A little while back, I wrote an article about how a few Wisconsin cities are known as some of the worst polluters in the nation. Just recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) came out with startling data, which concludes that Wisconsin's power plants emit more mercury pollution than power plants in over 30 other states.
In fact, Wisconsin's power plants emitted over 1300 pounds of mercury pollution in 2010. It only takes a small drop of mercury to poison our food supply and make fish in a 25-acre lake unsafe to eat.
Mercury can cause a number of health problems, especially in children and pregnant women. Mercury poisoning can cause problems with motor control, verbal skills and even lower IQ. The EPA estimates that one in 10 women of childbearing age has enough mercury in her bloodstream to put her child at risk if she were to become pregnant.
The most disturbing part of this news is that the number one polluter of mercury in the state of Wisconsin is Columbia Energy Center. Its two coal-fired power plants in Pardeeville, Wis. emit more mercury pollution than every other power plant in Wisconsin and ranks as the 30th-worst polluter in the nation. While the numbers may be surprising and even upsetting to most, the fact that Columbia Energy Center, and its parent company Alliant Energy, brags about its Environment Management System is truly disturbing.
According to its website, Columbia Energy Center comprised a set of policies and procedures that serve as a tool to systematically manage and continually improve environmental performance. It includes key elements such as an environmental policy that defines the plant's commitments, procedures to monitor and control the plant's most significant environmental impacts, and a systematic approach to identifying all potential environmental impacts. It boasts its responsible use of natural resources and pollution, and yet it is in the top tier of the nation's heaviest polluters of mercury.
Columbia Energy Center needs to seriously look at the impact its plants are having on the environment and the health of the citizens of Wisconsin. Its acts alone are extremely detrimental to public safety. The plant may still be operating within the realms of legality, but the company has a moral obligation to reevaluate and adjust the way it conducts business.
There is a beam of light, however, in this cloud of dark news. The EPA is just about ready to finalize a standard to limit mercury and other toxic air pollutants from power plants. The new standards should come out within the next month. These new standards will be the first regulations to limit mercury pollution from power plants. It is said that they will reduce mercury emissions from power plants by more than 90 percent.
Industry lobbyists are not thrilled to say the least, as they are working hard to block the EPA's efforts. I implore the citizens of Wisconsin to voice their opinions and help the EPA do what needs to be done. Send a letter to Sens. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., asking them to stand up for Wisconsin families. It is up to us to change the way our businesses affect our environment.
I further implore Columbia Energy Center and Alliant Energy to look long and hard at the impacts they are having on not just the environment, but also on people. They should be ashamed of themselves and shouldn't wait for these new regulations to start implementing change. I would like to see some drastic changes at that power plant and hopefully we won't see such horrendous rankings next year.
Nick Fritz is a junior majoring in marketing. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
