Clean Air for Waterloo Campaign
Talking Points
1) This plant, along with the other 150+ proposed coal plants, will contribute to increased greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. This plant is the equivalent of 700,000 cars on the road.
This long-term warming trend poses serious risks to our economy and our environment. It poses even greater risks to many other nations, particularly poorer countries that will be far less able to cope with a changing climate and low-lying countries where sea level rise will cause significant damage. (Pew Center on Global Climate Change, www.pewclimate.org) Power plants contribute 39 percent of the nation’s CO2 emissions. If all of the proposed plants are built, they would increase U.S. carbon dioxide pollution from electricity generation by more than 25 percent above 2004 levels. This would be equivalent to a 10 percent increase in total U.S. emissions and a 2.4 percent increase in world emissions. (U.S. Public Interest Research Group, www.uspirg.org) Assuming that the proposed 750-megawatt coal burning power plant is built, and achieves a capacity factor of 90%, it would emit more than 6.5 million tons of carbon dioxide every year. In 2000, total greenhouse gas emissions in Iowa were 32.8 million metric ton carbon equivalents, or equivalent to 120 million tons of carbon dioxide - an increase from 84 tons of carbon dioxide in 1990. The proposed LS Power plant, by itself, would represent a more than 5% increase in the state's greenhouse gas emissions - equivalent to adding more than 700,000 vehicles to the highways in Iowa every day for the life of the plant. (http://cleanairwaterloo.blogspot.com)
2) The future costs of carbon regulation will dramatically increase the operational costs of coal plants, which will be borne by the consumers.
After capital and labor have adjusted, consumers bear the ongoing costs of carbon regulation. (Crampton and Kerr) The decision about what type of technology to select for current investments in new power plants clearly depends upon conjectures about future regulations of carbon. Electric utilities cannot simply assume that because there are currently no carbon regulations, therefore the apparently cheaper PC technology maximizes shareholder value. The choice of a technology for such a long-lived capital investment is a standard decision under uncertainty. If there is sufficient probability that stringent carbon emission regulations will be imposed sometime in the future, then the IGCC technology becomes the most profitable choice. (Sekar, Parsons, Jacoby and Herzog)
3) This plant could increase the incidence of autism in the area.
There was a significant increase in the rates of special education students and autism rates associated with increases in environmentally released mercury. On average, for each 1000 lb of environmentally released mercury, there was a 43% increase in the rate of special education services and a 61% increase in the rate of autism. The association between environmentally released mercury and special education rates were fully mediated by increased autism rates. (Palmer, et al. Environmental mercury release, special education rates, and autism disorder: an ecological study of Texas. Health and Place.) ―While I promote economic development throughout the state the health implications of mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants far outweigh any economic benefits.‖ - Gov. James Risch of Idaho, 2006
4) This plant could increase the incidence of asthma, cancer, and heart trouble in the area.
Nitrogen Oxides are the major ingredients in ozone, or "smog," pollution, which is most commonly known for causing smog warnings. During 1999, the health standard for smog was exceeded more than 7,694 times in 43 states and the District of Columbia. Smog and fine particle pollution have a particularly devastating impact on our nation's 14.9 million asthma sufferers; one out of every three asthma victims being a child. In 1997, in the eastern United States alone, ozone/smog triggered over 6 million asthma attacks and sent almost 160,000 people to the emergency room. (Clear the Air, www.cleartheair.org) • Fine particle pollution from U.S. power plants cuts short the lives of nearly 24,000 people each year, including 2800 from lung cancer. • Hundreds of thousands of Americans suffer each year from asthma attacks, cardiac problems, and respiratory problems associated with fine particles from power plants. These illnesses result in tens of thousands of emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and lost work days each year. • Power plant pollution is responsible for 38,200 non-fatal heart attacks per year. • The elderly, children, and those with respiratory disease are most severely affected by fine particle pollution from power plants. • People who live in metropolitan areas near coal-fired plants feel their impacts most acutely – their attributable death rates are much higher than areas with few or no coal-fired plants. (Dirty Air, Dirty Power, www.catf.us)
5) African-Americans are more affected by the emissions from power plants than other segments of the population.
