Readers of HCN’s excellent
story on the effort to bring more clean, renewable energy to the
West might think that the settlement agreement on the proposed coal
plant in Pueblo, Colo., will somehow reduce pollution (HCN,
5/02/05: The Winds of Change). While it is true that the agreement
will reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, if the
proposed new coal plant is built, Pueblo, the state of Colorado and
the entire planet will be the recipients of massive amounts of new
pollution. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health
and the Environment, the plant could emit over 8 million pounds per
year of carbon monoxide, over 1 million pounds per year of
particulates, over 250,000 pounds per year of sulfuric acid mist,
over 30,000 pounds per year each of hydrogen chloride and hydrogen
fluoride, over 200 pounds per year each of chromium, manganese,
nickel and benzene and over 100 pounds per year of mercury. All of
this is on top of the over 6 million tons of carbon dioxide the
plant will emit until the year 2060 under Xcel’s plan.
What’s more, the electricity isn’t even
intended for use by Pueblo. It would be shipped north on a massive
transmission line for use in Denver, Boulder and other parts of
Xcel’s territory. Pueblo is already an environmental justice
community. There is no need to bathe it in a sea of unnecessary
pollution when Colorado has abundant clean energy resources to tap.
Leslie Glustrom
Boulder,
Colorado
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Settlement won’t reduce pollution.
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