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Environmental Impacts

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Power plant emissions are the major source of pollutants that cause acid rain and global warming.

Acid Rain

Acid rain occurs when acidic pollutants contaminate rain, snow, and fog, or when acidic gases or particles fall to the ground. This causes streams and lakes to become acidic, killing fish and other aquatic life. It damages trees and sensitive forest soils, and causes buildings, statues, and sculptures to decay.

Scientists have confirmed that sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are the primary causes of acid rain. Approximately two thirds of all SO₂ and 1/4 of all NOx comes from electric power plants that burn fossil fuels. About 90% of these plants burn coal.

Global Warming

Greenhouse gases are gases that trap and retain heat in the atmosphere and our planet's surface. Some greenhouse gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides, occur naturally in the atmosphere, while others, such as hydrofluorocarbons, are produced only by human activities.

The burning of fossil fuels releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Many scientists believe that global climate change caused by carbon dioxide emissions is the biggest environmental crisis facing the world today.

Smog

Nitrogen oxides react with carbon monoxide and other carbon compounds to produce ozone, the major component of haze and smog. Particulates that contribute to acid rain also decrease visibility.

Pollutants Released by Longview

Carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) - between 205 and 628 TONS per hour*
Sulfur dioxide (causes acid rain) - 550 pounds per hour
Nitrogen oxides (causes smog and global warming) - 396 pounds per hour

* Releases of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are taken from Longview Power's permit application. This application does not require that Longview Power estimate carbon dioxide emissions, even though carbon dioxide emissions play a major role in global warming. Releases of carbon dioxide are calculated below. Note that one can come up with estimates that range from 1.8 to 5.5 million tons of CO₂ per year, depending on the source.

kw x 3414 = Btu / hour (http://www.steamonline.com/formulas.html)

600,000 kilowatts x 3414 = 2.05 x 10E9 Btu / hour

(2.05 x 10E9 Btu / hour) x (24 hours/day) x (365 days/year) = 1.8 x 10E13 Btu / year

(208 pounds CO₂ / million Btu) x (1.8 x 10E13 Btu / year) = 3.74 x 10E9 pounds CO₂ / year (http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/rbr/append.asp)

(3.74 x 10E9 pounds CO₂ / year) x (1 ton / 2000 pounds) = 1.87 10E6 tons CO₂ / year

Note, however that the following source results in CO₂ emissions about 3 times greater than calculated above: http://www.seen.org/pages/db/method.shtml (2.09 (DOE) pounds of CO₂ per kilowatt hour of operation)

References

Longview Power/GenPower, LLC Permit Application http://www.genpower.net/longview/environmental.html

US Environmental Protection Agency. Acid Rain. http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/index.html

US Environmental Protection Agency. Global Warming. http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/index.html

Citizens for Alternatives to Longview Power (CALP)

It Ain't Built Yet.

LONGVIEW IS SHORT SIGHTED!