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Sandi Tabor V.P. Government Affairs Lignite Energy Council Sandi Tabor V.P. Government Affairs Lignite Energy Council Environmental Issues
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Water quality Waste management Air quality Global Climate Change Water quality Waste management Air quality Global Climate Change
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Water is essential for use in the process of generating electricity Processes include Cooling water Steam turbines Drinking / sanitary uses Fire protection Environmental impacts Intake structure designs Heat Water is essential for use in the process of generating electricity Processes include Cooling water Steam turbines Drinking / sanitary uses Fire protection Environmental impacts Intake structure designs Heat Water
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Coal Combustion Products (CCPs) The solid residue left when combustible material is thoroughly burned includes: Fly ash Bottom ash Boiler slag Material generated through flue gas cleaning Flue gas desulfurization material - gypsum Coal Combustion Products (CCPs) The solid residue left when combustible material is thoroughly burned includes: Fly ash Bottom ash Boiler slag Material generated through flue gas cleaning Flue gas desulfurization material - gypsum Waste Management
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Beneficial Uses of Coal Combustion Products
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Air Quality Federal Clean Air Act regulates criteria pollutants - National Ambient Air Quality Standards; Carbon monoxide Lead Nitrogen dioxide Particulate matter Ozone Sulfur dioxide Federal Clean Air Act regulates criteria pollutants - National Ambient Air Quality Standards; Carbon monoxide Lead Nitrogen dioxide Particulate matter Ozone Sulfur dioxide
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Air Quality Clean Air Act: Designed to protect citizens including the most sensitive (children, people with asthma & older adults) individuals from air pollution Clean Air Act: Designed to protect citizens including the most sensitive (children, people with asthma & older adults) individuals from air pollution Google Earth Emission file: http://www.epa.gov/air/emissions/where.htm
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Sources of Emissions Source: EPA Total Emissions 155,921 79,515 14,583 6,630 5,155 2,282 1,319 375 41 Tons Carbon Monoxide Emissions by Source Sector in North Dakota in 2005
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Sources of Emissions Source: EPA Total Emissions 6 2 1 0 Tons Lead Emissions by Source Sector in North Dakota in 2005
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Sources of Emissions Source: EPA Total Emissions 14,193 12,687 4,790 3,516 3,180 1,351 887 763 382 303 Tons Volatile Organic Compounds by Source Sector in North Dakota in 2005
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Sources of Emissions Source: EPA Total Emissions 36,533 8,436 6,397 5,745 4,590 1,998 785 764 386 110 Tons PM2.5 Emissions by Source Sector in North Dakota in 2005
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Particulate Matter
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Sources of Emissions Source: EPA Total Emissions 137,372 12,013 5,996 3,123 443 50 27 21 Tons Sulfur Dioxide Emissions by Source Sector in North Dakota in 2005
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Sources of Emissions Source: EPA Total Emissions 76,384 59,714 19,780 10,923 188 179 176 17 1 Tons Nitrogen Oxides Emissions by Source Sector in North Dakota in 2005
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Air is Getting Cleaner Industry has met greater electric demand with increasingly cleaner technologies Source: EPA data 2008 Since 1980 Vehicle Miles Traveled 91% U.S. Energy Consumption 29% U.S. GDP Increased 126% Aggregate Emissions Decreased 54%
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SO 2 Emissions Trend in ND Source: ND Department of Health * Reductions estimated based on new scrubbers 0 50 100 150 200 199820072013* Utility Total Tons Per Year 185K 138K 51K
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Air Quality - TR National Park
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ND Lignite Industry: Exceeding Environmental Expectations North Dakota is one of only 12 states to meet all the federal ambient air quality standards Source: EPA, May 1, 2010
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Air Monitoring Activity Build your own “air monitors” Materials: Container (milk carton or coffee can) String (for hanging) or pole Black permanent marker Vaseline Hole punch Magnifying lens Build your own “air monitors” Materials: Container (milk carton or coffee can) String (for hanging) or pole Black permanent marker Vaseline Hole punch Magnifying lens
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Mercury EPA’s concern about mercury Bioaccumulates in food chain Human exposure through fish consumption Mercury is a neurotoxin Selenium protects against mercury toxicity – ND soils are high in selenium EPA’s concern about mercury Bioaccumulates in food chain Human exposure through fish consumption Mercury is a neurotoxin Selenium protects against mercury toxicity – ND soils are high in selenium
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Selenium in Soils
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Background: Mercury is a global issue Estimated 4400-7500 tons emitted worldwide from all sources – natural & man-made Estimated 1/3 from natural sources; 2/3 from human activities U.S. contribution is about 3% Nationwide coal-fired utilities account for about 48 tons - about 1% of worldwide total mercury release North Dakota utilities account for 1 ton, about 0.02% of worldwide total mercury release Background: Mercury is a global issue Estimated 4400-7500 tons emitted worldwide from all sources – natural & man-made Estimated 1/3 from natural sources; 2/3 from human activities U.S. contribution is about 3% Nationwide coal-fired utilities account for about 48 tons - about 1% of worldwide total mercury release North Dakota utilities account for 1 ton, about 0.02% of worldwide total mercury release Mercury is a Global Issue
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Mercury Deposition % contribution by non-U.S. sources, 2004
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Regional Haze Goal - return all national parks and wilderness areas (Class 1) to natural conditions by the year 2064 States - establish goals and emission reduction using best available retrofit technology (BART) Goal - return all national parks and wilderness areas (Class 1) to natural conditions by the year 2064 States - establish goals and emission reduction using best available retrofit technology (BART)
