Welcome to the Unofficial Virginia Tech
Coal Page
Hello and welcome to the Unofficial Virginia Tech Coal Page! Thank you for
wanting to learn more, and if you have any questions or concerns, please don't
hesitate to contact us.
This page is under constant revision, so please check back for added information.
Areas of Concern
PSD Permit
Virginia Tech has recently (April 1998) applied for a
PSD (Prevention of Significant Deterioration)
permit for the new coal-fired boiler (#11). Currently, this boiler is limited
to burning 17,850 tons of coal per year. The PSD permit would allow Tech to
burn an unlimited amount through this boiler.
Tech claims that the permit is needed because we are a fast growing campus that
needs sufficiently heated buildings, and that this would lower emission levels,
particularly of SO2, because they could burn more through #11's updated
filtration system, instead of #7's outdated system.
Our concern is that Virginia Tech has not yet conducted an energy audit, and
practices absolutely no energy conservation measures. A PSD permit would allow
them to continue this environmentally unconscious behavior to a dangerous degree.
Also, there is no garuantee that they would lower the amount of coal they burn
through the #7 boiler. We'd continue to recieve these harmful emissions, plus
even more from the #11 boiler, which, though cleaner, are still harmful.
The Coal Boiler
Virginia Tech's 1955 coal boiler (#7) is one of 5 power plants
that
supply heat and electricity to the Virginia Tech campus and
surrounding community. Due to the
grandfather clause, it is
not required to meet current emission standards.
Please examine:
- Some reasons
to filter the coal boiler.
- A brief outline
with background information.
- A directory
of supporting documents.
The Coal Pile
Next to the #7 boiler lies the uncovered coal pile. This
results in coal dust permeating the close buildings, including dorms, classrooms,
and offices.
Please review:
- Results from a survey
taken from students who live next to the coal pile.
Possible Solutions
The Board of Visitors can submit a budget request to the Virginia General
Assembly for money to filter the smokestack and cover the coal pile.
If you believe the coal boiler should be filtered, and/or the coal pile
should be covered, please:
- Write, email, or call the BOV and President Torgerson telling them your
thoughts on the subject.
- Contact us to
sign our petition and/or learn how to get more involved.
Recent Developments:
02-09-00: Thanks to increased awareness of the dangers of air pollution from
grandfathered coal plants, the Board of Visitors is submitting a capital budget
request for filtration! They're not optimistic, however, since it is not very high
in the Commonwealth's priority list. Now is the time to lobby your Virginia
representatives!
Back to TREE's homepage.
Page maintained by TREE's WebWriters.
Many thanks to Joe Augst and slac.com for providing
web space for these pages. Slac.com takes no responsibility for the content of
these pages.