Poisoning the Great Lakes: 25 Coal-fired Power Plants Responsible For Half the Region's Mercury Pollution

OH, PA and IN Are Home to Region's Worst Mercury Polluters, Followed by MI, IL, WI, MN and NY; Vote in Congress to Test Support of Region's U.S. Senators for EPA Curb on Neurotoxin.

CHICAGO, June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Just ahead of a major U.S. Senate vote on the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to clean up mercury and other toxic air pollutants, a Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) report shows that the 25 worst coal-fired power plants account for more than half of the dangerous mercury pollution emitted by the total of 144 electricity generation facilities in the Great Lakes region. The report also finds that almost 90 percent of the toxic emissions could be eliminated with off-the-shelf technologies.

According to "Poisoning the Great Lakes: Mercury Emissions from Coal-Fired Power Plants In the Great Lakes Region," Ohio emits the largest amount of mercury from coal-fired power plants (21 percent of the total in the Great Lakes region), followed closely by Pennsylvania (20 percent) and Indiana (16 percent). The remaining five states in the region rank as follows: Michigan (14 percent); Illinois (11 percent); Wisconsin (9.5 percent); Minnesota (6.5 percent); and New York (2 percent). Plants from outside the region also contribute to mercury pollution in the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes region's five worst coal-fired power plants for mercury pollution are: Shawville (Clearfield County, PA); Monroe (Monroe County, MI); Homer City (Indiana County, PA); Cardinal (Jefferson County, OH); and Sherburne County (Sherburne County, MN). (See the complete list below of the worst 25.) A dozen power plants in Ohio and Indiana -- owned in whole or part by American Electric Power -- accounted for 19 percent of all mercury emitted in 2010 from the total of 144 coal-fired power plants in the region.

U.S. Senator James Inhofe, R-OK, recently filed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution (S.J. Res. 37) to void health standards reducing mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants and to permanently block EPA from re-issuing similar safeguards.

Thomas Cmar, attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council office in Chicago, said: "Mercury is a dangerous brain poison that doesn't belong in our Great Lakes. It puts the health of kids and pregnant women at risk and adds an unwelcome danger to eating what our fishermen catch. That's why it is so important that we support the EPA's standards to reduce mercury pollution by holding polluters accountable. Even more critical is that every single U.S. Senator from the region stand up for the Lakes by rejecting reckless attempts to derail the long overdue Clean Air Act updates that can help tame this problem."

Cindy Copeland, report author and formerly with the EPA Air Program, said: "Mercury is poisoning the Great Lakes and the three states - Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania -- that impose no rules are by far the worst offenders. Airborne mercury from coal-fired power plants in the Great Lakes Region harms our health, and the benefits of reducing mercury emissions are well worth the cost. With a reduction of health costs to the economy at up to $90 billion, it is hard to say no to this."

In the Great Lakes region, there are more than 144 coal-fired power plants which pumped over 13,000 pounds of mercury into the air in 2010. Mercury pollution from these plants' region accounts for close to 25 percent of the nation's total. The Great Lakes region is comprised of the five Great Lakes (Erie, Ontario, Huron, Michigan, and Superior) and the eight surrounding states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin).

Eating poisoned fish is the primary cause of mercury poisoning of humans. Mercury is a neurotoxin that harms the brain, heart, central nervous system, kidneys, lungs, and immune system. Young children and developing fetuses are most at risk, and can suffer developmental problems from mercury poisoning.

THE WORST-25 GREAT LAKES REGION COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS

