For the second time in the last two weeks, a major utility company has reached a settlement with the U.S. EPA to clean up its act under the New Source Review rules of the federal Clean Air Act. Last week, it was the Richmond, Va.-based Dominion Resources; now, it’s We Energies, a Wisconsin electric company that will spend as much as $600 million to upgrade plants and reduce emissions in Michigan and Wisconsin. The company has 10 years to cut acid-rain-causing sulfur dioxide emissions 68 percent and smog-forming nitrogen oxide emissions 65 percent. Together, the changes could eliminate 105,000 tons of air pollutants from the two states. We Energies will also pay $3.2 million in civil penalties and spend $20 million or more on a demonstration project to cut mercury emissions from a coal-powered plant in Michigan.
