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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Attention:
News Editors, Political Reporters, Science and Environment
Reporters
MEDIA RELEASE
McGuinty plans
to close coal stations misguided
NRSP calls
for continued clean-up, not closure, of Ontario’s coal-fired
power stations
Ottawa , Canada , June 18, 2007 –
The Natural
Resources Stewardship Project (NRSP) takes
issue with Premier Dalton McGuinty’s announcement today
that the province’s coal-fired electricity generation
stations will be closed by 2014.
Coal is an inexpensive, abundant and increasingly clean
source of crucial electricity in Ontario. Cost estimates
for cleaning the real pollution still emitted from coal
stations vary, but one cent per Kilowatt-hour is a reasonable
approximation, according to calculations by Carleton University
Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. J. Terry
Rogers. The carbon dioxide emissions from Ontario coal
stations would be more costly to remove but are not something
we should be concerned about since their contribution
to global climate change is insignificant.
“The Premier’s June 18th statement that "We're doing
our part to fight climate change in an ambitious and realistic
way by shutting down coal plants …” makes no sense at
all.” said Dr. Tim Ball, NRSP Chair. “Instead of wasting
billions “fighting climate change”, we should be focusing
on continuing to reduce real pollution from the coal stations
and this can be done at a reasonable cost with today’s
technology.”
Premier McGuinty asserts that 20% of the reduction in
carbon dioxide “will come from research and development
of new technologies.” This too is unrealistic. NRSP Allied
Scientist Dr. David Wojick, an engineer and policy analyst
based in Virginia and Sioux Lookout, Ontario explains,
“Research funded now is unlikely to make any difference
in 2014. Research usually takes a decade or two to pay
off.”
Government statistics reveal that levels of most common
air pollutants - sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, particulate
matter and mercury - have steadily declined for the past
three decades in urban areas. Only ground level ozone
has not fallen, remaining roughly constant in most locations.
Dr. Wojick explains the current situation well, “Where
air pollution is most severe, in and near metropolitan
areas, it is primarily due to our millions of cars, not
distant coal-fired power plants. But cars vote and power
plants don't, so the Ontario government is pulling a publicity
gimmick - phase out coal to solve the air pollution 'problem'
- instead of addressing the real energy supply dilemma
we will soon be facing.”
For more information or to set up interviews with NRSP
participants, please visit www.nrsp.com
or contact:
back to NRSP News
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