1. Shawville (Clearfield Cty, PA)
2. Monroe (Monroe Cty, MI)
3. Homer City (Indiana Cty, PA)
4. Cardinal (Jefferson Cty, OH)
5. Sherburne County (Sherburne Cty, MN)
6. Muskingum River (Washington Cty, OH)
7. Hatfield's Ferry (Fayette Cty, PA)
8. Walter C Beckjord (Clermont Cty, OH)
9. Wabash River (Vigo Cty, IN)
10. Newton (Jasper Cty, IL)
11. Pleasant Prairie (Kenosha Cty, WI)
12. Belle River (St. Clair Cty, MI)
13. Clifty Creek (Jefferson Cty, IN)
14. Columbia (Columbia Cty, WI)
15. St Clair (St Clair Cty, MI)
16. Rockport (Spencer Cty, IN)
17. Gavin (Gallia Cty, OH)
18. Bruce Mansfield (Beaver Cty, PA)
19. South Oak Creek (Milwaukee Cty, WI)
20. Kyger Creek (Gallia Cty, OH)
21. State Line (Lake Cty, IN)
22. J M Stuart (Brown Cty, OH)
23. Tanners Creek (Dearborn Cty, IN)
24. Boswell (Itasca Cty, MN)
25. Joppa Steam (Massac Cty, IL)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued nationwide rules to require coal-fired power plants to limit airborne mercury emissions and other toxic air pollutants by 2015. The technologies to meet the EPA's mercury limits are widely available and effective.

Based on projected reductions in fine particulate emissions due to the combined benefits of various air toxic pollution controls, the EPA has projected that the benefits of its Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) far outweigh the costs of pollution controls. The health benefits of the MATS are projected to be worth $37 to $90 billion in 2016 alone. The EPA has projected that the majority of the benefits would be reaped in the eastern United States, including the Great Lakes region.

Mercury emitted into the air from coal-fired power plants is by far the leading man-made source of mercury reaching the Great Lakes and the lakes, rivers, and streams of the Great Lakes region. This report lists the top 25 mercury emitting plants in the region. Mercury pollution from plants outside the region also contributes to the overall quantity of mercury found in the Great Lakes. When coal is burned to produce electricity, mercury is emitted into the air. The EPA estimates that coal-fired power plants are the largest man-made source of mercury pollution, accounting for 50 percent of mercury air emissions in the United States.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Livingston, Montana, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.

SOURCE Natural Resources Defense Council, New York
Web Site: http://www.nrdc.org

Deaths from dirty coal-fired power plants cost more than the value of the electricity

EIP Report: Cost Of Deaths From 18 Coal-Fired Power Plants' Pollution Higher Than Value Of Electricity Generated

Yates Plant in Georgia Is Found Most Out of Balance in Terms of Social Cost/Produced Electricity Value; "Net Loss" Analysis Highlights Premature Mortality Linked to Coal-Fired Power Plants in 13 States: AL, GA, KY, MI, MO, NC, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, and WV.

WASHINGTON, June 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Up to 5,700 deaths a year can be attributed to 51 of the dirtiest coal fired power plants in the United States with no announced plans for sulfur dioxide (SO2) clean-up measures, according to a new report from the nonprofit Environmental Integrity Project (EIP). Even using the most conservative estimate, the estimated cost to society of the premature deaths caused by 18 of the power plants actually exceeded the retail value of the electricity generated by each facility in 2011. (See the full list below.)

Available online at http://www.environmentalintegrity.org, the new report titled, "Net Loss: Comparing the Cost of Pollution vs. the Value of Electricity from 51 Coal-Fired Plants," reviews U.S. coal-fired power plants with the largest emissions of sulfur dioxide in 2010 and 2011 that do not yet have plans to install or upgrade scrubbers. For the report, Dr. Jonathan Levy of the Boston University School of Public Health estimated the premature deaths in 2011 due to fine particle exposures caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter from each of these plants, using a peer-reviewed approach consistent with EPA methods and an upper and lower bound for premature mortality based on two benchmark studies the EPA has relied upon in rulemaking.

Key findings include:

• The 51 plants contributed to between 2,700 and 5,700 premature deaths in 2011 alone.
• Estimated pollution-related premature deaths were highest at the following plants: Labadie, MO (140 to 290); Eastlake, OH (120 to 240); Yates, GA (110 to 220); Martin Lake, TX (100 to 220); and Mill Creek, KY (100 to 210).
• Applying the same standard statistical value for human life used by EPA, the 2,700-5,700 premature deaths identified in the report are linked to social costs of $23 to $47 billion.
• Using the most conservative benchmark in the study, 18 of the 51 plants in this survey contribute to premature deaths that cost society more than the estimated retail value of the electricity they generated in 2011. When using the upper bound to estimate premature deaths, an additional 20 plants had social costs exceeding the estimated retail value of their electricity in 2011.

