Special Report: Cleaning Coal

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coal_icon The Great Lakes states are home to 155 coal-fired power plants that discharge wastewater into local lakes and streams.  That wastewater can carry heavy metals and other dangerous contaminants, and has gone largely unregulated for the past 27 years.  Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to step in with new rules to fend off environmental concerns.

Join the Great Lakes Echo for a four-day series unpacking the problems with power plant wastewater in the Great Lakes.

Day 1. Great Lakes states spotty on coal limits; some water contaminants ignored.

Day 2. Great Lake states mercury limits vary; may pose threat to already polluted waters.

Day 3. Few Great Lakes power plants even look for this toxic contaminant in their waste.

Day 4. Cleaning up air could harm quality of water.

Note: updated for accuracy 12/17/09 05:17

3 thoughts on “Special Report: Cleaning Coal

  1. Pingback: MONDAY MASHUP: ToxMap highlights Great Lakes health concerns | Great Lakes Echo

  2. Pingback: The Erie Hiker » Coal Plant Pollution: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Story Series

  3. There is another side to this story not being told. That is the quantity of water used by the power plants(in Lake Erie the greatest user of water – 80% by USGS reports is used by power plants), the fish impinged and entrained in teh intakes and thermal heated about 10 degrees Fahrenheitwater they warm and release in what is known as a mixing zone..
    I would hope that Great Lakes Echo will report on this aspect of power plants also. There are three coal fired power plants located on the Great Lakes shallowest waters in Maumee Bay/far western Lake Erie taht use on average 3 billion gallons of water a day that entrain billions and impinge millions of fish. The impact of the fish kills and thermal plumes – contribnution to algal growth and fish population impacts needs to be looked at.

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