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North Carolina Power Plants Emit 8th Most Mercury Pollution Nationally - Environment North Carolina (http://www.environmentnorthcarolina.org/newsroom/clean-air-news/clean-air-news/north-carolina-power-plants-emit-8th-most-mercury-pollution-nationally - broken link)
The Marshall Steam Station, on Lake Norman and owned by Duke Energy, is one of the worst (not THE worst) offenders.
Yes, I read the article this morning. A litte scary. Does it affect those who eat fish? Swim in the water? Scary.....
Probably. Although we have been told for decades that the plant has no effect on the fish/wildlife in general.
Swimming has never been encouraged in Lake Norman. And the LKN you see today - with homes at water's edge . . . they are basically a new phenomenon and most of the owners are not natives. Many of the natives have always been somewhat suspicious about the effect of Marshall Plant on the lake, lol.
Ok Ani, now you are really scaring me. We are boaters, so are you saying not to go for a dip. LOL, I am not a home owner of water's edge. Ok, help me out!!! Is it ok to tube and take a quick dip? This is something we never considered. Thanks Ani
Ok Ani, now you are really scaring me. We are boaters, so are you saying not to go for a dip. LOL, I am not a home owner of water's edge. Ok, help me out!!! Is it ok to tube and take a quick dip? This is something we never considered. Thanks Ani
I mean sure, if you don't mind a 3rd (or if you're really lucky, 4th!) arm sprouting!
OK, so a group of 3 or 4 states produce almost 70% of the mercury issue and NC is not among them. Duke Power is not among the worst offenders. NC is one of 19 states with a mercury reduction program in effect.
Here's what is says: North Carolina is currently realizing major reductions in mercury emissions
from coal-fired boilers as a direct cobenefit of the North Carolina Clean
Smokestacks Act in 2002. Additionally, the state mercury rule for coal-fired
power plants requires a mercury emission control plan from each power
plant on January 1, 2013 that identifies the technology proposed for use at
each unit; the schedule for installation and operation of mercury controls at
each unit; and shall identify any units that will be shut down. Any unit that
has not installed controls as specified in an approved mercury control plan by
December 31, 2017 shall be shut down.
.... Many of the natives have always been somewhat suspicious about the effect of Marshall Plant on the lake, lol.
It gets a lot worse as you head down the river. There are two more coal fired steam plants on the river in Charlotte.
The first is Riverbend Steam Plant. It's located right on Mountain Island Lake near Latta Plantation Park and upstream of where Charlotte gets it water. As you can see here in this photo, the coal, bottom left is stored right on the water's edge. However even worse, the fly ash that is left over after the coal is burned is dumped in a fly ash pond right on the river too. Upper left.
The second is further down the river and is called Cliffside Steam Plant and again, coal is stored right on the river. I think they do a better job here with the fly ash. This is just above Lake Wylie and it's pollution gets added to the other two. As one heads further south in the river, the water gets noticeably dirtier.
One of these plants was rated as the 25th dirtiest plant, in terms of air pollution, in all of the USA. Duke Energy vigorously fights any attempts to tighten up regulations.
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Is it ok to tube and take a quick dip? This is something we never considered. Thanks Ani