Eric Schaeffer, director, Environmental Integrity Project said: "A closer look suggests that the social cost of many of the dirtiest plants far outweighs the value of the energy they produce. Coal helped to power America's industrial revolution, and electricity is obviously vital to our economy today. But we have better choices now than we had more than forty years ago, when most of these plants were built. Investments in advanced emission controls can greatly reduce the dangerous buildup of fine particles, and investments in renewable energy and efficiency improvements can secure our supply of electricity - and generate the jobs we need - without the death and disease that are the price we pay for dirty coal plants."

Jonathan Levy, professor of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, said: "My analysis estimates that fine particulate matter concentrations attributable to the 51 power plants I was asked to review contributed to between 2,700 and 5,700 premature deaths in 2011. This was based on reported emissions data and outputs based on my peer-reviewed model of health damages from power plants. The relationship between fine particulate matter pollution and premature mortality is well established, and the data are sufficient to provide a reasonable estimate of the number of premature deaths that will result from power plant emissions that increase fine particulate matter concentrations."

For example, Dr. Levy estimates that fine particle pollution from the Southern Company's Yates plant in Georgia contributed to between 100 and 220 deaths in 2011, at a cost to society of between 800 million and 1.8 billion dollars. The retail value of the electricity the plant generated in 2011 was estimated to be roughly $400 million, which means that the social cost of premature mortality caused by the plant's pollution was between $450 million and $1.4 billion greater than the value of the electricity it generated.

In order, the full list of the 18 coal-fired power plants mentioned above is as follows:

1. Yates Steam Generating Plant, Coweta County, GA; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$461 million; 2011 premature deaths: 100 - 220; cost of premature deaths: $870 - $1800 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $409 million.
2. Eastlake Power Plant, Lake County, OH; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$375 million; 2011 premature deaths: 120 - 240; cost of premature deaths: $980 - $2000 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $605 million.
3. Green River Generating Station, Muhlenberg County, KY; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$299 million; 2011 premature deaths: 44 - 88; cost of premature deaths: $360 - $730 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $61 million.
4. Johnsonville Fossil Plant, Humphreys County, TN; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$269 million; 2011 premature deaths: 85 - 170; cost of premature deaths: $700 - $1400 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $431 million.
5. Kammer Plant, Marshall County, WV; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$260 million; 2011 premature deaths: 48 - 98; cost of premature deaths: $400 - $810 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $140 million.
6. Mill Creek Generating Station, Jefferson County, KY; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$226 million; 2011 premature deaths: 100 - 210; cost of premature deaths: $870 - $1700 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $644 million.
7. Greene County Steam Plant, Greene County, AL; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$190 million; 2011 premature deaths: 49 - 100; cost of premature deaths: $410 - $850 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $220 million.
8. Canadys Steam Electric Generating Plant, Colleton County, SC; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$162 million; 2011 premature deaths: 37 - 75; cost of premature deaths: $300 - $620 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $138 million.
9. Yorktown Power Station, York County, VA; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$156 million; 2011 premature deaths: 34 - 68; cost of premature deaths: $280 - $570 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $124 million.
10. Nelson Dewey Generating Station, Grant County, WI; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$132 million; 2011 premature deaths: 29 - 61; cost of premature deaths: $240 - $500 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $108 million.
11. Jack McDonough Steam Generating Plant, Cobb County, GA; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$119 million; 2011 premature deaths: 40 - 82; cost of premature deaths: $330 - $680 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $211 million.
12. Trenton Channel Power Plant, Wayne County, MI; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$102 million; 2011 premature deaths: 56 - 110; cost of premature deaths: $460 - $950 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $358 million.
13. Phil Sporn Power Plant, Mason County,WV; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$102 million; 2011 premature deaths: 27 - 53; cost of premature deaths: $220 - $440 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $118 million.
14. L V Sutton Steam Plant, New Hanover County, NC; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$75 million; 2011 premature deaths: 24 - 48; cost of premature deaths: $200 - $400 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $125 million.
15. H F Lee Steam Electric Plant, Wayne County, NC; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$58 million; 2011 premature deaths: 19 - 39; cost of premature deaths: $160 - $330 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $102 million.
16. Big Brown Steam Electric Station, Freestone County, TX; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$54 million; 2011 premature deaths: 94 - 200; cost of premature deaths: $780 - $1700 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $726 million.
17. Shawnee Fossil Plant, McCracken County, KY; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$23 million; 2011 premature deaths: 70 - 140; cost of premature deaths: $580 - $1200 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $557 million.
18. Meramec Power Plant, Saint Louis County, MO; 2011 net value (retail sales - cost of premature deaths): -$13 million; 2011 premature deaths: 57 - 110; cost of premature deaths: $470 - $950 million; 2011 retail value of electricity: $457 million.

