The consent decree resolves claims alleged by the United States against Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), Madison Gas and Electric Company (MGE), Wisconsin Electric Power Company (We Energies), and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (WPSC), for violations of the Clean Air Act�s New Source Review/ Prevention of Significant Deterioration provisions and Title V programs. The claims arise from modifications at Defendants� Nelson Dewey, Columbia and Edgewater generating stations in Wisconsin. The proposed consent decree also resolves similar claims made by the Sierra Club against Wisconsin Power and Light Company.
WPL has agreed to invest more than $1 billion in pollution control technology that will protect public health and resolve violations of the CAA. The settlement will also require that WPL spend $8.5 million on environmental mitigation projects and pay a civil penalty of $2.45 million.
Under the settlement, WPL must install new pollution control technology on its three largest units and will be required to continuously operate the new and existing pollution controls, and will be required to comply with stringent emission rates and annual tonnage limitations. The settlement also requires WPL to permanently retire, refuel, or repower four additional coal-fired units at the Edgewater and Nelson Dewey plants. The actions taken by WPL to comply with this settlement will result in annual reductions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and particu