Why are the Northeast states targeting power plants and large industrial units?
Because these facilities are large emitters of NOx, the air pollutant most important in determining regional ozone levels. In addition, many plants have tall smokestacks which inject NOx and other pollutants directly into the upper atmosphere where they are more efficiently transported toward us by prevailing winds. Reductions from power plants are also comparatively inexpensive, so reducing NOx from such sources can be particularly cost-effective. Recently, a multi-stakeholder, consensus-building effort called the Ozone Transport Assessment Group (“OTAG”), concluded that reducing NOx emissions by as much as 85% from power plants would be necessary to address the problem of ozone transport in the eastern U.S. Of the 37 states involved in OTAG, 32 agreed with this conclusion.
Related Questions
- Where are the power plants and large industrial facilities that contribute significantly to New Hampshires air quality problems located?
- GreenCells high-yield algae farms are targeted for power plants and other industrial facilities. Can I visit one of your facilities?
- Why are the Northeast states targeting power plants and large industrial units?
