We sure do love our electricity and- judging by a list of the "Top 50 Power Plant Mercury Emitters"- we evidentally love to ingest the chemicals that come with it.
A report by the "nonpartisan and nonprofit Environmental Integrity Project" says power plant mercury emissions have actually INCREASED since 2000 in MetroRegion states Kansas and Missouri- as well as our Central States of Arkansas and Iowa.
The report further states that "more than half of the Nation's Top 50 (mercury) emitters actually increased emissions since 2007."
According to a story in today's Little Rock ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZETTE- two Missouri plants made the Top 50 and one of them- the Labadie power plant in Franklin county- made the Top 10 list of polluters by actual poundage of mercury expelled into our atmosphere.
The Labadie plant was listed as No. 4 and listed as No. 24 was the Rush Island power facility in Jefferson county MO..
Both plants are owned by Ameren.
In Kansas- the No. 25 spot goes to the Jeffrey Energy Center in Pottawatomie county owned by Westar and the No. 45 mercury spewer goes to the LaCygne power facility in Linn county KS- owned by Great Plains Energy.
Two other Central States power plants- in Arkansas- made the list at Nos. 32 and 33.
Texas appeared to be the worst mercury polluter: 5 of that state's seven Top 50 atmospheric poisoners were in the Top 10 worst.
I know- who cares as long as we get reliable electricity pumped into our homes fairly cheaply.
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