PENNSYLVANIA DRAWS MIXED REACTION TO CAIR UTILITY EXEMPTION PLAN

State air officials and environmentalists are giving mixed reactions to Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell's (D) recent proposal to exempt some power plants from meeting the emissions goals of EPA's clean air interstate rule (CAIR), if utility companies commit to replacing those facilities with cleaner-burning coal gasification plants. Rendell is asking EPA to endorse his Energy Deployment for a Growing Economy (EDGE) proposal to encourage utility companies to replace older plants with new, cleaner ones. Under the plan, the older plants...