Press Mention Chattanooga Times Free Press September 28, 2004
SACE Quoted
EPA says Southern air getting less polluted
In this mention
The EPA reported that air pollution in the Southeast continued to decline in 2003, with aggregate emissions of six major pollutants falling to their lowest levels in a generation. Stephen Smith of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy acknowledged the progress but called for stronger federal action on carbon dioxide and mercury emissions, criticizing the Bush administration for not pushing beyond previous efforts.
There's no doubt that we're seeing improvements in the air and significant reductions are being made in sulfur dioxide and other emissions. But while we're making progress, we still don't have healthy air in many counties in Tennessee. We need to do more, and frankly the Bush administration has only continued the steps begun in the past, not pushed for more progress.
Stephen A. Smith
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Full transcript
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
EPA says Southern air getting less polluted
BY DAVE FLESSNER
BUSINESS EDITOR
Despite a nationwide increase in sulfur dioxide emissions in 2003, overall air pollution continued to decline in the Southeast during 2003, federal regulators said today.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that emissions of six major air pollutants fell during 2003 to their lowest levels in a generation. Over the past two decades, aggregate emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds and lead are down 28 percent from 51 million tons in 1985 to 37 million tons in 2003.
"The region's air is the cleanest ever in three decades," EPA spokesman Carl Terry said.
EPA said sulfur dioxide emissions, which are down 38 percent from 1980, rose 4 percent during 2003 because of the rise in coal-fired and oil-fired power generator usage. Higher natural gas prices encouraged more utilities and industry to burn the sulfur-causing fuels than the cleaner-burning gas last year.
But the Tennessee Valley Authority continued to limit its sulfur dioxide and other emissions, according to environmental director John Shipp.
"The air is getting cleaner in the Southeast and we believe that we are leading that effort at TVA," he said.
BY THE NUMBERS
Over the past decade, EPA estimates:
- Ambient sulfur dioxide is down 40 percent.
- Wet sulfate deposition, which acidifies sensitive lakes, has dropped 17 percent in the Southeast and 39 percent in the Northeast.
- Signs of recovery are evident in the Adirondacks in New York.
Emissions: Drop seen
TVA has cut its sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions by 75 percent since the peak reached in 1976, and sulfur dioxide emissions should ultimately be cut by at least 90 percent with the addition of more scrubbers on many of TVA's 11 coal plants, Mr. Shipp said. TVA is in the midst of $5.6 billion, 20-year effort to reduce air pollution from its aging coal plants.
Environmentalists agreed Tuesday that progress is being made, but they still pushed for more efforts to limit toxic chemicals in the air.
"There's no doubt that we're seeing improvements in the air and significant reductions are being made in sulfur dioxide and other emissions," said Stephen Smith, ~ith S:'XCQ-lrivr dia:rtor for the Southern Alliance for Clean En- ergy. "But while we're making progress, we still don't have healthy air in many counties in Tennessee. We need to do more, and frankly the Bush administration has only continued the steps begun in the past, not pushed for more progress."
Dr. Smith said EPA should adopt limits on carbon dioxide, which is linked with global warming, and on mercury, which causes a variety health problems for many people.