Click here to subscribe today or Login.
The state Legislature seemingly cannot help itself from endangering public health at every available opportunity.
The Coal Refuse Energy and Reclamation Tax Credit is yet another shameful piece of energy policy that will ensure Pennsylvania’s continued air pollution. While our public schools suffer, coal waste power plants are now eligible for a piece of a $10 million pool to keep their inefficient, unprofitable generation units running.
State Sen. John Yudichak claims in a recent commentary (“Coal mining regions get help,” Aug. 4) that this tax credit has an environmental benefit. Tell that to those who live in the shadow of the Northampton Generating Station. Residents had to sit through a public hearing last July, pleading with the state not to increase lead emissions from the plant.
While advocating against this pollution increase in Northampton, I witnessed the formation of a community group composed of nearby parents and grandparents who have children with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. These Northampton residents are supported by a Harvard study connecting heavy metal pollution with ASD. Embarrassingly, one year later the state has not made a decision on whether to significantly increase lead pollution in Northampton.
Across the state, there are similar stories. Pennsylvania is home to 14 of the nation’s 18 coal waste power plants. Other states want nothing to do with this dirty fuel.
Pennsylvania’s 14 waste plants have a combined 1,402 megawatt generation capacity, less than a single average coal plant. What coal refuse power plants lack in electricity generation, they make up for in pollution. While Pennsylvania’s standard coal plants produce 8.5 times more electricity than its coal waste plants, the waste plants produce more lead pollution – while both varieties of generation stations emit between 6,000 and 7,000 pounds of mercury every year.
Penn State recently concluded that rare earth metals could be mined from Pennsylvania’s coal waste piles. In Virginia, there have been successful attempts to stabilize coal refuse piles by planting beach grass over them. These solutions will create more jobs than incineration, without putting surrounding communities in danger.
Russell Zerbo
Advocacy coordinator
Clean Air Council
Philadelphia