The NCC hosted an information & action meeting on Feb. 21. Guest speakers were two pecan farmers impacted by the Fayette coal plant, about 1 1/2 hours from Bay City. Following is the report from the meeting.

White Stallion Energy Center status: has received air permit, which we are appealing. Has not received wastewater permit or Corps dredging permit. Also does not have water contract with LCRA. 

WSEC did submit a water plan to LCRA on Feb. 14. We are waiting to hear on our contested case hearing request regarding the waste water permit from TCEQ. And it's expected the Corps will make a decision very soon on the dredging permit. 

THE REPORT: 

Pecan farmers share experiences with Fayette coal plant  

The No Coal Coalition hosted a public meeting on Feb. 21 to hear from pecan farmers  

impacted by the Fayette coal plant. Approximately 50 people listened to two farmers  

share their personal stories of the harm inflicted upon their pecan orchards and  

livelihoods from the emissions from the FPP (Fayette Power Plant).  

Pecan farmer Harvey Hayak runs an orchard that has been in production since the late  

1800’s, just a few miles from the FPP. He said that the FPP started operation in 1979, and  

he first saw his pecan production drop in 1980. However, he did not attribute the loss in  

pounds of pecan production to the coal plant emissions at that time. Pecan production  

continued to drop each year since the FPP began operating, but it took years for Hayak to  

learn that the plant’s sulfur dioxide pollution has slowly killed two­thirds of his family’s  

pecan orchard.  

Hayak said, “We kept seeing a reduction in quantity and quality of pecans. First I called  

in Texas A&M specialists. They decided the problem was that our pecan sprayers were  

not spraying well to prevent bugs. They advised us to invest in a special sprayer. So, we  

had a family meeting, and we decided to buy this expensive special sprayer. But still our  

production continued to drop.”  

Soon Hayak called back in the specialists. Next they decided that his trees needed better  

irrigation, so after another family meeting, they spent money for irrigating 350 acres of  

trees. Production continued to decline.  

It wasn’t until years later that Hayak learned about a similar situation with a Georgia  

pecan orchard located near the Georgia Power and Light coal plant. Hayak started his  

own investigation and research, but found it difficult to get information regarding the  

Fayette coal plant.   

Hayak brought in a tree specialist from Missouri who diagnosed that sulfur dioxide  

emissions were the culprit, and then he contacted scientist Dr. Neil Carman with Sierra  

Club who has submitted a report which says up to 15,000 trees have been destroyed by  

sulfur dioxide pollution from the FPP. “72 percent of the pollution in Fayette county is  

from sulfur dioxide and the pecan leaves have characteristic marks of sulfur dioxide  

injury. The FPP is the likely cause, as it is the only and main source of industrial  

pollution in the county,” Carmen said. Carmen also noted that a 2004 study by the  

Alabama Cooperative Extension System showed sulfur dioxide was a particular problem  

for pecan trees. According to the report, damage can occur as far as 30 miles away from  

the pollution source.  

Jeff Cook, who owns the orchard adjacent to Hayak’s, said that the emissions from the  

FPP exceed those listed in the air permit of the proposed White Stallion coal plant.  

“We’ve got more pollution from Fayette than it looks like you all might get from White  

Stallion, but I’m telling you, you’re gonna see some destruction,” Cook said.

Hayak added that all types of trees have been killed, not just pecan trees.  "And so when you   

go out to your car, you just wipe the stuff off of it, all that pollution. We’re seeing barbed  

wire fences have to be replaced in just five to six years, our barns are rusting out at an  

alarming rate, and on and on. The cattle that eat the grass around Fayette, well they’re  

weaning later than they used to cause the ranchers can’t get their weight up. So you gotta  

wonder what the pollution is doing to the grass.” 

No Coal Coalition members distributed copies of Carman’s study on the Fayette plant’s  

impact on the pecan orchards, which is available at    

http://texaspecangrowersalliance.org/neils­report/  

No Coal Coalition also encouraged audience members to contact the EPA and U.S. Army  

Corps of Engineers to request that an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) be done on  

White Stallion before it’s allowed to build. According to NCC chair Allison Sliva, no  

agency is studying the cumulative effects the coal plant will have on the area, and an EIS  

would answer the citizens’ concerns regarding the air, water, health and economic  

impacts from the plant. 

HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN HELP NOW!

Please request of the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) be completed on WSEC before it's allowed to begin construction. We must pressure these agencies through numbers of contacts by citizens.

Below are sample letters, and at very bottom is more contact information

Sample letter to Corps:

Dear Col. Sallese,

Please request an Environmental Impact Statement be conducted in regards to the construction of the proposed White Stallion coal plant in Matagorda County , TX .

These are my major concerns associated with dredging for that proposed plant:

1. Are any endangered species present?
2.  
3. What are the impacts to the Colorado River on recreational use, navigation (both at the dock and downstream at the locks and river mouth), increased boat traffic (more collisions?), discharges from the two outfalls, wastewater, coal sediment into the river, and contamination of the river from the coal ash.
4.  
5. What will be the water quality impacts? What will be management practices to avoid and reduce runoff and pollution from entering the river (from fuel piles, barge unloading, and ash piles). Reduced wetlands on the site means runoff may be more contaminated.
6.  
7. Will there be wetlands mitigation?
8.  
9. How will water quality be impacted? What about mercury contamination? Matagorda Bay is already severely contaminated by various toxic pollutants. The dredging and operation could stir them up and contribute more. Where will the diversion point be, assuming river water will be used? Water will be required by the plant for cooling. A stream runs along the side of the ash pile, hence ash-contaminated runoff could easily reach the river.
10.  
11. How will current industry be impacted – fishery, water recreation and agriculture?
12.  
13. The White Stallion coal plant is a bad idea for many reasons – air, water, and quality of life. I request that an EIS be done before this plant is granted any permit.

Sincerely,

Signature:

Sample letter to EPA:

Other contact info:

EPA -- Dr. Al Armendariz: 214-665-2100, armendariz.al@epa.gov

EPA -- Gina McCarthy: mccarthy.gina@epa.gov

EPA -- Jeff Robinson: 214-665-6435, robinson.jeffrey@epa.gov

Corps -- Col. Christopher Sallese: 409-766-3004

Corps -- Mr. Fred Anthamatten: 409-766-3943

Corps -- Steven Walls:  409-766-3125, steven.e.walls@usace.army.mil, fax 409-766-6301

Also, visit the NCC website and use our "take action" button to request an EIS.

http://nocoalcoalition.org/takeaction2.php