Study Planned on Ammonia Tanks

Pressured by the city of Redondo Beach, air quality officials have agreed to perform an environmental impact report on Southern California Edison’s plan to install two anhydrous ammonia tanks at its Redondo Beach power station.

Edison hopes to store the potentially toxic chemical in two 10,000-gallon tanks as part of a pollution control system. In September, the South Coast Air Quality Management District gave initial approval to the plan.

But city officials demanded that the air quality agency prepare an environmental impact report, citing the dangers that a release of the chemical could pose to residents near the Harbor Drive plant.

The study, made possible by an agreement reached by the city, the AQMD and Edison on Tuesday, will consider alternatives to the ammonia plan--including the possibility of not installing the pollution control system.

City leaders on Thursday said they were pleased that the environmental study will be performed. But they added that they will oppose the ammonia plan if the report fails to allay their concerns.

Said City Manager Ray Griest: “This closes one chapter and opens up another. Down the road, we still may have to object to the findings and fight it out if we have to.”