Environmental
Environmental Standards & TMPA
TMPA maintains a proactive stance in meeting environmental standards. The voluntary
fuel conversion from lignite to Wyoming sub-bituminous coal in 1996 halved TMPA’s
emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2). Another project implemented several years later
reduced TMPA’s emissions of nitrogen oxides. TMPA is currently in the process of
voluntarily implementing a scrubber project that will further reduce its emissions
of sulfur dioxide. By the year 2012, TMPA’s emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides (the main sources of acid rain) will be 90% less than the emissions in 1995.
The scrubber also reduces mercury emissions to levels that meet or exceed future
emissions standards.
TMPA Lignite Mine
TMPA owns Gibbons Creek lignite mine that was the original source of fuel for the
power plant. Lignite is a low grade form of coal that gradually became less competitive
against higher grade sub-bituminous coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming.
The mine was operational from 1982 to 1996. In 1996 the mine was closed and TMPA
began importing all of its coal from Wyoming.
Since its closure, the mine has been in reclamation. Most of the large construction
projects, such as the reclamation of final open pits, have been completed and the
mine has been converted to a post-mining land use that consists of pasture land,
ponds, and woodlands. It is now in the process of being monitored and being released
from mine reclamation obligations as it meets regulatory performance standards.
At present, over 60% of the mined area has been released partially from its performance
bond and additional areas are being prepared for final bond release. Reclamation
is projected to be completed by 2015.
Scientific Publications & Research Papers