Dirtiest

Taking aim at what it called the state’s six “oldest and dirtiest” power plants, Massachusetts on Monday issued a sweeping set of new regulations that call for significant reductions of a whole host of pollutants being emitted by the plants. Significantly, the new standards also position Massachusetts as the only state in the nation to limit carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

In an attempt to go “above and beyond” federal regulations, sixof Massachusetts’ oldest — and dirtiest — power plants will beretrofitted or rebuilt and will switch to cleaner burning naturalgas after reaching a voluntary agreement last week with stateofficials. The six plants, owned by five companies, vowed to cuttheir emissions in half by 2003, a move that has followed growingpolitical and grassroots pressure throughout Massachusetts.

In an attempt to go “above and beyond” federal regulations, sixof Massachusetts’ oldest — and dirtiest — power plants will beretrofitted or rebuilt and will switch to cleaner burning naturalgas after reaching a voluntary agreement this week with stateofficials. The six plants, owned by five companies, vowed to cuttheir emissions in half by 2003, a move that has followed growingpolitical and grassroots pressure throughout Massachusetts.