Dive Summary:
- Residents of Haciendo del Norte and Montana Vista in far East El Paso have aired fears that a proposed natural gas power plant will be a health and environmental hazard to their community.
- The Montana Power Station will be built by El Paso Electric to service 80,000 homes; the plants aims to be in service by the peak summer season of 2014.
- A report from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality published in the El Paso Times claimed the planned power plant would emit significant amounts of air contaminants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
From the article:
"... 'El Paso Electric has downplayed the fact that this plant will be using natural gas, but the use of fuel to produce electricity can result in a significant amount of pollution,' said Adrian Castillo, a resident of Haciendas del Norte for more than 10 years.
Another concern is the plant will be built next to a several fuel tanks near Montana Avenue and Flager Street, Castillo said. He said El Paso Electric has not approached them to explain the risks of building a power plant close to the fuel tanks. ..."