It's Time for Emission Reductions from Coal-Fired Power Plants ... Incentives for Coal Plant Conversion
SIERRA CLUB MINNESOTA CLEAN AIR CAMPAIGN Paula Maccabee, Project Coordinator
MINNESOTA’S COAL PLANTS DO NOT USE THE MOST MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE EMISSIONS
There are two sources of federal regulations of coal plants – New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and New Source Review (NSR). When applicable, these federal laws set emissions limits for particulate matter and for the sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases that can form tiny particulates in chemical reactions after emissions. However, Under the Clean Air Act, unless a boiler has been built or modified since these laws took effect, it is grandfathered and new emissions standards and technology requirements don’t apply.
As analyzed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,
None of Minnesota’s coal-fired power plants meets today’s NSR [New Source Review] levels for either Nox or SO2, and no unit meets the most recent NSPS [New Source Performance Standards] value for Nox. (J. David Thornton, Manager, Major Facilities Section, Policy and Planning Division of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, letter to Senator Jane Krentz dated February 7, 2001.)
Only 4 of the State’s five dozen or so boilers are now subject to any federal New Source emissions limit. These are unit 3 at Xcel’s Sherco Plant, Unit 4 at Minnesota Power’s Clay Boswell and Units 3 and 4 at Minnesota Power’s Hibbard Energy Center.
These boilers represent about 27 percent of Minnesota’s coal-fired electricity generating capacity. So 73 percent of Minnesota coal-fired electric power megawatts meet no federal emissions or technology standards at all.
Even these four boilers do not meet federal law as recently applied in other states. For example, the levels of Nox permitted for Sherco, Hibbard and Clay Boswell are, respectively 5 times, 6 times and seven times the limit which would probably be set under current New Source Review standards.[1] J. David Thornton, Manager, Major Facilities Section, Policy and Planning Division of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, letter to Senator Jane Krentz dated February 7, 2001.
COAL PLANTS ARE A KEY CONTRIBUTOR TO PARTICULATE POLLUTION IN MINNESOTA
According to EPA modeling, large point sources, primarily coal plants, were responsible for nearly 60 percent of PM10 particulate emissions (particles less than 10 microns or less in diameter) in Minnesota in 1997. (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Air Quality in Minnesota, Appendix B Particulate Matter: Concerns and Trends, at p. 3.)
The smallest of these particles, those 2.5 microns or less in diameter, are the most dangerous to human health. These fine particulates are caused primarily by combustion of fossil fuels and can be emitted directly or formed secondarily through chemical reactions of gases, such as sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides.
Based on 1997 data, Minnesota coal plants emitted 40 percent of the State’s nitrogen oxide (91,300 tons) and 78 percent of the State’s sulfur dioxide (90,100 tons). (Izaak Walton League of America, Old King Coal Fact Sheet, 1997.)
PARTICULATES FROM DIRTY COAL RESULT IN DEATHS TO MINNESOTA CITIZENS
A landmark study completed several years ago by Harvard researchers found a 37 percent higher risk of death from cardiopulmonary disease and a 37 percent higher risk of death from lung cancer in cities with the most fine particulate pollution as compared with the least polluted cities, after taking into account personal risk factors, such as smoking. (Dockery, D. W., C. A. Pope III, X. Xu, J.D. Spengler, J.H. Ware, M.E. Fay, B.G., Ferris, Jr. and F.E. Speizer, “An Association Between Air Pollution and Mortality in Six U.S. Cities,” New England Journal of Medicine, 1993, pp.281-287.)
This year, the data from the Harvard study was analyzed to identify differences in the effects of different types of pollution. A 10 µ/m3 increase in tiny particulates from coal combustion caused a 1.1 percent increase in death rates. (Landen, F., L.M.Neas, D.W. Dockery, J. Schwartz, “Association of Fine Particulate Matter from Different Sources with Daily mortality in Six U.S. Cities,” Environmental Health Perspectives, 2000, vol. 108, No. 10, pp941-947.)
Analyzing data from the Harvard study, it was estimated that 153 Minnesota deaths each year could be avoided by reducing coal plant emissions by 75 percent. (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Air Quality in Minnesota, Appendix B Particulate Matter: Concerns and Trends, at p. 34-35.)
Another study completed this year for 10 cities, including Minneapolis/St. Paul, found that there was a higher increase of particulate associated deaths for persons outside the hospital than in hospitals. This data strongly suggests that mortality from particulates results in more than a minor shortening of life. (Ibid., p. 35)
PARTICULATES FROM COAL FIRED POWER PLANTS INCREASE THE RISK OF ASTHMA IN CHILDREN
Particulates and sulfur dioxide emitted from coal plants are known to be triggers for asthma.
A preliminary study done in our neighboring state, North Dakota, demonstrated high rates of asthma near coal-fired power plants. The study method was simple. Surveys were given to all of the school children in grades 2-12 in Mercer and Oliver Counties, the region of North Dakota where many coal plants are located. There was a 97 percent response rate and 1,821 surveys were counted.
The authors of this study didn’t have the funds to create a true control group, although they noted that the prevalence of asthma in the United States as a whole was approximately 4 percent in 1995. Standard pediatrics texts state that 10 to 15 percent of boys and 7 to 10 percent of girls have some episode of asthma during their childhood.
As compared to these baseline national rates, a significantly higher proportion of Mercer and Oliver County schoolchildren sought medical care for asthma or breathing problems. The average was 29 percent and in some schools, this percentage rose as high as 35 percent. Using an indicator of greater severity of problems, the number of children currently using medication for asthma averaged 14 percent and the percentage of children who had been hospitalized for asthma averaged 10 percent in this school age population. (Hoggarth, T.L., “Prevalence of Respiratory Conditions in School-aged Children in Oliver and Mercer Counties, “ Department of Family Medicine Senior Research Projects 1997, pp. 55-57)