LANSING – The best thing Michigan can say about showing up on the Natural Resources Defense Council “Toxic 20” list of states with the most air pollution from power plants is, “We’re not No. 1.”

That ignominious distinction goes to Ohio, which is followed by Pennsylvania, Florida, Kentucky and Maryland in the top five. However, the Wolverine State’s No. 7 ranking isn’t exactly something to brag about.

“My first reaction is, it’s not surprising given Michigan’s reliance on coal,” said David Gard, energy program director for the Michigan Environmental Council. “We’re one of the states that burns the most coal and oil, and coal-combustion is the most problematic. It’s very harmful to human bodies, especially children.”

But a utility official said the ranking is relative to the reality of air quality, since Michigan’s air quality is the best it has been in 50 years.

And a state official said Michigan’s air quality is better than most states and getting better.

Released Wednesday by the New York-based NRDC and Physicians for Social Responsibility, “Toxic Power: How Power Plants Contaminate Our Air and States,” is an analysis of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxics Release Inventory from 2009.

The NRDC used the TRI, a national data base of toxic emissions industrial sources are required to report and which is available to the public, to compile its first-ever Toxic 20, said NRDC spokesperson Suzanne Struglinski.

The study found that nearly half of all toxic air pollution reported from industrial sources in the United States comes from coal- and oil-fired power plants, and power plants are the single largest industrial source of toxic air pollution in 28 states and Washington, D.C.

Electrical energy production accounts for 73 percent of Michigan’s toxic industrial air pollution compared to 8 percent from paper production, which is second. Detroit Edison’s Monroe power plant is listed fourth among top power plant polluters in the nation by NRDC study, which underscores the correlation between air pollution and public health issues.

“Coal pollution is killing Americans,” Lynn Ringenberg, of PSR, said in a release. “Air toxics from coal-fired power plants cause cancer, birth defects and respiratory illness. Just one of those air toxics, mercury, damages the developing brains of fetuses, infants and small children.”

The EPA’s pending mercury and air toxics standard would save up to 17,000 lives, prevent up to 120,000 cases of childhood asthma symptoms, eliminate 12,000 emergency-room and hospital visits and prevent 850,000 lost work days every year in the United States by 2015, according to EPA estimates. The EPA expects to finalize the standards by November.

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, opposes the EPA’s clean-air safeguards.

Gard said Michiganders pay a hefty financial and health cost for electricity from coal, since all of it has to be imported from other states. In 2008, Michigan utilities spent $1.5 billion on coal, Gard said.

“A significant amount of our wealth is going elsewhere,” Gard said, adding that Michigan can improve the health of its residents and economy by investing in renewable sources of energy – such as wind and solar – instead of coal.

“A kilowatt hour you don’t have to use is one you don’t have to generate,” Gard said. “A co-benefit of spurring on more companies in those sectors to locate here puts more Michigan people to work installing and maintaining systems.”

Gard said the MEC also recommends “to start thinking, as a state, about starting to retire” its oldest and dirtiest power plants.

Located near Essexville, Consumers Energy’s Dan E. Karn and J.C. Weadlock plants combined, rank third among Michigan’s top power-plant polluters.

Consumers’ spokesman Matt Bishop said the company doesn’t dispute the No. 7 ranking, but said it’s a relative figure.

“The air in Michigan is the cleanest it’s been in 50 years as a result of investments by our customers in clean-air equipment and cleaner-burning fuel,” Bishop said. “Michigan is a large populace state with a strong industrial footprint. It employs a lot of people in industry and manufacturing and there is a strong amount of power-consumption and usage.

“In terms of the clean-air issue, (Consumers) is spending $1.6 billion through 2017 to further reduce emissions at our coal plants.”

A few years ago, Bishop said, Consumers made a commitment to purchase only cleaner-burning coal from the Western United States. He also pointed out that while the NRDC report illuminated valid health issues related to energy-plant pollution, electricity is critical to treating illness and promoting health.

“It’s a complex reality,” Bishop said. “We do need reliable and clean energy to live healthy lives. We are going above and beyond what we’re required to do to provide that.”

Brad Wurfel with the Department of Environmental Quality said Michigan is one state that uses lots of coal to generate electricity and the study looked at those emissions. But in the last four years alone, he said, emissions have been reduced in Southeast Michigan by 40 percent.

“We have to keep in appropriate perspective what this is study is about,” Wurfel said. “Let it not be confused with overall air quality.”

And he said: “Michigan’s air quality is better than most states and it is getting better every year.”

This story was provided by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on Gongwer.Com

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