 |
Planned Coal Plant Could Cost $200 Million In Health Costs, Report FindsTuesday, May 24, 2011 According to a report released Monday by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, pollution from the proposed coal-fired power plant in Surry could generate more than $200 million in annual health-related costs. The Old Dominion Electric Cooperative plans to build a 1,500-megawatt power plant in the town of Dendron, which ODEC argues will bring jobs and much-needed revenue to the area. Monday’s CBF report, "A Coal Plant’s Drain on Health and Wealth," uses data supplied by ODEC to the US Environment Protection Agency on pollution generated by the plant’s 650-foot smokestacks. The report estimates that health-related costs generated by the plant could top $200 million each year.According to the report, the annual health impact of the plant would include about 16 cases of chronic bronchitis, 23 asthma-related emergency room visits, 26 premature deaths, 40 heart attacks, 442 asthma attacks, 3,340 lost work days, and 19,903 days in which people will have to reduce their activities because they are sick. One third of these health problems would be in Virginia, with the rest spread across the mid-Atlantic region. The total cost of these illnesses and deaths would be about $208 million a year, or more than $6 billion over 30 years. Dr. Stephen W. Shield, an asthma and allergy specialist who practices in Newport News, Williamsburg, and Gloucester, agreed the particles and ozone from the plant could trigger asthma attacks and cause other serious health problems across the region. "This air pollution would have a substantial negative impact on many citizens in this area with asthma," according to Shield. "Virginia already ranks number six in the nation for mortality from air pollution, and another coal-fired power plant – particularly in such a populous area – would make us shoot up that list even further." The CBF report also suggests the plant would lead to potential threats to safe drinking water in south Hampton Roads due to the fly ash landfill that would be built close to the Blackwater River. "Poor air and water quality in Hampton Roads has already made negative impacts on our region's economy and public health," said CBF Hampton Roads Scientist Chris Moore, "Adding a new source of pollution, when Virginia must comply with new Bay pollution reduction requirements, is irresponsible and counterproductive." The proposed power plant would be permitted to release up to 44 pounds of mercury and 921 pounds of lead annually, according to the CBF. Both heavy metals can cause brain damage in children and other serious health problems (read more on the effects of lead exposure and other toxins on the EPA website). The stacks would also emit, among other air pollutants, 6,800 pounds of benzene and 2,200 pounds of arsenic, which EPA classifies as known human carcinogens. Health officials from the American Lung Association in Virginia, the Virginia Asthma Coalition, and doctors in Hampton Roads and Williamsburg have joined environmental organizations and come out in public opposition to the construction of the plant. The CBF opposes the plant’s construction for various reasons including the nitrogen pollution that would be release into the Chesapeake Bay, which would affect the state’s Bay cleanup plans. “All of this potential harm points toward one conclusion: Building this plant is not worth the risk to human health and the environment,” the report states. “Cleaner sources of energy than coal—including wind, solar, and other renewables—are available and would be wiser alternatives.” Read the full report on the CBF website. |
|
Copyright © 2010-2011 WY Daily. Davis Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Website by Web-tactics
Website by Web-tactics
Comments
Its no secret that big polluting businesses often locate near the poor and uneducated because they can get away with slowly poisoning the local populace. In this case, the prevailing winds will blow lots of the pollution right over James City County, Williamsburg, York County and Newport News. Therefore, everyone will get a good dose, sometimes for many consecutive days on end.
I hope the authorities measure the amount of methylmercury currently in the fish and waters of the surrounding area in order to establish a baseline of what the toxin levels are right now. I guarantee that methylmercury levels in the birds, people and fish of this area will rise significantly. In a very short time most of the fish that fishermen like to catch will have methylmercury fish consumption advisories not to eat them.
If ODEC thinks its proposed daily dose of pollution is safe for everyone around here, let them take written responsibility to pay for all impacts to human health, animal health and environmental degradation in general.
In my opinion, I think ODEC's actions and strategies resemble a criminal enterprise more than an electric cooperative. I think the Dendron and Surry locals have been sold a bill of goods under false pretenses. I also think they are corrupt, but that is just my opinion since i have no documented proof, yet.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/05/22-2
According to the report, the annual health impact of the plant would include about 16 cases of chronic bronchitis, 23 asthma-related emergency room visits, 26 premature deaths, 40 heart attacks, 442 asthma attacks, 3,340 lost work days, and 19,903 days in which people will have to reduce their activities because they are sick. One third of these health problems would be in Virginia, with the rest spread across the mid-Atlantic region.
Seems like it would be difficult to generate hard numbers out of soft hypotheticals.