The Battle Over Regulations

While Pittsburgh has more than its share of air pollution problems, environmental issues affect everyone. In response to concerns about global warming and health effects of air pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently introduced the Clean Power Plan. The goal of the plan is to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which account for 82% of greenhouse gases. This plan will also cut unhealthy particle pollution, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide by more than 25%.

Over the past century, human activities have released large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The majority of greenhouse gases come from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas to produce energy. Because Pennsylvania ranks fourth in coal production and third in overall energy production and CO2 emissions, the proposed regulations are particularly important for our region. The graphic below illustrates why power plants and steel factories in Allegheny County (yes, we still have them) will be up for review. 

Source: EPA as of 8/2014

What Are Greenhouse Gases?

Many chemical compounds found in the Earth’s atmosphere act as “greenhouse gases.” Some are naturally occurring such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide. Other are man made like gases used in aerosols.

Source: EPA

Greenhouse gases allow sunlight to enter the atmosphere freely. When sunlight strikes the Earth’s surface, some of it is reflected back towards space as infrared radiation or heat. Greenhouse gases absorb this infrared radiation and trap the heat in the atmosphere. Over time, the amount of energy sent from the sun to the Earth’s surface should be about the same as the amount of energy radiated back into space, leaving the temperature of the Earth’s surface roughly constant. Evidence of climate change shows that this process has been affected by human action, and the global average temperature has increased by 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit over the last century, with significant impacts on health and environment.  

Source: EPA

Clean Power Plan

In 2009, the EPA determined that greenhouse gas pollution threatens Americans' health and welfare by leading to long lasting changes in our climate that can have a range of negative effects on human health and the environment. As noted above, carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas pollutant. Although there are limits at power plants for other pollutants like arsenic and mercury, there are currently no national limits on carbon. Fossil fuel power plants that produce electricity are the top producer of CO2, accounting for 32% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 nationally.  

Source: EPA

On June 2, 2014, the EPA proposed a plan to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% from 2005 levels. States must reach these goal by 2030, but they have a choice in how they arrive at these numbers. Options include: making plants more efficient; moving to renewable or nuclear energy; switching from coal to gas, which emits half the CO2; or by simply using less energy through efficiency and conservation.

What Does This Mean for Pittsburgh?

As mentioned in my previous post Coal Remain's Pittsburgh's Top Pollutant, coal-fired power plants are our region's biggest air polluters and are top contenders for change under the Clean Power Plan. The proposal would require a 32% reduction of carbon pollution from Pennsylvania power plans by 2030 from 2012 levels. Pennsylvania power plants put out 48% of the state's CO2, according to the EPA. 

In August 2014, the first hearings in Pittsburgh on the issue were met with vocal protestors and supporters on both sides. Supporters of the new plan assert that stricter regulations mean improved health and slowing climate change. Those opposed argue that the plan means lost jobs in the coal mining and associated industries and higher energy prices because coal is cheap and plentiful. But many experts argue that restrictions will not in fact raise energy prices, and others point out that the regulations will result in new jobs.

High Stakes

States have until 2016 to come up with a plan to meet the new regulations, and expected legal challenges from the electric power and coal industries could delay implementation of the Clean Power Plan indefinitely. While lost jobs are a reality of the plan, the benefits of improved health, slowed climate change, and an ability to attract population and business to our area will likely outweigh the risks. Next up in the Pittsburgh Smog Blog: health problems associated with air pollution in our region.