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Virginia “Clean Smokestacks” Proposal
Pollution from power plants puts at risk the lives and
health of millions of Virginians, harms water quality,
threatens animal and plant life across the Commonwealth,
reduces yields of agricultural crops, and degrades scenic
views, threatening tourism-based businesses. Because Virginia
citizens suffer the adverse impacts of poor air quality,
Virginia must act now to significantly reduce power plant
pollution from in-state facilities.
In April 2004 EPA announced specific areas in Virginia
with more than 2.5 million residents (including 41 cities
and counties) that fail to meet minimum national air quality
standards for ozone pollution. Policies requiring in-state
power plants to install modern pollution control equipment
are the most efficient and effective way to assist these
areas in achieving healthful air.
Air pollution causes serious, preventable harm
to human health - - Pollution from under-controlled
coal-fired power plants in Virginia and upwind states
has been estimated to cause approximately 1,000 deaths,
28,000 asthma attacks, and 246,000 lost workdays every
year in Virginia.
Power plant pollution helps form smog and deadly fine
particles, with well-documented, dangerous consequences
to human health. The most troubling harm is premature
death. According to a study conducted in 2003, coal-fired
plants produce pollution that triggers the premature deaths
of an estimated 31,200 Americans each year, shortening
their lives by months to years.
Nationally, power plants are the largest uncontrolled
sources of toxic mercury, which causes permanent damage
to the nervous and kidney systems, and threatens fetal
development and children’s mental health. People ingest
mercury when we eat fish from rivers and lakes where high
levels have settled in the water. Mercury accumulates
in the fish, becoming increasingly toxic. A recent Center
for Disease Control study showed that one of every 10
women of childbearing age now have blood levels of mercury
that place them and their unborn children at risk.
Air pollution degrades priceless natural treasures
in the Commonwealth - - Shenandoah National Park
is the country’s third most-polluted national park, and
among the 10 most endangered parks nationwide, due to
high levels of air pollution. Because of acid precipitation
caused primarily by pollution from power plants, streams
in Shenandoah continue to become more acidic and less
able to support even the acid-tolerant native brook trout.
Shenandoah is one of eight national parks that officially
fail to meet EPA’s health-based limits on ozone pollution.
The same pollution that triggers premature human deaths
also shrouds scenic views, reducing annual average visibility
in the Park to one-quarter the natural range.
Nitrogen causes the greatest harm to the Chesapeake Bay.
Up to one-third of the nitrogen entering the Bay falls
from the air, and almost half of this airborne nitrogen
comes from stationary sources.
Air pollution costs Virginians money -
- The economic costs to Virginia are significant. Poor
visibility caused primarily by air pollution from power
plants costs the state in excess of $138 million. Studies
have also concluded that a 25 percent improvement in visibility
could yield as much as $30 million in increased sales
and tax revenues, and 800 jobs, for local communities
surrounding the Shenandoah National Park.
Ozone also harms plant life. Ozone at levels found throughout
the growing season in Virginia's countryside costs Virginia
farmers up to $19 million annually (2000 analysis) due
to reduced crop yields. This figure does not include costs
of reduced yields in grapes, one of the crops most vulnerable
to reduced yields from ozone.
North Carolina acts to reduce power plant pollution
- - The “North Carolina Clean Smokestacks Act” enacted
in 2002 had the support of health, environmental, and
utility industry interests. It requires North Carolina
utilities to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 74 percent
and year-round nitrogen oxide emissions by 78 percent
as well as substantially reduce mercury emissions by 2013
based on 1998 emissions.
Acting now provides more certainty for state
utilities - - Most of the power plants that would
be regulated by a policy to address multiple pollutants
are fueled by coal. Virginia has a tradition of supporting
coal-producing communities. A reasonable policy could
allow continued use of coal as a fuel while improving
air quality throughout the Commonwealth.
Delegate Reid offers a proposal - -
During the 2004 General Assembly session, Delegate John
(Jack) Reid (R- Henrico) introduced Clean Smokestacks
legislation (House Bill 1472). As introduced, the bill
required eight of the largest coal-fired, under-controlled
power plants in Virginia to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions
88 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions 75 percent by
2015 based on 2001 emission levels. HB 1472 also required
mercury emission reductions of 90 percent by 2008. The
legislation was carried over in the House Agriculture,
Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee for further
study and action.
Virginia must require coal-burning power plants
to install modern pollution controls
Virginia can begin to address our growing air quality
problems by significantly reducing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxide and mercury emissions. Policies to require power
plants to install modern control equipment could achieve
reductions of up to 95 percent of these pollutants. Now
is the time for Virginia to advance a clean air agenda
that will protect human health, our natural environment
and our long-term economic interests.
Contacts:
Donna Reynolds, American Lung Association of Virginia,
804-267-1900, dreynolds@lungva.org
Michael Town, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, 804-225-9113,
Michael.Town@sierraclub.org
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