Coal fired power plants were the hope of many to be the: new age power producing industry. Billed as clean, green and low costs the real truths about coal-fired power plants are now coming to light. James Hansen, one of the world's top climate scientists, has addressed issues concerning coal-fired energy plants. He recommends that there be NO new coal plants built until the industry can harbor the C 0 2 that the facilities produce. MIT scientists have done a two year study about the ill effects of coal plants and will be releasing their findings soon. MIT will also address the industries so-called clean coal technology, This technology injects carbon dioxide into deep geological formations, but the study found that this won't be as easy to do as pro coal representatives argued. The industry had hopes that this so- called new technique would satisfy the environmentalists, but so far has not.
Eighteen scientists from the United Nations have spent two years studying global warming and have come to the conclusion that no new plants should be built.
The plants are getting harder to build because activist groups are trying to stop them, causing delays that raise operating costs. And investors are paying attention. Federal regulation of carbon emissions, which is being actively considered by Congress, could also make burning coal more expensive.
The U.S. Department of Energy reports that there are 114 new coal plants proposed in this country. Meanwhile, scores of outdated, highly-polluting coal plants continue to violate the law, dumping millions of tons of harmful pollutants like soot, mercury and acid rain into our communities and natural environment.
Coal plants are the dirtiest, most regressive source of energy. Today most existing power plants are between 30-50 years old and are up to 10 times dirtier than new power plants. Recent government and scientific reports show what we already knew - that these plants are poisoning our communities and our wilderness. Lets use the scenario of twelve coal plants, when these plants start up and operate for one year, they would emit global warming pollution equivalent to the tailpipe exhaust of 12.5 million cars driving and 70 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. And the industry calls its self-clean?
Power plants are a major source of air pollution, with coal-fired power plants spewing 59% of total U.S. sulfur dioxide pollution and 18% of total nitrous oxides every year. Coal-fired power plants are also the largest polluter of toxic mercury pollution^, largest contributor of hazardous air toxics^, and release about 50% of particle pollution. power plants release over 40% of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, a prime contributor to global warming.
Power plants are only second to cars when it comes to NOX (Nitrogen Oxide) pollution. When nitrogen oxide (NOx) reacts with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and sunlight, smog (ground level ozone) forms. This is the hardest pollution to control, often times the areas with this kinds of pollution can pollute other areas hundreds of miles away because of the air currents, it is documented buy the American Lung Association that over half of all Americans live in areas with unhealthy smog.
Coal-fired power plants are also the largest single source of sulfur dioxide (SO2), releasing about 2/3 of the total SO2 pollution each year. Sulfur dioxide, which can travel long distances in the atmosphere before falling down to the land, can cause problems on its own as well as when it combines with other pollution to form other dangerous compounds. In addition to acid rain, SO2 can combine with nitrogen oxide (NOx) and other particles to form particulate matter, which is sometimes called soot, causing respiratory problems for young and old alike.
Coal- plants are notorious for causing acid rain; acid rain destroys the ph balance of Lakes Rivers and can destroy entire forests. Coal plants also are the largest man made contributor of mercury; Mercury is responsible for affecting fetal development. In unborn children, it can cause brain damage, mental retardation, blindness, and many other problems.
There is a movement all cross the United States to stop all proposed coal fired plants from being built, with the proven scientific data from hundreds of scientists from all around the world in agreement, The United States government should automatically step in and put a moratorium on this industry. This is not to say that if the industry modernizes, and develops new technology that the scientific community agrees on, that later in time the industry could begin new construction.
Columbia County is supporting a new proposal for a coal-fired plant at Port Westward, Clatskanie. I wonder if our current elected officials who are supporting this industry are aware of the scientific studies that are out? I hope that they would sit down and read the current material before exposing the citizens of the area to the ill effects that coal fired plants pose. I would venture to guess that this coal-fired plant will not be with out protests from group's nation wide and rightly so. The residents of Clatskanie and nearby areas should be informed by public lectures of the pros and cons of this dirty industry. In fact the Board of Commissioners who are supporting this industry, should be the ones initiating public lectures from people in both industry and scientific areas to speak on this issue.