Coal-fired power plants are a major source of this pollution, which is caused by sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and unburned particles released from boiler stacks. Fine particle exposure is starting to decline in many areas, as utilities install scrubbers and other equipment to meet long-delayed Clean Air Act requirements. But some plants have yet to install the advanced pollution controls that have been commercially available for many years.

SOURCE Environmental Integrity Project, Washington, D.C.
Web Site: http://www.environmentalintegrity.org

Daikin McQuay Rebel offers energy saving solar powered HVAC system

Daikin McQuay Rebel is the First to Meet DOE Rooftop Unit Challenge

Rooftop Unit Delivers 60-70 Percent Energy Savings for Commercial Buildings

MINNEAPOLIS, June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Commercial building owners take note - it is now possible to save a staggering 60 to 70 percent on HVAC energy costs over traditional rooftop units. HVAC manufacturer, Daikin McQuay, has become the first and only company to meet the Department of Energy's (DOE) Rooftop Unit (RTU) Challenge with its Rebel(TM) commercial rooftop system.

According to the DOE challenge, participating HVAC manufacturers need to satisfy a DOE-issued specification for energy savings and performance. This includes meeting an integrated energy efficiency rating (IEER) of 18 or higher with a 50 to 60 percent reduction in energy use over current standards.

The DOE and independent testing organization Intertek, conducted the performance testing for the challenge. The testing confirmed manufacturer claims that the Rebel commercial rooftop system exceeds the DOE's energy savings and performance specifications with part-load efficiencies of up to 20.6 IEER and energy savings of up to 60 to 70 percent. As a result, the Rebel system offers the lowest total cost of ownership with complete system payback in as little as two years.

As stated by the DOE, the performance and energy savings is important because commercial buildings account for 18 percent of U.S. energy use and could save businesses over $1 billion dollars each year in energy costs if all 10 to 20 ton RTUs met the specifications of the challenge, helping American companies be better able to compete on a global scale.

"If there were ever a time to reevaluate a building's commercial rooftop unit, it's now," said Don Winter, vice president of marketing at Daikin McQuay. "Early applications are showing that Rebel is performing even better in the field than in the lab."

Winter went on to state that comprehensive details on the testing are available through Daikin McQuay for commercial building owners and management teams interested in calculating payback or conducting an energy analysis for their specific buildings.

Daikin McQuay, as part of its parent company Daikin Industries, is the world's largest heating, ventilation, air-condition and refrigeration company in the world. Rebel is now available in unit sizes ranging from 3 to 12 tons. The wide range of features and benefits of Rebel make the energy efficient unit ideal for any low-rise application like schools, retail, offices, or medical buildings.

For more information about the Rebel rooftop system visit www.DaikinMcQuay.com. To view details on the DOE challenge, visithttp://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/alliances/rooftop_specification.html.

About Daikin Industries Ltd.

