Locals speak out about EPA investigation into Mecca power plant over alleged violations
East Valley residents came out to discuss the Environmental Protection Agency’s investigation into a Mecca power plant over alleged violations of Clean Air rules.
Local advocacy group, Leadership Council, led tonight’s meeting to get the community involved as the first step toward finding a solution.
Located off of Highway 86 in Mecca, the Desert View Power Plant (which is operated by Greenleaf Power) has recently become the center of attention.
In June of 2022, Greenleaf Power received a Notice of Violation for allegedly violating the Clean Air Act and exposing nearby communities to toxic air pollutants which include Mercury, Hydrogen Chloride, Carbon Monoxide and much more.
If these pollutants do exceed the EPA’s standards, they can have big health and environmental effects to the areas surrounding it.
“My roots are here. My parents grew up here... I live in my house that I grew up in, said Mecca resident Leticia Becerra. "I have a lot of positive memories here and then I want it to stay that way.”
Becerra has lived in Mecca her whole life, and is just one of the several residents who are concerned about these alleged violations.
“I walk all around Mecca, you know. So I'm here, I'm thinking I'm being staying healthy breathing, the air walking in the mornings, going over a new bridge. And now, I wonder if maybe I was one of the ones that took more of that air?”
It’s what drove her to be a part of the Leadership Council’s community discussion on Tuesday, to understand more about how it could impact her hometown.
“The only people that's gonna affect is us here in the community. Nobody else you know, so we have to stand up and ask questions and have some answers," Becerra said.
Becerra says she plans on living in Mecca through retirement, and is worried about what the future could hold.
“It could affect us 10 years from now. So in 10 years from now, you know, it's going to be my kids, they're going to be affected. So we want it to be a safe for many other generations.”
Greenleaf Power has responded to the EPA investigation in a statement below:
Greenleaf Power acquired and has since 2011 operated Desert View Power (DVP), a net-45 megawatt woody biomass electrical generation facility located in the eastern Coachella Valley.
On June 22, 2022, DVP received a Notice of Violation (NOV) from the US EPA regarding alleged violations for hourly exceedances and stack tests. Since that time, DVP has conducted an extensive internal review of the NOV, including through retention of a third-party consultant. Following that review, DVP has engaged with EPA to review key technical and related information, and those discussions are continuing.
DVP continues to work with EPA towards a mutually acceptable resolution of the NOV. DVP likewise continues to work with EPA and other stakeholders to assure current and ongoing compliance with applicable permit limits.
Greenleaf Power LLC, Desert View Power
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