Moran Calls for Study of Chemical Used in Local Power Plant

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The Mirant Power Plant sits on the Potomac in Old Town Alexandria, and if you live anywhere near it you may be breathing in a chemical called Trona.

Trona is a mineral used in a number of power plants to reduce pollutants, Mirant says its one of the reasons they are able to operate their coal fired plant in densely populated areas like Alexandria.

"This material is being put out into the atmosphere of a very densely populated zone in the Washington area," said Congressman Jim Moran, (D- Va.). "The producer of this substance called Trona says on its own website that repeated exposure can causes adverse health effects such as silicosis [a respiratory illness] and cancer."

Moran is pushing a bill through congress that would force the EPA to do a study into the effects of Trona.

"If the study shows that this is harmful obviously we're going to stop it," said Moran.

Moran is a supporter of Alexandria's long battle to close Mirant's plant on the Potomac because of Air Pollution.

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