Power plant pollution Customers must begin to pay the real costs
The Navajo Generating Station, near Page, Ariz., is one of the
most heavily polluting coal-fired power plants in the nation,
and it's upwind of the Four Corners. It sends a visible cloud,
as well as invisible pollutants, wafting in this direction
nearly every day of the year. The haze hangs over major tourist
attractions like Mesa Verde National Park and the Grand Canyon,
and obscures views that long-time residents remember clearly.
Power plant emissions have been scientifically linked to severe
respiratory problems for those who live downwind. The Navajo
Generating Station also is one of the major economic drivers for
its region, including the Hopi and Navajo nations. It provides
good jobs, a market for coal mined nearby, and tribal income
through taxes and lease payments. It also provides power for the
extensive federal project that provides water to much of
Arizona. The costs and benefits are difficult to reconcile. The
federal Environmental