Colorado Springs Utilities is off the hook for alleged emissions violations at its Nixon Power Plant after the state admitted it goofed.The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued a compliance advisory March 5 for Nixon’s gas turbines 20 miles south of the city saying the plant failed an accuracy test for emissions monitoring in 2006 and 2007.The compliance measure didn’t accuse the city of emitting pollutants above allowable levels.At the time, Utilities contended the state was all wet and that the city’s calculations were accurate.Mike Brady, Utilities environmental technical services supervisor, said the data was sound and that the state used a different method to come to a different conclusion.This week, the state backed off. In a letter dated Wednesday, regulators wrote, “The division (of air pollution control) discovered an error in the division’s calculation of operating hours in a year for the facility.”The case will be closed with no enforcement action.”Protecting the environment and complying with emissions standards is very important to Colorado Springs Utilities, and we felt like our calculations were correct from the beginning,” said Utilities spokesman Dave Grossman, “so we’re glad to see the state now agrees with our calculations.”Nixon operated for more than a decade without a violation.In May 2006, the city paid an $8,750 penalty for noncompliance allegations relating to maintenance, emission levels and equipment installation.

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Mark Law, top left, and Justin Goings worked on the lights for the play “Figments” at Wasson High School this month. Above, Andrea Tolan applied Arthur Simental’s makeup before a mirror. Photo by (KEVIN KRECK, THE GAZETTE)