Michigan Environmental Council

Neighbors and Environmental Groups Seek Action to Ensure GM Permit Complies with the Clean Air Act

For Immediate Release:
April 29, 2002

Contact:
James Clift (517) 487 9539
Mike Garfield (734) 663 2400

Will forego appeal if GM agrees to immediately test unproven technology

LANSING - Environmental groups and Westside neighbors announced today they would appeal the air pollution permit for the Lansing Craft Center (LCC) unless GM takes steps to address defects identified by the groups. One of the main points of disagreement concerns hundreds of pages of new information that GM submitted to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality after the close of public comment. In those documents, GM raises new excuses for not installing pollution control equipment that the groups maintain is required under the Clean Air Act.

In the late filings, GM claims that another piece of equipment currently used in plants around the country, including the Grand River Assembly plant, will perform 40 times better than previously thought. "General Motors is making claims based on junk science, and their current permit provides no accountability to area residents if later testing proves them wrong," stated Mike Garfield, Director of the Ecology Center. "What they are claiming doesn't make sense on paper, and they have failed to provide actual data from any of their facilities that are currently using this technology," said Garfield.

However, in an effort to work with the community to ensure the SSR is built in Lansing, the groups have offered to not file the appeal if GM agrees to take the following steps:

Within 90 days, run actual tests on the basecoat water wash system currently at a comparable GM facility to determine its capacity to capture volatile organic chemical (VOC) emissions.
If the test demonstrates that the equipment fails to meet the standards alleged by GM, they will re-evaluate the decision to include further pollution control equipment at LCC, or make offsetting emission reductions elsewhere at LCC or at Lansing Car Assembly

The Clean Air Act requires polluters to minimize health impacts on its neighbors by using affordable pollution control equipment. "If General Motors does not accept our offer, it's sending a clear message that they don't care about air we breathe and that they think they are above the law," stated James Clift, Policy Director of the Michigan Environmental Council. "The envisioned agreement would allow GM to build over 20,000 SSRs before taking any further action to limit emissions from the LCC or LCA facilities."

- 30 -