CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The company vying to build a second natural gas plant in Fluvanna County recently mailed a postcard to residents of the region touting the planned plant’s compliance with federal pollution regulations. But opponents of the project said the information Tenaska is sharing misses the point.

“Most of it is about whether or not this proposed plant actually has any environmental or public health risk,” Carolyn Pugh, the Community Climate Collaborative’s Director of Climate Policy told Cville Right Now. “The flyer makes the argument that it does not, which just isn’t true. I mean, it’s a natural gas plant. It’s burning fossil fuels. It’s creating pollution.”

Images of the mailer shared on social media show it said, “Don’t be misled. Opposition groups are using scare tactics because the facts are not on their side.”

It goes on to cite a third-party evaluation that determined the amount of particulate matter emitted by proposed plant would come in under federal guidelines, and refers readers to the company’s website.

But Pugh argued that, just because the plant would satisfy the current federal guidelines, does not mean it would be safe for the area’s residents or environment.

“It gets caught up on what the federal standards are,” Pugh said, who noted the federal standard of 9 micrograms per cubic meter is higher than that of the World Health Organization. “There’s no amount where it isn’t affecting people. So, you could have 5 and that is still causing people to see increased asthma in the community. It’s still causing cardiovascular issues. All of these suite of health effects that you see are still true across the different rates of particulate matter.”

Pugh said that, in addition to the impacts being felt in Fluvanna County, especially Lake Monticello and Palmyra, surrounding areas – including Albemarle and Charlottesville – would be impacted. Communities downwind from the facility, including the Richmond metropolitan area, Chesterfield and Henrico would be also affected.

Pugh said a recent study by researchers at Harvard estimated the new plant could cause 2-3 deaths per year in the region and $27-$50 million in additional healthcare costs.

“I think the best thing we can do is try to get out and educate folks and make sure that we are giving accurate information about what the effects of this could be,” Pugh said. “And not letting Tenaska kind of sidetrack that and paint it as fear mongering, when it’s actually well researched and in line with all of the methodologies that the EPA currently uses.”

The Fluvanna County Planning Commission voted 3-1 on Jan. 13 that the proposed project was not in “substantial accord” with the county’s comprehensive plan. Omaha, Neb.-based Tenaska told Cville Right Now it would appeal that finding.

“The project would directly support the plan’s stated goals of economic development and financial sustainability, rural area preservation and environmental resource protection,” Vice President for Communications Timberly Ross said in a January email.

Tenaska currently operates a plant off Branch Road, opened in 2004, that generates 1,000-megawatts of daily electricity. The new plant would generate an addition 1,500-megawatts.

Tuesday, the Planning Commission will consider two items related to the project, according to its online agenda for its 7 p.m. special meeting at the Carysbrook Performing Arts Center. One is a technical issue of the proposed plant’s stack heights. Tenaska wants the county to amend its code to allow taller stacks for power plants.

The second is a special use permit to allow the plant to proceed.

The Community Climate Collaborative, Fluvanna Horizons and the Piedmont Environmental Council are among the groups opposed to the project.

“Job creation and tax revenue do not balance out the overwhelming health and environmental impacts that a second gas plant will create for over four million people in the region,” according to an email from the PEC earlier this month.

The ultimate decision to approve or reject the plant will rest with the county’s Board of Supervisors.