Seven PA Plants Rank Among Dirtiest
100 Plants Nationally
Philadelphia, PA—Power plants in Pennsylvania created more global
warming pollution than power plants in all but four other states in
2007, according to a new
analysis of government data released today by PennEnvironment. The
report also found that seven coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania
were among the dirtiest 100 power plants in the country.
“It's time for the oldest and dirtiest power plants to clean up their
act,” said Nathan Willcox, PennEnvironment’s Energy & Clean Air
Advocate. “Coal-fired giants have dominated Pennsylvania's electricity
supply for decades, but in order to stop global warming and reap all
the benefits of clean energy, we must require old coal-fired clunkers
to meet modern standards for global warming pollution.”
Coal is the dirtiest of all fuels, but it supplies more of
America’s—and Pennsylvania’s—electricity than any other source. Coal
plants currently do not have to meet any global warming pollution
standard, meaning that they are an unchecked contributor to global
warming. In fact, coal plants are the nation’s single largest source
of global warming pollution.
The growing impacts of global warming will impose threats to our safety
and immense financial cost on our society. Unchecked global warming
could bring to Pennsylvania everything from more heat-related deaths
and unhealthy air days, to more severe flooding and threats to native
plant and animal species. To avoid the worst effects of global
warming, the science shows that the United States must cut its global
warming pollution by 35 percent by 2020.
The new report from PennEnvironment, “America's
Biggest Polluters: Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Power Plants in 2007,”
looks at carbon dioxide emissions from power plants across the country
using 2007 data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 2007 is
the most recent year for which final data is available. The report
examines both age of and pollution from power plants to document the
fact that we are reliant on an energy infrastructure that is both old
and polluting. The key findings include the following:
- Pennsylvania ranked 5th nationwide
for the most carbon dioxide pollution from power plants in 2007.
- Seven Pennsylvania power plants
ranked among the top 100 dirtiest power plants in the country in 2007
based on carbon dioxide emissions: Bruce Mansfield (#16, located in
Beaver County), Homer City (#34, Indiana County), Conemaugh (#44,
Indiana County), Keystone (#45, Armstrong County), Hatfields Ferry
Power Station (#63, Greene County), Brunner Island (#72, York County)
and Montour (#76, Montour County), all of which are coal-fired power
plants (vs. natural gas or diesel). The Bruce Mansfield plant, which
has been in operation since 1975, produced the same amount of global
warming pollution in 2007—17,387,361 tons—as 3,050,414 of today’s cars.
- Five Pennsylvania power plants
ranked among the top 100 oldest power plants in the country: Mitchell
Power Station (#25, located in Washington County), Sunbury (#44, Snyder
County), Titus (#67, Berks County), Elrama (#84, Washington County) and
New Castle (#85, Lawrence County). The Mitchell Power Station began
operation in 1948. Overall, 22 of Pennsylvania’s 45 power plants were
built before 1980, including all but 3 of the state’s coal-fired power
plants.
Nationally, the report shows that America's power is dominated by old
and polluting plants, and that the oldest and dirtiest plants often go
hand-in-hand. Power plants built three decades ago or more produced 73
percent of the total global warming pollution from power plants in
2007. Older power plants on average are dirtier per unit of energy
than newer ones.
“Pennsylvania's power is both decades-old and dangerously polluting,” said
Willcox. “We’re reliant on technology that’s as old as
the very first commercially available televisions. Televisions have
gone from black-and-white clunkers to super high-definition flat
screens, but they’re still powered by the same dirty electricity.”
“Clean energy holds amazing promise for America—to make our nation
energy independent, create millions of new jobs, and stop the worst
effects of global warming. In order to realize this clean energy
future, coal plants must stop polluting with impunity,” continued
Willcox.
The U.S. Senate is slated to consider legislation in the next few
months to establish the first-ever federal limits on global warming
pollution and standards and incentives for clean energy. In addition,
EPA has proposed a rule to require coal plants and other large
smokestack industries to use available technology to cut their global
warming pollution when new facilities are constructed or existing
facilities are significantly modified.
At the state level, the Department of Environmental Protection is due
to deliver a Climate Change Action Plan to Gov. Rendell and state
leaders on December 18th, which will map out a wide array of clean
energy policies which could help to achieve significant reductions in
global warming pollution in Pennsylvania. The plan was held open for a
30 day public comment period which concluded on November 9th.
However, the coal industry is fighting the transition to clean energy.
The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, a coal industry
lobby group, spent at least $40 million dollars in 2008 alone – more
than $100,000 a day – on lobbyists and advertising on energy issues. Earlier this year, they hired lobbyists who forged
phony constituent letters to Pennsylvania members of Congress opposing
action on clean energy.
“We urge Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey to vote for a strong
clean energy bill that will cut global warming pollution and create
clean energy jobs,” concluded Willcox.