Daikin Industries, Ltd. is a Fortune 1000 company with 2011 revenues in excess of $13 billion and more than 40,000 employees worldwide, making it the number one commercial HVAC manufacturer in the world. Daikin is engaged primarily in the development, manufacture, sales and aftermarket support of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) equipment, refrigerants and other chemicals, as well as oil hydraulic products. Daikin was named one of the 100 most sustainable corporations for three years in a row by Corporate Knights, Inc. For more information, visit www.daikin.com

Daikin McQuay

Daikin McQuay, a member of Daikin Group, offers industry-leading HVAC technologies that provide innovation solutions to customers around the world. The Daikin McQuay product line offers energy efficient and environmentally friendly commercial HVAC systems through a global network of dedicated sales, service and parts offices. For more information or the name of your local Daikin McQuay representative, call 800-432-1342, or visit www.DaikinMcQuay.com.

SOURCE Daikin McQuay
Web Site: http://www.daikinmcquay.com

PG&E launching campaign to raise awareness to time-of-use electricity rates

A big concern in the electrical grid is the peak demand which occurs (in the U.S.) on hot summer afternoons when the air conditioners are all cranked up.  Time of Use metering (TOU) is one of the solutions to shaving off the peak demand.  The idea is to increase the rate paid by electricity consumers during peak demand times, and charge them a lower rate other times.  By charging different electricity rates it should encourage electricity consumers to change their usage patterns.

An example of time of use metering is a recent proposal by the same PG&E over electricity rates for electric car owners.  Generally electric cars can be charged at night, and the time of use rate proposed by PG&E gives a huge incentive to do so.

PG&E Launches Awareness Campaign to Help Business Customers Transition to State-Mandated Pricing for Electric Service

Utility Also Proposes Giving Customers the Right to Opt-Out of Pricing Program

SAN FRANCISCO, June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced today that that it has begun a comprehensive effort to educate its small and medium business and agriculture customers about a state-mandated pricing program change for electric services and how they can potentially take advantage of it to save money. At the same time, the utility is asking state regulators to give affected customers the right to opt-out of the new pricing program if they prefer to stay with their current plan.

At the direction of the California Public Utilities Commission, small and medium businesses will begin moving in November to time-of-use (TOU) pricing. With TOU, when electricity is used will be just as important as how much electricity is used. Rates are higher during weekday summer afternoons when electric demand peaks, typically noon to 6 p.m., May through October. In return, business customers will have lower rates at all other times.

The purpose is to better align prices with the cost of generating electricity at various times of the day, to help lower energy bills, prevent "brownouts" and other electric grid disruptions, and benefit the environment by reducing the need to run fossil-fueled power plants.

"Through an extensive program of customer letters, person-to-person outreach, local and community events, web-based seminars and targeted online advertising, PG&E is reaching out to help our business customers understand this significant change so they can better manage their energy usage and potentially save money," said Helen Burt, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at PG&E. "We offer a wide range of tools and energy management solutions to help customers conserve energy during peak periods and lower their bills. Early and frequent education will help customers make the transition as smoothly as possible."

Burt added, "Although time-of-use pricing is an important element of the state's energy policy, we know that our customers appreciate having options, so we hope that state regulators will approve our proposal to let customers opt-out of the program and stick with existing flat-rate prices if they desire."

PG&E has asked the Commission to expedite its review of this opt-out proposal and issue a decision by Sept. 1, 2012, before small and medium business customers begin transitioning to the new TOU rates in November. Large commercial and industrial electric customers have already moved to similar pricing plans.

Businesses that do not draw heavy power loads during peak afternoon hours may automatically benefit from the change to TOU rates, and others may save money by taking simple steps to reduce peak energy use, such as pre-cooling work areas and charging batteries in the morning, adjusting employee schedules, and turning off some non-essential power draws in the afternoon, such as fountains and video displays.

An analysis by PG&E suggests that as many as six in 10 small and medium business customers would benefit or see no change from a shift to TOU pricing, even if they do not change their behavior. Only about two percent of such customers would experience a bill increase of more than $8 a month.

Business customers can learn more about TOU rates by visiting PG&E's web pages at www.pge.com/TVP or by calling a PG&E representative at 1-800-987-4923. PG&E offers a host of energy-saving tips and programs at http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/energysavingsrebates/.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/ and www.pgecurrents.com.

SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company