EPA: Decline in carbon pollution from power plants

 
No Author Published: February 5, 2013    Comment on this article Leave a comment

photo - FILE - In this July 10, 2007, file photo, the coal-fired Plant Scherer in operation at Juliette, Ga. For the second year in a row, the EPA's data shows that the largest greenhouse gas polluter in the nation in 2011 was the Scherer power plant in Juliette. The plant, owned by Atlanta-based Southern Co., reported releasing more than 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, in 2011. Heat-trapping gases from U.S. power plants fell 4.6 percent in 2011 from the previous year as plants burned less coal, the biggest source of greenhouse gas pollution, according to a new government report. (AP Photo/Gene Blythe, File)
FILE - In this July 10, 2007, file photo, the coal-fired Plant Scherer in operation at Juliette, Ga. For the second year in a row, the EPA's data shows that the largest greenhouse gas polluter in the nation in 2011 was the Scherer power plant in Juliette. The plant, owned by Atlanta-based Southern Co., reported releasing more than 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, in 2011. Heat-trapping gases from U.S. power plants fell 4.6 percent in 2011 from the previous year as plants burned less coal, the biggest source of greenhouse gas pollution, according to a new government report. (AP Photo/Gene Blythe, File)

Multimedia

For the second year in a row, the EPA's data shows that the largest greenhouse gas polluter in the nation in 2011 was the Scherer power plant in Juliette, Ga. The coal-fired plant, owned by Atlanta-based Southern Co., reported releasing more than 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, in 2011.

Another Southern-owned plant was the second-largest polluter nationally: the James H. Miller, Jr. power plant in Quinton, Ala., which also produced 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Martin Lake power plant in Tatum, Texas, operated by Dallas-based Luminant, was third, with 18.4 million metric tons of carbon pollution, the report shows.

Peter Zalzal, an attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund, called the EPA report "a call to action for America to work together" to find innovative solutions to address carbon pollution from power plants and methane from oil and gas production.

"We know where the largest sources are. We know where we have to apply smart solutions," he said.

___

Online:

EPA report: http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/ghgdata/reported/index.html

___

Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

Page 2 of 2



If you prefer your thoughts to appear in The Oklahoman's Opinion section, we encourage you to submit a letter to the editor.

Ads by Yahoo!

Ready to Profit?
Company Set to Quadruple in Value--Invest Today, Free Info!
www.GTSOResources.com
New Rule in VIRGINIA:
(MAY 2013): If You Pay For Car Insurance You Must Read This Immediately
www.ConsumerFinanceDaily.com

News Photo Galleriesview all