East Waterloo, in close proximity to the plant, is the largest predominantly African-American community in the State of Iowa. • The air in our communities violates air quality standards. In 2002, 71% of African Americans live in counties that violate federal air pollution standards, compared to 58% of the white population. • Most African Americans live near a power plant. Sixty-eight percent of African Americans live within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant — the distance within which the maximum effects of the smokestack plume are expected to occur. By comparison, about 56% of the white population live within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant. • Asthma attacks send African Americans to the emergency room at three times the rate (174.3 visits per 10,000 population) of whites (59.4 visits per 10,000 population). • The death rate from asthma for African Americans is twice that of whites (38.7 deaths per million population vs. 14.2 deaths per million population. Studies in the U.S. have shown that emergency room visits increase when particulate matter and/or ozone levels are just slightly above national standards. • In a comparison of 86 cities in the U.S., researchers found that infants who lived in a highly polluted city during their first two months of life had a higher mortality rate than infants living in the city with the cleanest air. High particulate matter levels markedly increased the risk of SIDS and respiratory mortality. As African Americans live in more polluted areas, this has a significant impact. • One-third of African Americans are avid anglers, and we eat fish more often and in larger portions than whites. Consequently, we have higher exposure to mercury. In 1996, there were 1.8 million licensed African American anglers who spent over $813 million dollars on fishing trips and equipment. • The potential health impacts of climate change include increased prevalence of infectious disease such as Dengue fever and West Nile virus. Since many African Americans lack health insurance and regular medical access, our community is particularly at risk. • A study of the 15 largest U.S. cities found that climate change would increase heat-related deaths by at least 90%. Most African Americans live in inner cities, which tend to be about 10 degrees warmer than their surrounding areas. Studies have shown that People of Color are twice as likely to die in a heat wave, and suffer from more heat-related stress and illness. (Air of Injustice, www.catf.us)
6) This plant could decrease property values in the area.
"Highly reputable research studies have established beyond doubt that electric power facilities have detrimental effects on residential property values." (George S. Tolley, University of Chicago) "… decreased property values are associated with increasing density of petrochemical refineries, nuclear power plants, coal-fired plants, gas and oil fired plants and radioactive contaminated sites." (Clark and Nieves, Environmental Economics and Management)
7) Investments in wind energy will yield more economic benefits to the State of Iowa.
Additionally, operation of wind turbines provides more jobs than traditional energy plants. A study by the New York State Energy Research Development Authority found that wind energy produces 27 percent more jobs per kilowatt hour than coal plants and 66 percent more jobs than natural gas plants.
Wind turbines also increase the tax revenues of local jurisdictions, many of which are in dire need of a boost. It is estimated that each kilowatt of wind power installed should increase tax revenues by a $1,000. Another direct source of income is the payment made to landowners who lease their land to companies for installing and operating wind turbines. Such landowners receive $2,000 to $5,000 per turbine annually. Landowners who own their turbines receive income directly from the sale of electricity. (Small Packages, Big Benefits, www.iowapolicyproject.org)
8) This plant will import its fuel and sell the power and profits out-of-state, further ensnaring Iowa in dangerous dependence on outside sources of energy.
The coal to operate this plant will come from the Wyoming Powder River Basin. We could instead invest in local wind and biomass projects, by which both local landowners and Iowa businesses benefit more (Siemens and Clipper Wind have significant wind production investments in Iowa).
9) We have readily available alternatives to coal, especially energy efficiency.
