The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice filed the new settlement with a federal district court in New Jersey, Justice Department officials announced Nov. 30.
Under the terms of the new settlement, PSEG will pay a $4.25 million penalty to the federal government and $1.75 million to New Jersey. PSEG also will perform environmental mitigation projects valued at $3.25 million to reduce particulate matter from diesel engines in New Jersey.
"PSEG failed to live up to its obligations under the 2002 consent decree, putting air quality and public health at risk," said Granta Nakayama, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "This new agreement shows that there are serous consequences to violating court orders like the 2002 consent decree."
Under the 2002 court order, PSEG was required to install pollution control equipment at its power plants in Jersey City, N.J., and Hamilton, N.J. to reduce sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter and take steps to reduce mercury and carbon dioxide emissions. However, PSEG Fossil failed to take the necessary steps to install pollution control equipment at its Hudson plant in Jersey City, according to the EPA.
To compensate for the pollution reductions not achieved due to PSEG´s noncompliance, the company will be required to speed up the timetable for installation of additional equipment at its Mercer generating station in Hamilton and undertake interim steps to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter at the Hudson plant until the required pollution control equipment is installed or the unit is shut down, according to the EPA and the Justice Department.
As a result of the more stringent emission limits and installation of
additional controls, the new settlement will likely result in greater
reductions in air pollution than agreed to in the original consent decree,
according to federal officials.
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