Southern California Anti-Coal

 

City	Entitlement Share of Intermountain Power Project (IPP)	Current Coal Use	Current Renewable Energy Use
Anaheim[1]	13%	61%	11%
Riverside[2]	8%	57%	16%
Pasadena[3]	4%	54%	16%
Burbank[4]	3%	38%	4%
Glendale[5]	2%	30%	21%

 

Nearly a third of the California’s electricity comes from out of state coal-fired plants since strict air regulations ban coal-fired power plants in the state.  California’s dependence on dirty coal places an unfair burden on neighboring states whose coal plants collectively account for over 135 million tons of carbon dioxide pollution a year and severely impact the arid region’s water resources. 

The Intermountain Power Project (IPP) in Millard County, Utah provides six of Southern California’s municipal power companies with 75 percent of their coal-powered electricity.  In 2010, IPP was listed as the 32^nd largest carbon dioxide polluter in the nation, spewing over 13 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air a year.

Since 2009, REAP has conducted a public awareness campaign to inform Southern California residents in five cities of the harmful effects of burning toxic coal to generate electricity.  Below are the six California purchasers with their respective entitlement shares.

• Los Angeles 45% ownership
• Anaheim 13% ownership
• Riverside 8% ownership
• Pasadena 4% ownership
• Burbank 3% ownership
• Glendale 2% ownership

Through community outreach and civic participation, REAP has collected over 1,400 signatures from voters calling on SoCal’s City Councils to become 100 percent coal free for its electricity.  Recent polling also confirms over 50 percent of SoCal residents view coal unfavorably because of its health hazards and pollution.

REAP respectfully recommends each city increase its renewable sources by 2 percent each year.  The 2 percent increase over 14 years could offset or nearly offset the electricity each city now receives by burning dirty coal.

On July 2, 2009, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced plans for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to end its use of coal generated electricity by 2020. LADWP currently generates 44% of its electricity by burning coal. LADWP has a 44.6% ownership interest in the Intermountain Coal Plant, and also operates the plant.

Nationwide, carbon dioxide emissions from coal plants lead to:

• 24,000 premature deaths
• 38,000 heart attacks
• 12,000 hospital admissions
• 550,000 asthma attacks a year

 

Each year, the Intermountain Power Project’s coal plant emits the following pollutants:

• Mercury – 236 lbs

One-gram of mercury deposited from the atmosphere per year, over time, is enough to contaminate a 20-acre lake, such that fish that are unsafe to consume on a regular basis.

• Carbon Dioxide – 14,587,603 tons/year

The largest source of CO2 emissions globally is the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas in power plants, automobiles, industrial facilities and other sources.

• Nitrogen Oxides – 27,199 tons/year

Short-term NO2 exposure is linked with adverse respiratory effects such as airway inflammation in healthy people and increased respiratory symptoms in people with asthma.

• Sulfur Dioxide – 5,692 tons/year

Short-term exposure to SO2 is linked with an array of adverse respiratory effects including bronchoconstriction and increased asthma symptoms.   

California residents breathe the dirtiest air in the nation.   Los Angeles County alone ranks as the worst county in ozone pollution affecting nearly:

• 165,892 children with Asthma
• 576,310 adults with Asthma
• 2,500,804 children under the age of 18
• 1,042,989 adults over the age of 65

To help get dirty coal off your city’s back join REAP’s Ironing Board Brigade by contacting us at 916.444.2425.

OR

Tell your city council you want your city to become 100% coal free by 2025!

• Anaheim City Council (714) 765-5247
• Riverside City Council (951) 826-5557
• Pasadena City Council (626) 744-4124
• Burbank City Council (818) 238-5850
• Glendale City Council (818) 548.4844

 

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