American
Lung Association of New York State
Environmental
Advocates
Environmental
Defense
New
York League of Conservation Voters
Scenic
Hudson
Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter
For Release: Immediate
|
Contacts
Jason K.
Babbie: 518-436-0876 x268 518-461-8817
(cell) Peter
Iwanowicz: 518-453-0172 x318 Anne Reynolds: 518-462-5526 |
ALBANY, NY – June 6, 2001 – The New York Clean Smokestacks Campaign, a coalition of
health, public policy, and environmental groups, today released a report which
proves that the particulate matter (soot) being released by New York State
power plants is making our air dangerous to virtually all New Yorkers. The
report also compares proposed clean-up measures for the pollutants.
The report shows that particulate matter
pollution from power plants, more commonly known as soot, causes serious public
health and economic problems. In 1999, the particulate emissions from New
York’s 19 dirtiest power plants caused:
§
156 premature deaths, largely
because of particles formed from sulfur dioxide emissions;
§
205 new cases of chronic
bronchitis;
§
1,400 cases of childhood
acute bronchitis;
§
16,000 asthma attacks; and
§
1,170 emergency room visits
and 63 hospital admissions for respiratory problems.
An Analysis of the Pataki Power Plant
Proposal vs. Full Environmental Comparability Using the New York Externalities
Cost Model was authored by A. Myrick
Freeman III, Ph.D., a professor at Bowdoin College in Maine. “This report does
not attempt to quantify all the environmental impacts of pollution from power
plants,” said Dr. Freeman. “Instead, it concentrates on a single problem –
particulate pollution from power plants.” The public health and economic
impacts of ozone smog, a known respiratory irritant; mercury poisoning, a
cognitive and motor skill disrupter; and global warming must be accounted for
separately from the analyses in Dr. Freeman’s report.
“We view the deeper cuts and comprehensive
emissions controls recently adopted in Massachusetts and Connecticut as the
type of significant policies we should be enacting in New York State,” said
Peter Iwanowicz, director of environmental health for the American Lung
Association of New York State. “The more stringent SO2 standard
endorsed by members of the environmental and public health community would save
an additional 30 lives and over $115 million every year.”
In October 1999, Governor Pataki promised to
clean up New York’s power plants in order to address the acid rain problem in
New York’s waterways. Specifically, he promised to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOX)
emissions by 75% and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 50%.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
Toxic Release Inventory shows that over half
(52%) of the
state’s toxic air emissions in 1999 were from generating electricity. Power
plants are also the nation’s largest single source of the pollution that causes
ozone smog, mercury poisoning and global warming. “Power plants are New York’s
number one source of industrial air pollution,” said Jason K. Babbie, policy
analyst for the New York Public Interest Research Group. “We’re here today to
encourage the Governor to choose the best possible way to fix all of these problems, not just some of
them. A four-pollutant strategy – limiting emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur
dioxide, mercury and carbon dioxide – is the right strategy for New York’s
environment, and New Yorkers’ health.”
According to Anne Reynolds, Director of Air and Energy Programs for
Environmental Advocates, “We can’t discount the value of good health and clean
air. When you take into account other factors such as restricted activity days
and respiratory symptoms, soot from the state’s 19 dirtiest power plants cost
New York over $612 million in 1999.”
“The latest science out
of the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, the world’s leading authority on acid
rain, tells us that an 80% reduction in sulfur dioxide is needed for the
Adirondacks and other sensitive areas to recover from the damage done by acid
rain. Now we know the health benefits if New York instituted this reduction in
power plant pollution,” said John Stouffer, Legislative Director for the Sierra
Club Atlantic Chapter. “We urge Governor Pataki to require more stringent
emissions controls on power plants.”
“Including limits on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants will make
the Governor a national leader on the critically important issue of global
climate change,” said Ashok Gupta, Senior Energy Economist for the Natural
Resources Defense Council. “Modernizing New York’s power plants will improve
system reliability and lower the price of electricity by removing regulatory
uncertainty and improving the efficiency of power generation.”
“Establishing a statewide cap and trade program at more stringent levels will ensure New York receives the benefits outlined in this report,” said Jim Tripp, general counsel to Environmental Defense.
Ned Sullivan, executive director for Scenic Hudson, noted, “This report details the public health problems from soot pollution, which is compelling enough. But when you add to that the health effects from mercury, a known neurotoxin, it’s clear that we need to address four pollutants at once.”
Public health and environmental groups are using the report as further
evidence that Governor Pataki should improve upon his original commitment to
address power plant emissions. And since pollution doesn’t recognize borders,
they believe that power producers nationwide should be held to strict caps on
all four of the key power plant pollutants including nitrogen oxides, sulfur
dioxide, mercury and carbon dioxide.
“For over thirty years the oldest, dirtiest power plants have circumvented the most protective air emissions standards required of modern plants,” noted Iwanowicz. “The deaths, hospitalizations and lost work time caused by fine particles from power plants can be reduced comprehensively only when the Clean Air Act’s 30-year loophole for old, dirty power plants is finally closed.”
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Copies of the report can be obtained by calling the American Lung Association of NYS at 518-453-0172.