The 11 recent studies examined in this paper show that a very substantial technical, economic and achievable energy efficiency potential remains available in the U.S. Across all sectors, these studies show a median technical potential of 33% for electricity and 40% for gas, and median economic potentials for electricity and gas of 20% and 22% respectively. The median achievable potential is 24% for electricity (an average of 1.2% per year) and 9% for gas (an average of 0.5% per year). (American Council on an Energy Efficient Economy, www.aceee.org) The U.S. Conference of Mayors and the American Institute of Architects have called for the ―immediate energy reduction of all new and renovated buildings to one-half the national average for that building type, with increased reductions of ten percent every five years so that all buildings designed by the year 2030 will be carbon neutral – meaning that they will use no fossil fuel energy.‖ (American Institute of Architects, www.aia.org) In 2002, just over 1/10th of one percent of the potential wind capacity in the Midwest was developed.
10) This plant will require costly subsidies from local governments, thus negating many of the tax benefits.
Estimates on the cost of road improvements and repairs alone run over two million dollars.
11) LS Power will not retire any other polluting facilities, or invest in renewable energy or efficiency in Iowa.
One method for reducing the environmental impacts of new generation is to retire old, inefficient generation. In this case, that will not happen. When Springfield, Illinois proposed a new plant they agreed to retire their oldest boiler and invest significantly in wind turbines, efficiency, and greenhouse gas emission reductions. Emissions of almost every pollutant will decrease.
12) The operation of 150+ new coal plants would necessitate the construction of multiple new coal mines, with disastrous human and environmental effects.
The new coal-fired power plants, if built, will strain the U.S.’s ability to extract and deliver enough coal to keep them running. U.S. coal demand would increase by over 30 percent if all the plants are built, requiring additional mines and expanded railroad infrastructure to move the coal around the country. Mining additional coal would damage America’s land and water. • According to the U.S. Department of Energy, currently operational coal mines have enough recoverable coal to supply the power industry for only 18 years at current levels of demand (and fewer years if demand increases). • Between 1985 and 2001, ―mountaintop removal‖ coal mining in Appalachia cut down more than 7 percent of the region’s forests and buried more than 1,200 miles of streams. • In 2004, coal mines across the U.S. reported the release of more than 13 million pounds of toxic chemicals, including over 300,000 pounds dumped directly into streams and rivers. The ―coal rush‖ would increase health-threatening air pollution. (www.uspirg.org)
13) Citizens should have a more direct role in the construction of this plant.
The best means citizens have to influence this decision is with the local planning and zoning authorities. In this case, the City Council of Waterloo has the most direct authority over the construction of this plant. The County Board of Supervisors also could have influence if the City chose not annex or rezone.
14) States should emulate California’s limitations on carbon emissions.
California recently passed legislation that requires industrial sources to cut greenhouse gases 25% by 2020. This move, following close on the heels of a carbon dioxide cap-and-trade program by seven states in the Northeast, should be enacted by states to limit dangerous climate-changing greenhouse gases.
15) Communities should emulate agreements along the lines of that made by Springfield, Illinois and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Overall, the landmark energy agreement would do the following: Replace the City’s Lakeside coal plant, one of the dirtiest coal plants in the nation, with the cleanest coal-fired power plant in the nation – the new plant will emit 99 percent less sulfur dioxide than the existing power plant Cut mercury emissions from its existing and new coal plants by 90 percent by 2009 (the most stringent requirement in the nation) Cut overall sulfur dioxide emissions from its existing and new coal plants by 75 percent by 2012 (the lowest SO2 pollution limit in the Midwest) Meet the goals of the Kyoto Protocol by cutting the City’s global warming pollution by 25 percent (600,000 tons annually) below its 2005 levels by 2012, the most stringent global warming reduction commitment by any utility in the U.S. It's the equivalent of removing 103,000 automobiles off of our highways Double Illinois’ installed wind capacity by adding a record 120 megawatt of new wind turbines – this includes 60 MW to power the State’s Springfield office buildings, including the State Capitol -- this represents one of the largest investments by any state in clean energy Boost the City’s investment in energy efficiency funding ten-fold to a record $4 million over the next decade Establish an internship program for college students to work on clean energy projects (Illinois Sierra Club, http://illinois.sierraclub.org) Under the Agreement, participating cities commit to take following three actions: Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl landuse policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns; Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol -- 7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012; and Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system
(U.S. Conference of Mayors, http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/climate)