INDIANAPOLIS — Coal-hungry Indiana ranks fourth in the nation for carbon dioxide emissions from mostly aging power plants that contribute to global warming, an environmental group said Tuesday.
The report released by Washington, D.C.-based Environment America ranked Indiana behind Texas, Ohio and Florida. Pennsylvania was fifth. The study was based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data for 2007, the latest year for which final data were available.
Power plants in Texas put out nearly twice the amount of carbon dioxide as those in Ohio and Florida, the group said.
Nationwide, power plants released 2.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide, or about the amount produced by 449 million cars, the group said. That accounted for 42 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. in 2007. In Indiana, power plants released about 132 million tons of carbon dioxide.
The study found 73 percent of emissions came from older coal-burning power plants built before 1980, like Duke Energy’s Gibson Power Station in Owensville that began operation in 1975, which the group said is the fourth dirtiest power plant in the United States. Nearly half of the nation’s power plants were built before 1980, the report said.
“It’s time for the oldest and dirtiest power plants to clean up their act,” said Megan Severson, the group’s Midwest field organizer. “In order to stop global warming and reap all the benefits of clean energy, we must require old clunker power plants to meet modern standards for global warming pollution.”
But Duke spokesman Lew Middleton said it was “misleading” to characterize the Gibson plant as dirty due to carbon dioxide emissions since no technology is available to control that form of pollution. Technology that would allow coal-burning plants to capture their carbon dioxide is still being developed.
Middleton said Duke had invested more than $1 billion to outfit the Gibson plant with scrubbers and other devices to limit other types of pollution such as mercury.
Indiana gets about 95 percent of its electricity from coal-fired power plants.
Environment America said cleaning up aging power plants was critical to stopping global warming, which Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis scientist Gabriel Filippelli said is already affecting rainfall patterns in Indiana.
A global temperature rise of 2 degrees Fahrenheit since pre-industrial times has caused a shift to heavier springtime rains, causing flooding and complicating agriculture, said Filippelli.
Severson urged Indiana Sens. Richard Lugar, a Republican, and Evan Bayh, a Democrat, to support a climate bill now working its way through Congress. The bill calls for greenhouse gases to be cut by 20 percent by 2020, a target scaled back to 17 percent in the House after opposition from coal-state Democrats.
Bayh has expressed reservations about costs of carbon cap-and-trade legislation, and said progress on the issue is unlikely without participation by countries such as China and India.
Lugar has said the U.S. must try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but that the bill in the Senate and a version in the House would drag economic growth.
Environment America also said the EPA should finalize a proposal to require coal-burning plants and other smokestack industries to meet updated standards when new plants are built or old plants are upgraded.
The group also urged a shift to renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar power. Middleton said Duke also supports development of such resources.
Local News
Report: Indiana power plants are fourth dirtiest in U.S.
- Local News
-
-
Man pleads guilty to robbery
GOSHEN — A Nappanee man pleaded guilty in Elkhart County Circuit Court to his involvement in a March robbery in Nappanee.
-
A very sweet war: Searching for the ultimate cupcake
A fig, goat cheese and onion cake pop dipped in chocolate? No wrinkling of noses! It was the winning entry in a fierce competition between a local baker, a sixth-grader and recent participants in the Food Network’s popular Cupcake Wars.
-
The Salvation Army celebrates dedication
The Salvation Army in Goshen celebrated service by and to the community. The opportunity came when The Salvation Army in Goshen and southern Elkhart County held its first Celebration Dinner May 17.
-
Memorial Day events planned
Veterans who died in service to their country will be remembered during Memorial Day services this holiday weekend.
-
Police: 32 pounds of pot found in LaGrange
A traffic stop in LaGrange County, with help from a drug-sniffing canine, led police to the discovery of a reported 32-pounds of marijuana Wednesday.
-
Board reviews cleanup status
LAGRANGE — Monday morning all eyes in the LaGrange County Board of Commissioners meeting room were glued to the slide show presented by County Code Enforcement Officer Johnny Boggs.
-
Reception to honor donors set for Thursday
A reception is set for Thursday evening to recognize donors and kick off the fundraising for this year’s Celebrate America fireworks program planned at Black Squirrel Golf Course on July 1.
-
Permits for golf carts passes
NAPPANEE — Those wishing to travel the city streets of Nappanee on golf carts will need to acquire a permit after City Council members approved an amendment to the golf cart ordinance Monday night. The amended ordinance was passed unanimously on third and final reading.
-
Rain barrel auction at First Fridays to benefit Elkhart River
GOSHEN — Colorful, decorated rain barrels will be sold in Goshen late next week in hopes of helping raise funds to improve the Elkhart River.
-
Police: Teen accidentally shot himself
GOSHEN — A 17-year-old boy was shot outside his home at 1824 College Manor Drive, just south of College Avenue, at 3:43 p.m. Tuesday.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
Hurricane Forecast: 15 Named Storms Expected
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Search Intensifies for Missing Louisiana Woman
Bloomberg: Man Implicates Self in Etan Patz Case
NYPD: Person Implicated in Etan Patz Death
Raw Video: Fire on Nuke-powered Sub in Maine
Illegal Burn Suspected in Nevada Fire
Obama: 'We've Got More Work to Do'
Astrologers Predict Outcome of Presidential Race
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
FAMU Bandmates: Victim Volunteered to Be Hazed
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
Raw Video: Tornado Appears During Wedding
Raw Video: Passed Out Man Robbed
Inquiry Hears Wider Secret Service Misbehavior
HP to Cut 27,000 Jobs, Save Up to $3.5B
