Report names New York's top five dirtiest power plants
September 17, 2013 | By
Barbara Vergetis Lundin
Power plants are being called the "largest contributors to global warming pollution" in the latest report from Environment New York Research & Policy Center, which also ranks New York's biggest carbon polluters. Several states are taking steps to curb power plant pollution and, subsequently, global warming that some scientists say will lead to more frequent and severe weather events like Superstorm Sandy.
The top 5 dirtiest power plants for carbon in New York are Kintigh Generating Station, Northport Power Station, Dunkirk Generating Plant, Ravenswood Generating Station, and East River Generating Station, according to the report. The report also names Georgia Power Company's Scherer Power Plant as the most carbon-polluting power plant in the nation, emitting as much pollution as 4.4 million cars. Overall, New York's power plants produce as much carbon annually as 7.9 million cars. "America's dirtiest power plants are the elephant in the room when it comes to global warming," said Marissa Lieberman-Klein, field associate with Environment New York. "Nearly a year has passed since the devastation of Superstorm Sandy, and we can't afford to ignore power plants' overwhelming contribution to global warming. For America, tackling the problem means cleaning up the dirtiest power plants." This summer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed limits on carbon pollution from new and existing power plants. The EPA is expected to propose an updated rule for cutting carbon pollution from new power plants on September 20. New York is one of nine states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a historic plan to cap carbon pollution from power plants in the northeast, which has generated more than $1 billion for investment in energy efficiency. New York leaders are working to adopt stronger rules that will reduce carbon emissions 20 percent. "That we are still witnessing carbon emissions on this scale speaks to the importance of what New York and the U.S. government are doing to cut climate-altering pollution," said Dave Gahl, interim executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York, in a statement. "With New York's good changes to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative nearly on the books, now it is the EPA's turn to hold the rest of the nation to the standard being set in the Northeast." For more: Related Article: Sign up for our FREE newsletter for more news like this sent to your inbox! © 2013 FierceMarkets. All rights reserved. http://www.fierceenergy.com http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/report-names-new-yorks-top-five-dirtiest-power-plants/2013-09-17 |