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Stop the Coal Rush! Dirty coal plants proposed for Texas threaten our air, our water, our wildlife and our economy. Projected air emissions from these proposed plants are literally breathtaking. Emissions from the seven proposed new coal plants would annually add more than 14,000 tons of smog-forming gases to the air. These emissions will affect the health of Texans. Children, the elderly and people with asthma and other respiratory illnesses will suffer the most. Health Impacts of Emissions from Current Coal-Fired Power Plants in Texas:
* Source: "Dirty Power, Dirty Air" Clear the Air www.cleartheair.org/dirtypower/docs/dirtyAir.pdf Public Citizen and our allies are asking Governor Perry to please enact a moratorium on building coal-burning power plants in Texas until rules can be put in place to reduce pollution and protect the health of Texans. Proposed plants should be required to use gasification, the cleanest current coal technology, as a minimum requirement, and additional pollution reductions should be made in existing plants before any new permits are issued. The permits under consideration are not at all the so-called "Clean Coal" technology that the Governor had been promoting. Their emission rates are high, like other old, dirty coal-burning plants that already cause health impacts in Texas. Our groups urge the Governor to join with governors of other states who are acting to assure that pollution is reduced and public health is protected. We are asking to reinstate the original timeline for administrative hearings so that the public has time to analyze permits, comment effectively and provide meaningful input during the permitting process. No new permits should be issued until further protections for our health are assured. |
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