Virginia's air is dirty. Air pollution monitoring this summer indicates that this number will increase in Virginia, and throughout the region, when recently adopted tighter health standards take effect. Bad air in the Shenandoah National Park and throughout Virginia's mountains has dramatically reduced visibility, poisoned native trout streams, and damaged trees and plants. One-fourth of the nitrogen pollution that threatens the health of the Chesapeake Bay comes from the air.
Coal plants generate the bulk of electricity in Virginia and neighboring states.
Because most of these plants were built before 1980, and are therefore grandfathered under the Clean Air Act from meeting the same pollution standards modern power plants are required to meet, they also produce the bulk of Virginia's air pollution. Significant progress can be made toward cleaning up Virginia's air by requiring that all power plants meet the pollution emission standards currently being met by modern plants. Pollution from electric power plants is having major impacts on health, the environment, and quality of life in Virginia. Although modern power plants are required to install technology that greatly reduces air pollution, most power plants in Virginia and elsewhere are exempt from this requirement. Requiring all power plants to meet modern pollution emission standards will greatly improve Virginia's air quality.