Energy

Environment Reducing Air Pollution from Power Plants

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office Air and Radiation

Human Health
August 25, 2010

Power Sector Provides a Major Share of Our Air Emissions

SO2 Emissions, 2007
Other 31%

NOx Emissions, 2007

Power Sector 20%

Hg Emissions, 2005
Power Sector 51%

Power Sector 69%

Other 80%

Other 49%

Total: 12.9 Million Tons

Total: 17.0 Million Tons

Total: 102.7 Tons

PM10 Emissions, 2007 Carbon Dioxide, 2005

Power Sector 8%

Power Sector 41%

Other 51%

Other 92%

Sources: SO2, NOX, PM10, and Hg are from NEI trends data; PM10 excludes condensibles and fugitive dust; CO2 is from EPAs U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 19902005 Other sources include transportation, other mobile sources, and industrial sources Total: 5.8 Billion Tons 2

Total: 2.2 Million Tons

Upcoming EPA Clean Air Act Power Plant Rules

Interstate Pollution Transport Rule for existing PM and ozone NAAQS

Proposed rule unveiled in June, published August 2, 2010 Final rule planned June 2011

Utility MACT (section 112/hazardous air pollutants)

Propose March 2011, finalize November 2011

Utility NSPS (section 111/criteria pollutants)

Same schedule as MACT 2006 utility NSPS is under reconsideration and subject to pending litigation Section 111(b) for new and modified/reconstructed sources, Proposed rule in 2011, final rule in 2012 EPA is considering substance and timing of its response.

Interstate Pollution Transport Rule for 2010 reconsidered ozone NAAQS

Response to court remand on Utility NSPS (section 111) for greenhouse gases

(/kWh)
25.00

Figure 1 - Average Retail Price of Electricity - State Rankings 2008 (/kWh)

20.00

States with potential economic impacts and benefits from new air regulations but with exposure to electricity price impacts

15.00

Regions with more coal

10.00

5.00

0.00 HI CT NY MA RI AK NH NJ ME DC MD CA DE VT TX FL NV US LA PA IL AZ WI MS MI GA AL CO OH NM TN VA NC SC OK MN MT AR KS OR SD IN IA MO ND NE WA UT KY ID WY WV

Data: Energy Information Administration, 826 Data series (electricity expenditures by state)

Electricity Use Per Person (KWh) by State and US: 2007

(kWh/person)
30000

25000

Opportunities for more efficiency improvements as a way to lower the total expenditures on electricity as compliance occurs and as a way to induce more retirements of marginal plants?

Regions with lower prices, more coal

20000

15000

10000

5000

0 WY KY DC AL WV ND SC LA TN IN AR MS MT NE ID OK IA NC MO VA KS GA TX OH NV DE SD WA MN OR WI FL US PA AZ MD IL NM MI CO UT CT NJ VT AK ME MA NH HI NY RI CA

Data: Energy Information Administration, State Energy Data System (most recent annual data available as of

Areas Out of Attainment are Frequently Population Centers

Counties Violating Air Quality Standards in the Proposed Transport Rule Region
(based on 2003-07 air quality monitoring data)

Cleveland Detroit Pittsburgh

Chicago

New York Metro Philadelphia

Washington, DC St. Louis

Counties in red are in violation of one or more of the following NAAQS in the periods 2003-2005, 2004-2006, and/or 2005-2007: -1997 PM2.5 -1997 Ozone -2006 PM2.5

Atlanta Dallas

Houston

Source: U.S. EPA (with city/urban center locations added by MJB&A)

In 2008 EPA estimated that 127 million Americans lived in non-attainment areas.
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