drawn out legal battle would not be in the best financial interest of Dariyland's members and, since we had already begun adding hundreds of millions of dollars of air emission controls at our power plants, we agreed to work toward a settlement to reduce the risk of uncertain outcomes and the accompanying additional rate pressure of our cooperative consumers," said Bill Berg, Dairyland's CEO. "Dairyland stands by its strong belief that our cooperative did not violate the law."
Most of the Sierra Club's allegations stem from Dairyland's use of coal as its main source of power. But, according to the press release, Dairyland had begun a $400 million plan to reduce its emissions before the Sierra Club filed its lawsuits against the company.
But, in the settlement, Dairyland agrees to further limit its emission rates and total annual amounts emitted for SO2 (sulphur) and NOx (nitrogen-oxides). In order to do so, the company must install "selective catalytic reduction NOx control technology" at its John P. Madgett Station (JPM), which, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, could cost upwards of $150 million. In addition, the company must install similar emission control technologies in its units in Alma.
While the litigation processes between Dairyland, the EPA and the Sierra Club must have been long and complicated, litigants in other cases can use a nationally certified court reporting service to efficiently support any deposition or hearing. Other agencies in the Wisconsin area needing litigation services may benefit from contacting Milwaukee court reporters.
