Because they emit some of our worst air pollutants, power plants pose a serious threat to the health of people, wildlife, and our environment . These health hazards result when mercury falls to Earth with rain, snow, and in dry particles, ending up in lakes, rivers, coastal waters and ultimately fish, animals that eat fish, and humans. In 1994, coal-fired power plants emitted 51 tons of mercury. Currently, fish in more than 50,000 waterbodies in 40 states contain such high levels of mercury that health agencies have warned people against eating them. ACID RAIN Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides form acids in the atmosphere that fall to the earth as rain, fog, snow, or dry particles.
Acid rain damages forests and causes lakes and streams to become acidic, killing fish.
Acid rain also damages buildings, historical monuments, and even cars. Although nitrogen is a natural and important component of the Earth's environment, too much nitrogen can cause serious problems for ecosystems. Nitrogen gases released into the atmosphere by, for example, burning coal can deplete minerals in soil and cause algae blooms and other problems in aquatic ecosystems. The burning of coal has sent tremendous quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and has caused the average global surface temperature to rise. This warming is disrupting the planet's climate system, threatening people and wildlife around the world.