The American Lung Association (ALA) recently released a new report on the dramatic health hazards surrounding coal-fired power plants.
The report, "Toxic Air: The Case For Cleaning Up Coal-Fired Power Plants," reveals the dangers of air pollution emitted by coal plants.
One of the starkest findings in the report claims, "Particle pollution from power plants is estimated to kill approximately 13,000 people a year.'
So what's the biggest culprit?
"Coal-fired power plants that sell electricity to the grid produce more hazardous air pollution in the U.S. than any other industrial pollution sources."
According to the report details, over 386,000 tons of air pollutants are emitted from over 400 plants in the U.S. per year. Interestingly, while most of the power plants are located in the Midwest and Southeast, the entire nation is threatened by their toxic emissions.
So who's Alabama's number one polluter?
Toxic Air Report March 2011
US EPA Press Release March 16, 2011
"EPA Proposes First National Standard for Mercury Pollution From Power Plants"The new Power Plant Mercury and Air Toxics Standards – which eliminate 20 years of uncertainty across industry – would require many power plants to install widely available, proven pollution control technologies to cut harmful emissions of mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel and acid gases, while preventing as many as 17,000 premature deaths and 11,000 heart attacks a year. The new proposed standards would also provide particular health benefits for children, preventing 120,000 cases of childhood asthma symptoms and about 11,000 fewer cases of acute bronchitis among children each year. The proposed standards would also avert over 12,000 emergency room visits and hospital admissions and 850,000 fewer days of work missed due to illness.
This rule will provide employment for thousands, by supporting 31,000 short-term construction jobs and 9,000 long-term utility jobs.
Maybe the 'gut the EPA' republicans can explain why they are for more heart attacks, childhood asthma and bronchitis. They certainly should don't you think?
If they want insist on this corporations first, kids second stance and continue to claim jobs are more important than our children's health, then that should speak volumes to everyone about what really matters to them.
Equally guilty is the Democratic National Committee who just accepted a $10 million dollar "loan" from the notorious Duke Energy.
Big business is hedging its bets of course, but these politicians, on both sides of the aisle, should be held fully accountable for what they are and aren't doing.
Big business is the master. Politicians are the slaves. It's just like they have a ring through their noses. Of course, they do take the money.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me.
Pay to pollute has long been a part of Alabama business and politics.
ReplyDeleteWhat's a little sacrifice here and there if the state makes money and campaign donors are happy?
It's only people right? So who really cares?
Just give the kiddies and old folks some medicine and don't worry about it.
At least we have those jobs jobs jobs!
Good grief, it is constantly nauseating to live here these days.
The "D" in democrat just became DUKE.
ReplyDeleteThe GOPer's are really being hypocrites:
ReplyDelete"Look no further than a House vote earlier this month that would have ended millions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies for oil companies making record profits. Those who support the House's extreme anti-environmental agenda in almost every case also voted against ending these outrageous subsidies. How can one reconcile those priorities with a professed desire to do right by the American people?"
How do you spell love? B-I-G C-A-M-P-A-I-G-N D-O-N-O-R-S!
In today's Birmingham News:
ReplyDeleteEPA Pushes For New Pollution Standards That May Affect Alabama Power
"Jackson said the EPA estimates that power customers would see a $3 to $4 increase in their monthly bills because of the new mercury and toxic air rule. Alabama Power could not say whether that estimate was accurate."
"We just don't want to speculate as to what we have to do at which plants," Sznajderman said. He did not rule out that the company could decide it would be more cost-effective to close a plant rather than pay for improvements.
Public health and environmental advocates say cleaning up emissions is worth the cost.
"If you think it's an expensive process to put a scrubber on a smokestack, you should see how much it costs over a lifetime to treat a child with a preventable birth defect," said Dr. O. Marian Burton, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
These politicians are showing their true colors about who's most important (big business) and who's not (the people).
Follow the money it always reveals.
Meet the members of Congress that sided with corporate polluters over your children's health
ReplyDeleteInstead, the following members of Congress chose to join the mercury and toxic pollution hall of shame by blocking EPA from carrying out and enforcing toxic air pollution standards. These members sided with corporate polluters over America’s children, health and environment.
Alabama: Aderholt (R), Bachus (R), Bonner (R), Brooks (R), Roby (R) and Rogers (R)