Title
Regional Utilities Committee Referrals #990532 and #002001 (NB)
Explanation
The Alachua County Commission, in correspondence dated August 23, 2001, requested that additional alternatives for air emission control at Deerhaven 2 be evaluated, and that the City join the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign. These additional studies have been performed. Furthermore, discussions with the Regional Utilities Committee at meetings on August 29, 2001, October 18, 2001, and September 19, 2001, as well as at the November 6, 2001 joint meeting of the City Commission with the Alachua County Commission, were also taken into account. A summary report comparing the new results with previous evaluations was presented to the Regional Utilities Committee on February 7, 2002, and the Committee acted on that date to approve the recommendations made here.
The additional analyses addressed in the report include: 1) Comparison of Deerhaven's emission performance to other power plants; 2) Review of electrostatic precipitator (ESP) performance; and 3) Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of the following additional emission control technologies: a) Selective non-catalytic reduction ("SNCR") of NOx by injecting ammonia or urea at the top of the firebox; b) Utilization of magnesium enhanced lime (MEL) instead of limestone in a wet flue gas desulfurization scrubber; c) Enhancing the particulate matter ("PM") capture potential of the existing electrostatic precipitator ("ESP"); d) Mercury ("Hg") removal with sorbent injection and removal (carbon injection with compact hybrid particulate collection ("COHPAC") integrated with the existing ESP was evaluated); e) CO2 reduction through carbon sequestration; and f) Synergistic and integrated technologies. 4) Inclusion of the fiscal benefits from the effects of reduced emissions on community health, the environment, and economic development; and 5) Joining the Cities for Climate Protection campaign.
Recommendations
The City Commission: 1) Receive a brief presentation from staff entitled "Response To Alachua County Commission Request To Evaluate Additional Air Emission Control Alternatives" (Attachment B) documenting the additional analyses performed at the Alachua County Commission's request and the resulting findings and recommendations; 2) Instruct staff to continue to monitor and evaluate advances in emission control and generation technology; 2) Instruct staff to continue to pursue, in a timely and cost effective manner, planning studies related to the: a)Assembly of ambient air quality data and development of improved models of local impacts on ambient air quality; b)Sensitivity analysis of the relative loading of Hg emissions from Deerhaven 2 compared to background in the Santa Fe River watershed. 4) Adopt a resolution in the form necessary to join the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign (Attachment A); 5) Transmit to the Alachua County Commission the report in Attachment B: and 6) Remove from the Regional Utilities Committee agenda referral items (#990532 and 002001) related to the August 23, 2001 Alachua County Commission request and the November 6, 2001 Joint Commission meeting.
Fiscal Note
The data assembly, monitoring, and modeling work inherent in the recommendation could cost up to $150,000, to come from contingency funds previously approved in the FY 2002 Utility Budget.
Drafter
Prepared by: Ed Regan, Strategic Planning Director
Submitted by: Commissioner John Barrow, Chair, Regional Utilities Committee and Mayor Tom Bussing, Member