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Regional Haze Regional Haze Sources Fossil fuels combustion Open burning Agriculture Unpaved roads Oil and gas extraction Motor vehicles Regional Haze Sources Fossil fuels combustion Open burning Agriculture Unpaved roads Oil and gas extraction Motor vehicles
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Regional Haze 30 dV visibility vs 10 dV Courtesy of ENSR
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Regional Haze 1.4 dV Change
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Regional Haze Challenge for ND Already clean air upon which to improve Significant distances to Class I areas Small industry base Crop burning Prairie fires Unpaved roads Challenge for ND Already clean air upon which to improve Significant distances to Class I areas Small industry base Crop burning Prairie fires Unpaved roads
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Global Climate Change
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Controversy Abounds
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Web Sites of Interest Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: http://www.ipcc.ch/ Junk Science: All the Junk that’s Fit to Debunk http://junkscience.com/Features.html Space and Science Research Center: http://www.spaceandscience.net/id16.html The Skeptical Environmentalist – Bjorn Lomborg http://www.lomborg.com
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Man-made carbon dioxide emissions are less than 3% of total annual CO 2 emissions Issue in Perspective Man-made 2.9% Natural 97.1% United States makes up 23% of the 2.9 percent
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Sources of U.S. Man-made CO 2 Electricity – 40% Transportation – 34% Industrial – 17% Residential – 6% Commercial – 3% Source: EIA 2007
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Sources of ND Man-made CO 2 Electricity – 59% Transportation – 13% Industrial – 24% Residential – 2% Commercial – 2% Source: EIA 2007
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Sources of MN Man-made CO 2 Electricity – 34% Transportation – 36% Industrial – 15% Residential – 9% Commercial – 6% Source: EIA 2007
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CO 2 Emissions: US vs. China & India – (1990-2025) Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA), International Energy Annual 2002 & International Energy Outlook 2005 2009
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Projected Global Energy Demand Projected 10-Year Growth in Per Capita Energy Use EIA: 3.5 Billion People to Increase Energy Use by 60% in 10 Years 12% 5% 17% 27% 20% 7% 13% 33% 88% 36% 4% 37%
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What is the Problem? No commercially available technology to capture CO 2 from pulverized coal power plants Risks associated with sequestering the CO 2 in geologic formations Global issue requires global solution Current solutions being considered by Congress not addressing economic impact No commercially available technology to capture CO 2 from pulverized coal power plants Risks associated with sequestering the CO 2 in geologic formations Global issue requires global solution Current solutions being considered by Congress not addressing economic impact
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CO 2 Storage Activity Goal: Students learn about geologic sequestration as a technique used to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Objectives: Students will … Understand geologic sequestration as an idea being considered to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Use chemistry to simulate enhanced oil recovery Goal: Students learn about geologic sequestration as a technique used to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Objectives: Students will … Understand geologic sequestration as an idea being considered to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Use chemistry to simulate enhanced oil recovery
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Solutions - Actions What can industry do? What can government do? What can consumers do? What can industry do? What can government do? What can consumers do?
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What can industry do? Develop cost-effective technology to capture CO 2 Diversify energy resource mix Work with Congress to ensure the passage of legislation that protects the environment and the economy Encourage the transfer of technologies to third-world countries Develop cost-effective technology to capture CO 2 Diversify energy resource mix Work with Congress to ensure the passage of legislation that protects the environment and the economy Encourage the transfer of technologies to third-world countries
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CO 2 Emission Reductions Electric companies are world leaders in taking voluntary actions to address GHG emissions Electric industry leads all other U.S. industrial sectors in reducing CO 2 Electric companies are world leaders in taking voluntary actions to address GHG emissions Electric industry leads all other U.S. industrial sectors in reducing CO 2
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What can government do? Develop regulations that are synchronized with technology development Partner with industry to develop CO 2 capture technology for existing plants Clean coal technology for new plants Develop regulations that are synchronized with technology development Partner with industry to develop CO 2 capture technology for existing plants Clean coal technology for new plants
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What can consumers do? Change our energy appetites: Energy efficiency (doing things smarter) Energy conservation (doing with less) Change our energy appetites: Energy efficiency (doing things smarter) Energy conservation (doing with less)
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A. North Dakota lignite industry exceeds environmental expectations B. Important to maintain affordable and reliable electricity C.The timing of federal legislation to solve global warming must be in sync with the development of technology to capture CO 2 A. North Dakota lignite industry exceeds environmental expectations B. Important to maintain affordable and reliable electricity C.The timing of federal legislation to solve global warming must be in sync with the development of technology to capture CO 2 Summary
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