DNREC needs to inforce the law.

Discharge of Oil Prohibited

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act prohibits the discharge of oil or oily waste upon or into any navigable waters of the U.S. The prohibition includes any discharge which causes a film or discoloration of the surface of the water or causes a sludge or emulsion beneath the surface of the water. Violators are subject to substantial civil and/or criminal sanctions including fines and imprisonment.

While we do hope to have moral people as our leaders , we do not want our leaders to impose their morals upon us. I do not believe that was ever the intention of the founders.

J.Austin , on the permit issue we agree , on enforcement we agree, on the fact that the government of Delaware has dropped the ball and allowed this to carry on for far too long we agree. I part ways with you and others it would seem on the tactic of labeling NRG as evil or immoral or greedy or any of the other lables used to stir the emotions of the un informed. As for the health problems of people who live around the plant , while some may ass u me that they are all caused by the plant , to me there would seem to be quite a few variables involved that could be leading to the same health problems , but aren’t as sexy as brining down “BIG ENERGY”.

Get real Frank, and stop trying to label people.
I would chose not to be taxed to support a health system to pay for the illness caused an industry or product. I think the industry/product should be held accountable. Maybe, I’m an accountablist.

I’m probably as big a capitalist. I want to keep and grow mine. They there’s. I just need a business license. NRG in this case need permits and the consent of the government. Should government gave your and my resources to NRG? Let NRG continue to degrade the Bay and the fishery? I think NRG is doing fine on their own and don’t want to give them a penny. Just stop taking from me and the people of Delaware.

As far as morality goes, we all have a moral responsibility to act in a certain way. That is just called being civilized.

If you have a problem with being a moral person or operating a business in a moral fashion, I am sorry for you.

Pete also says that IR is acting in an imoral way.

Well Pete, first people should give to charities, but just because they should but don’t, doesn’t mean the government can force them to. Oh wait they call that taxation don’t they.

Second and this is a big one , government can not and should never attempt to legislate morality. That way lies madness !

J. Austin says that NRG has followed a capitalist road . Do as little as possible and make as much money as possible. Well Mr. Austin what is wrong with that? You say it with such distain. Is it NRG’s practices that bother you or the amount of profit they make , would you be as upset about a hot dog cart if they were dumping their daily use of hot dog water in the river as long as their profits didn’t exceed that which you or some other arbitrary soviet decided was acceptable. Please excuse me , it maddens me when I here people putting down the system of capitalism , when it is what has built this country to the level we enjoy today. Your statement seems to be an attempt at class warfare, so please understand that to me it would seem that your socialism is showing.

NRG and other electric generation companies have chosen to use their political clout to effectively deflect having to be held accountable for the burden they are on society, unlike the tobacco industry. Controlling medical costs means getting a handle on things that aggravate disease, and for special education, infant deaths, asthma, heart disease, and stroke cutting power plant emissions has to be part of the effort.

NRG and Conectiv have followed a capitalist road. Do as little as possible and make as much money as possible. It was estimated the pollution controls would increase the cost of production at IRPP, but not make the plant unprofitable. The difference between a coal fired plants cost of energy production and the $109.90/MW of the most recent DLP power purchase is huge. The plant under deregulation and with gas plants setting the price that power can be sold to the grid is a CASH COW. The cost of a cooling tower would not make the plant unprofitable.

If all 3 old units closed, unit 4 would still be there. The choice to invest or not in the facility is NRG’s. It is up to DNREC and the permits they issue to dictate how the plant operates and how much of a burden the facility will be allowed to be.

In the end, everything is about money and choices. The State can tax the public or enforce environmental regulations to improve the public’s health and the productivity of the fishery. I’d rather see DNREC actually protecting human health and the environment, rather than being taxed to support increasing medical insurance costs.

NRG will protest every step of the way. The choice for our government leaders is look out of the public interest or that of the capitalist corporation which must have the consent of government permits to operate. We know were several of our representative stand and will actively support those who support the public interest.

The power plant…any power plant…is questionable, flawed, but as Frank pointed out there are many more variables affecting health of fish, fowl and humans statistics than we choose to consider.

That is a singularly currious point of view. I am allowed to go out and get drunk every night. Just because I am allowed to do that does not mean I should. IR is acting in an immoral fashion by its blatant disregard to the health and wellbeing of the environment and the people surrounding the plant.

In your responce you defended (yourself) against only the first one ,the glory, Freudian ? perhaps.

I agree that when the two units are shut down we will not be in the dark, but we will pay more for the energy we get from the grid, even though we do not now get much from the plant and most from the grid , when you shut down the plant it makes us vulnerable and allows the power companies to take advantage of the situation. More so then they already do.

Look if you really listen to what I have said and read what I have written, we are not that far apart on the issue. What I despise is the tactics of some of these eco terrorist that mis state facts and refuse to see past bringing down the hated BIG ENERGY COMPANIES,who fail to see the consequences of their actions with no reguard for the effect they will have on the average citizen. They so often say they are doing it to protect the average citizen , but then it is always the average citizen that pays the price , and the eco terrorist moves on too their next sixties style crusade.

Also the eco terrorist will stir up emotions in the un informed minds of people either too busy or too lazy to research anything for themselves to drum up popular support for their cause.

Take the so called cancer cluster around the IRPP, now I have not read the study , but unless it only includes people who have lived there for their entire lives , or for at least a minimum of twenty years it is flawed. How many of those people brought pre existing conditions with them from Baltimore, D.C. , N.J., and other highly polluted areas, but were not diagnosed until they were living here? Does it allow for the fact that some of these people have a history of cancer in their family . And before you lable me uncarring on the issue of cancer let me tell you I lost my sister a little over two years ago to cancer. Yet these “FACTS” are used to stir emotions against the IRPP, and I believe also to set up a class action law suit in the future.

If you were listening the other day to Bill Collie’s show , and I know you were you heard me say shut them down until they comply, but be ready for the consequences. Also on your other article on this topic I said refuse to issue “ANY” permits to NRG until they are complient, so if that is carrying water for NRG then I guess my bucket has a couple of holes in it.