No other single source of pollution poses so much danger to health and the environment as do coal-burning power plants. The damage continues to mount as the emissions of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide have increased and the emissions of mercury, a toxic contaminant, and carbon dioxide, the foremost pollutant linked to global climate change, have continued unabated. Since 1970, the Clean Air Act has exempted the oldest, dirtiest coal-burning power plants from complying with modern emissions standards. As a result, these older power plants are permitted to emit as much as 10 times more nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide as that of modern coal plants. Even worse, the entire industry is currently allowed to emit unlimited amounts of mercury and carbon dioxide.
Power plants are the only unregulated source of toxic mercury air emissions.
This loophole in the Clean Air Act is now allowing power companies using these older facilities with outdated pollution controls to gain a competitive cost advantage over their competitors who are more environmentally friendly. Legislation has been introduced in Congress that would finally close the 30-year old loophole for power plants and that would set reasonable and achievable caps on the four major pollutants. The mission of the American Lung Association is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.