"FPL Seeks Public Funds to Fight Clean Water Rules
Posted October 22, 2014 06:40 am
TALLAHASSEE, FL - Today, Florida Power and Light (FPL) will appear before the state's Public Service Commission to ask for Florida tax dollars to fund its efforts to fight an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to close existing loopholes in the Clean Water Act.
The utility is asking for almost $230,000 to fight the rules, which would affect regulation of cooling ponds at its plants in the state.
Susan Glickman, executive director,
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, explains why her
organization is asking the state to deny the power
company's request: "Water is our most precious resource,
and to think that the utility would not only want to
weaken water protections, but would want to use
ratepayer money against our own interests is really
outrageous."
An FPL spokesman says the additional regulation would
cost the utility company millions of dollars it would
ultimately have to pass on to consumers.
The EPA is expected to issue a final decision on its
proposal in November. If approved, it would reinstate
rules placed in limbo after two Supreme Court rulings.
The court's decision impacted the protection of small
streams and wetlands, which can be found throughout the
state.
George Cavros, energy policy attorney, Southern Alliance
for Clean Energy, says the intended purpose of the
taxpayer funds for which FPL is applying is to help it
comply with environmental regulations, not change them.
"What's different here is that Florida Power and Light,
the biggest power company in the state, they are
preemptively attacking a draft Clean Water protection
rule - and that's just simply not allowed under Florida
law," explains Cavros.
Glickman says she hopes the state refuses the utility's
request for the money, bucking what she calls a
historical trend.
"Utilities seem to get, under this Public Service
Commission, everything that they ask for, so why
wouldn't they ask for the moon and expect it?" she says.
So, we can only hope that the Public Service Commission
will understand that this is an outrageous request."
The Florida Public Service Commission is expected to
make a decision on
the funding request by the end of October.
Photos/graphics and links added by the Observer
Photo: FPL Sanford Power Plant: Umbris Photography
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