Justice orders continuation of Clinton era clean-air lawsuits
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Posted 6:54PM on Tuesday, January 15, 2002
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department said Tuesday that lawsuits filed by the Clinton administration alleging clean air violations at 51 power plants, including plants in Georgia and Alabama, were reasonable and will move forward. <br>
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The government's case against the power companies still could be undercut, however, if the administration decides, as it is considering, to relax environmental regulations that are at the heart of the enforcement actions. <br>
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The lawsuits contend the power companies, when making operational or equipment changes to boost electricity production, failed to install required pollution controls required by the Clean Air Act. <br>
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The lawsuits are against Alabama Power Company, Cincinnati Gas and Electric Company, Georgia Power Company, Illinois Power Company, Ohio Edison Company, Pennsylvania Power Company, and Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company, among others. Georgia Power and Alabama Power are part of the Atlanta-based Southern Company. <br>
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The plant operators argue that the EPA interpreted the regulation too narrowly and included a broad range of maintenance equipment and minor hardware changes as requiring pollution control improvements.
