EPA to limit mercury, other toxics from coal plants (USA Today)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Wendy Koch, USA TODAY

Recommend The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency proposed rules Wednesday that would -- for the first time -- limit the emissions of mercury, arsenic and other pollutants from coal-fired power plants.

Environmental and medical groups, which long sought the rules, welcomed them as a way to reduce respiratory illnesses, heart disease and developmental problems in children. Some industry groups said they would cost jobs and hike electric rates.

The rules, which will require plants to have pollution-control equipment, came as no surprise. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments mandated that EPA control industrial emissions, but coal-fired power plants avoided limits. A 2009 court ruling required the agency to propose such rules by March 16 and finalize them by November.

EPA said the rules will reduce mercury emissions 91% and cut those of chromium, nickel and particulate pollutants such as dust and dirt. It said they will prevent as many as 17,000 premature deaths and 11,000 heart attacks each year, and would be particularly helpful to children suffering from asthma and bronchitis.
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more: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/03/epa-regulates-mercuy-coal-plants/1

[TheWraith]

1. Coal is estimated to kill abut 40,000 Americans every year.

That's more than the death toll of 9/11, every single month. That's as many people as are killed in car accidents.

[jdlh8894]

2. Really? Proof?

Some people still heat their houses and cook their food using coal.
Do you use electric power? Do you use anything made of steel,aluminium,rubber?
Then don't bitch!

[TheWraith]

3. Which has what, exactly, to do with the death toll from coal pollution?

Coal isn't the only way to generate electricity, to heat homes, to cook food, or to make steel.

[jdlh8894]

4. No it is not.

My point - over 4,000,000 people die from lack of heat,malnutrition,disease(from
under cooked food) etc. Coal is not the problem or the ultimate solution.
But it is something that is needed.

[txlibdem]

6. The American Lung Association lists part of the deaths from particulates

According to the American Lung Association, 24,000 people a year die prematurely because of pollution from coal-fired power plants. And every year 38,000 heart attacks, 12,000 hospital admissions and an additional 550,000 asthma attacks result from power plant pollution.
--http://www.coal-is-dirty.com/the-coal-hard-facts

[Fledermaus]

5. Will they limit the amount of Plutonium in our fish?

I think they should limit that as well.

Conservation. The Europeans live using half as much energy as we do.

New coal plants are more efficient. New pants use less coal per kwh. Wind with pumped hydro is better still.