Norton Wants AOC to Reconcile Inconsistencies on Coal Burning at Capitol Power Plant that Pollutes the Community

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a letter to Architect of the Capitol (AOC) Stephen Ayers today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) asked for answers to questions surrounding the burning of coal at the Capitol Power Plant, which heats and cools the U.S. Capitol Complex. Norton's inquiry follows the AOC's application for permits to construct a cogeneration plant that uses only natural gas instead of the plant's current use of both natural gas and coal. Norton and residents who live near the power plant and beyond believed there was a promise from the AOC in 2009 to switch entirely to natural gas by October 2011.

Norton said that she supports the AOC's efforts to move to a cogeneration process and to abandon coal burning in the residential Capitol Hill neighborhood for good. However, she cited a 2009 letter from the AOC to then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi committing to perform upgrades of its existing coal boiler to burn natural gas exclusively. The community was left with the impression that coal was being abandoned years ago. Now, the AOC has applied for a permit that makes the same promise, along with a January 8, 2013, solicitation for 20,000 tons of coal. The AOC also proposes to resume production of electricity at the power plant, which was halted in 1951. Norton said, "I have worked with Mr. Ayers on various issues and projects over the years, but we need clarification concerning the apparent inconsistencies between prior AOC commitments and the pending permit. For example, we need to know whether coal has and will continue to be used; whether there will be ‘increased emissions from the facility,' as noted in the pending application; whether the coal burner upgrades the AOC projected would occur by October 2011 have been completed; and more information on the proposed resumption of electricity production."

Norton and House and Senate Democratic leaders, along with residents and the environmental community, have long pushed for a stop to coal burning at the power plant, which led to the 2009 commitment from the AOC to move away from the use of coal.

The full text of Norton's letter follows.

February 7, 2013

I am writing out of concern about the use of coal at the Capitol Power Plant (CPP), which supplies steam and chilled water to the U.S. Capitol Complex and is under the control of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). I understand the AOC has submitted permit applications to construct a cogeneration facility to allow the CPP to use natural gas entirely and to stop using coal. However, in your April 24, 2009, letter to then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, you stated that you would begin operating with only natural gas after the completion of a modification of an existing coal boiler, which you estimated would be completed sometime between November 2010 and October 2011.

In 2009, after my efforts, in conjunction with many in the community and the House and Senate Democratic leadership, you committed to reduce the pollution produced by Congress by using natural gas as the CPP's sole fuel source, with three exceptions: when heating needs exceeded the capacity of the CPP's natural gas pipeline, to respond to higher-than-normal demands during abnormally cold weather periods, and as a backup for equipment outages on the gas boilers. You stated in your 2009 letter that upgrading an existing coal boiler to burn natural gas "will provide the additional capacity needed to operate the Plant using only natural gas even in the event of equipment outages."

Even though the November 2010 to October 2011 predicted completion date for this project has long passed, the CPP continues to burn coal and issued on January 8, 2013, a solicitation for 20,000 tons of new coal, in addition to the ongoing supply of coal that neighborhood residents say has been coming into the CPP after the 2009 pledge to phase out coal burning. These actions have been viewed by many in the community as a broken promise, at best, and have led to a great deal of suspicion and consternation about your current cogeneration permit applications.

I also am concerned that the AOC's DDOE permit application indicates that, "…[I]nstallation of the combustion turbines and related equipment will likely result in increased emissions from the facility." This is contrary to the summary of the project on your website, which states, "The proposed permits would also not roll back emission limits in order to allow the power plant to burn more coal. The permits actually propose to significantly lower the emission limits at the power plant…." While I would be pleased if you are moving toward cogeneration to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions, this appears to be the second time this promise has been made to the community, which has suffered from the pollution emitted from the CPP since it was built in 1910. I further understand that you want to resume producing electricity at the CPP, which was halted in 1951.

I request a written response detailing whether the coal boiler upgrade referenced in your April 24, 2009, letter was completed and, if so, why the CPP continues to burn coal; how much coal was purchased for and burned at the CPP during each of the past three fiscal years; whether there would be an increase in emissions after the AOC installs combustion turbines; and why you believe the CPP should resume production of electricity, including the cost savings you believe would follow and what, if any, harmful emissions will result from this undertaking.

Sincerely,

Eleanor Holmes Norton

Published: February 7, 2013