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Air Pollution Challenges Kentucky Coal Association April 29, 2013

This article discusses the challenges and technological solutions related to air pollution caused by coal use. It covers topics such as the Mercury Air Toxics Standards, 1-Hour SO2 Standard, protection of downwind states, and the challenge of reducing greenhouse gases. It also mentions the impact of U.S. EPA regulations and the need for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

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Air Pollution Challenges Kentucky Coal Association April 29, 2013

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  1. Air Pollution ChallengesKentucky Coal AssociationApril 29, 2013 Thomas W. Easterly, P.E., BCEE Commissioner Indiana Department of Environmental Management

  2. Coal Use Air Pollution Challenges • Challenges With Technological Solutions: • Mercury Air Toxics Standards (Mercury MACT) • 1-Hour SO2 Standard • Protection of Down Wind States (Transport) • A Challenge With No Known Solution: • Greenhouse Gasses or CO2

  3. U.S. EPA Mercury Air Toxics Rule (MATS) Final Rule Effective: April 16, 2012 • Annual rule cost $9.6 billion. • Annual rule hazardous air pollution (HAP) benefit $500,000 to $6,000,000 (0.00209 IQ points per exposed person or 510.8 IQ points per year in U.S. out of 31 billion IQ points). • Estimated annual co-benefits $53 to $140 billion. • Compliance Date is April 16, 2015 or, with a State issued extension April 16, 2016.

  4. 1-Hour SO2 Standard • Nonattainment areas determined by monitoring or modeling • Solution is to reduce SO2 emissions by: • Scrubbing • Fuel Switching • Closing • Compliance deadline expected to be 2018

  5. Protection of Downwind States • Under the Homer City decision (D.C. Circuit 11-1302) U.S. EPA must: • Determine if a State has a significant contribution to nonattainment areas in any downwind state • Determine each State’s obligation to reduce its contribution to the downwind state(s) • Each state is then required to obtain that contribution reduction: • May require NOx reductions from power plants

  6. Protection of Downwind States • Power plant NOx reductions are obtained by: • Burner changes including over fire air • Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) • Fuel switching • Facility closure • Compliance deadline is uncertain, probably between 2018 and 2020

  7. CO2 (Greenhouse Gasses) • In April 2012, U.S. EPA proposed New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions for certain Electric Utility Generating Units (EGUs). The rules only apply to large new fossil fired Electrical Generating Units in the continental United States. • Simple cycle gas turbines are exempt (even though the more efficient ones currently meet the rule).

  8. CO2 (Greenhouse Gasses) • Combined cycle gas turbines will meet the rule. • Coal fired units will not meet the rule without using carbon capture and storage. • Carbon capture and storage: • is not yet commercially available, • has not yet been demonstrated at commercial scale, and • is likely to be prohibitively expensive.

  9. CO2 (Greenhouse Gasses) • Is a rule which effectively prohibits the construction of new electrical generating facilities that use coal in the United States going to make a significant difference in emissions? • The National Academy of Sciences report, “America’s Climate Choices,” recommends that actions be taken now to start reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to levels between 50% and 80% below 1990 levels.

  10. CO2 (Greenhouse Gasses) • In the spring of 2012, the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) passed resolution 12-1, “Challenges of AchievingSignificant Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reductions.” A copy of this resolution is available at: • www.ecos.org/files/4711_file_Resolution_12_1_Challenges_of_GHG_reductions.doc 12

  11. CO2 (Greenhouse Gasses) • The resolution requests that the U.S. EPA develop one or more scenarios that will produce an 80% reduction in GHG emissions nationally, from a 2005 baseline, in 2050 or beyond; and to conduct an analysis of the costs and the benefits associated with each such scenario along with an estimate of the costs and benefits of not obtaining these GHG reductions.

  12. CO2 (Greenhouse Gasses) • U.S. EPA has decided not to spend the resources required to develop the requested scenario, but rather to develop rules to reduce GHG emissions, even if these rules do not materially reduce U.S. emissions. • The NSPS for EGUs effectively bans new coal fired facilities in the U.S. without any public plan to actually reduce U.S. (or world) GHG emissions to the levels advocated by the National Academy of Sciences.

  13. Questions? Tom Easterly Commissioner Indiana Department of Environmental Management (317) 232-8611 teasterly@idem.IN.gov

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