Community | July 15, 2011 | 18 comments

Coal-Fired Power Plants Targeted

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/14/coal-fired-power-plant-sierra-club-dc_n_899509.html...

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Swisher
Commuters probably weren't expecting this on their way to work in the morning. But beginning July 12th, the Sierra Club took over all of the ad space inside Washington, D.C.'s Farragut North Station to share their message that air pollution from coal-fired power plants poses health risks.

80 metro cars have carried similar ads since April.

According to the Sierra Club, the group aims to raise attention to the dangers of coal-fired power plants, such as the GenOn Potomac River power plant in Alexandria, VA. The organization reports that these plants "emit air pollutants like smog and soot, which exacerbate asthma and other health problems. Washington metro area residents are demanding that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protect their health by enacting strong standards to reduce toxic air pollution."

In March, the American Lung Association (ALA) released a report stating, “Particle pollution from power plants is estimated to kill approximately 13,000 people a year.” Coal-fired power plants were targeted as one of the biggest culprits.

When the ALA released their State of the Air report in April, their representative said that they often see a backlash. Janice Nolen told The Huffington Post, "We get criticized for... making the public aware of the air pollution in their community. Sometimes the fact that there still is an air pollution problem is not a message that people want to hear." Some may have a similar reaction to the Sierra Club ads.

The EPA announced new rules on Thursday for coal-fired power plants, with new regulations set to go into effect in 2012.
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18 comments // Coal-Fired Power Plants Targeted

  • Theoldliberal
    • 0
      Theoldliberal  

    • Well Paratus would a "happy medium" be that only we would kill only 6500 people a year? You know what, we are reaching the stage where I do not care what idiots like you want and I hope that a majority of the country will get to that same place.

    • 10 months ago
  • dou4u2
  • Paratus
    • -5
      Paratus  

    • Well, Obummer said he was going to bankrupt the coal industry. I wonder how many here will gripe when their electric bills go up. Like most government agencies they have become too intrusive. The happy medium that is needed is swept under the rug by government agencies hell bent on controlling everyones lives. The Sierra Club lobbies, the coal producers lobby. If one does it they all can. The EPA is not provided for in Article 1, Section 8. That should settle the matter.

    • 11 months ago
  • Swisher
    • +1
      Swisher  
    • Paratus:

      Seriously? Have you thought of a world without regulation? Ever been to China? Corporate owners have such strong feelings of love for you that they will spare no expense to keep your air and water pristine. Santa Claus told me that.

    • 11 months ago
  • Gravity_Man
  • Wetdog
    • 0
      Wetdog  
    • Paratus:

      ------".........and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States;"--------Article 1,section 8 US Constitution

      I'd say that being able to breathe comes under the heading of "general Welfare".

    • 10 months ago
  • Gravity_Man
  • northernexpat
    • +1
      northernexpat  

    • And what does the GOP controlled congress do? They pass a bill today to deregulate EPA's powers on clean air and water. Do want anymore proof who controls this congress? It may have been a symbolic vote because it won't pass the Senate, but this is something to remember come the 2012 Elections. If you want to have safe water to drink and clean air to breathe pay attention to who voted for this bill today. Again, another wasted day where no jobs bills were tabled in congress, but more bills to repeal the regulations passed since Obama was elected, in order to appease their corporate masters.

    • 11 months ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • northernexpat:

      Don't be so sure it won't pass. That's the frightening part. Why pass this in the House now? Are they planning on using it as leverage? Politics is about negotiation and grandstanding not governing. I could definitely see them going to Obama and saying they won't touch Medicare, Social Security, etc in their debt ceiling "negotiations" if he signs our waterways away, because hell, people don't care about water anyway and they care about SS more. I never ever think that anything will not pass or be signed in this government. Especially not after the Patriot Act.

    • 11 months ago
  • artemis6
  • JanforGore
  • Incredulous
    • +4
      Incredulous  

    • Excellent post...I'm so damn sick of driving by the Appalachian power plant with it's great big sign of a smiling coal miner and the words "Powered by CLEAN COAL Energy" out front. What a big ass ugly lie! There is no such thing as Clean Coal...biggest lie of the decade, and the university town not far from this coal-fired power plant has one of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the nation....according to a study Harvard did...but who knows why the results of that study never became main stream newsworthy?

      Yeah, who knows?

    • 11 months ago
  • COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM
  • Swisher
  • cmc101
  • Swisher
    • +5
      Swisher  

    • Great ad campaign by the Sierra Club. People need to know the consequences of their selfish behavior. You have the right to buy a gas guzzling SUV, you have the right to keep your incandescent light bulbs, you have the right to keep your AC set at 72 degrees...but is it morally right?

    • 11 months ago
  • COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM
    • +5
      COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM  
    • Swisher:

      Is the problem what we do with energy or how we derive the energy. For instance, if one keeps their thermostat at 72 degrees, that keeps the humidity level below 33%, which in turns prevent dust mites; a number one allergen for millions of people, from reproducing and creating mite dirt. If our legislators would ever become serious about clean and sustainable energy, we would have unlimited access to it.

    • 11 months ago
  • Swisher
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