Dive Brief:
- NV Energy has agreed to pay more than $4 million to the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians related to cleanup and health impacts from the Reid Gardner coal plant in Nevada.
- Three of the four units at the 557-MW facility were shuttered last year, and company officials told the Associated Press that the settlement was a step towards completing the shutdown.
- Nevada Sen. Harry Reid (D), a longtime supporter of closing the facility, said recognizing the plants harmful impacts and shuttering the facility was the right thing to do.
Dive Insight:
NV Energy, owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy, is still working to shutter the Reid Gardner facility but a spokesperson told the AP the settlement is a step towards that goal and will help to set a new tone moving ahead.
Sen. Reid issued a statement as well, noting that the group of Native Americans have "suffered the consequences of breathing dangerous dirty air from the Reid-Gardner coal plant and this settlement is a step forward."
According to the AP, there are about 320 of the tribe living on the reservation and they have complained for years of respiratory issues related to the plant. About $1.5 million in funds from NV Energy and the California Department of Water Resources will go towards a community wellness center on the reservation. And about $2.7 million will go to monitor air quality and purchase water rights.
The facility is located adjacent to the Moapa River Reservation.
"While the settlement will provide relief and help make the tribe’s home healthier and safer, no amount of money can pay for the sickness caused by a half-century of pollution from the coal plant," Reid said.
