EPA is beginning to work on some rules to address power plant
air emissions during start-up, shut-downs, malfunctions, and upsets.
Currently, air pollution emissions during these periods are largely
exempt, but may be quite significant.
We expect a comment period in the near future, and would like to
generate stories from people who live near a plant and can tell how
these affect them personally. Dirty windshields, bad odors, you name
it. We are gathering some stories to put a human face on the
rule-making process.
If anyone would like to share their personal experiences, please
let me know. And be thinking about how to tell that story!
I live in Bobtown, PA, on Crescent Avenue. Five or so air miles from
Longview, although the belching stack and attendant light pollution are
readily visible from my driveway in all weather. When the plant was
powering up, it sounded as though a jet engine was powering up inside
my house. My bedroom faces the plant, and this would occur several
times a day in no predictable pattern. My office is in the center of
the house, and the noise was still tortuously loud. My friend Jim
O'Connell had an identical experience. His email addy is