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Pros and Cons

Of Plant Closings

Presented to
Perry Barton

Team Project

By
Devonna Glover
4/9/15

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America has always been a country of change or evolution, and ever since the discovery
of electricity that change has been continuing at an increasing rate. With electricity being more
prominent than it has ever been, America seems to see no end to its technological adaptation. But
where is all this electricity coming from? Power plants have been built all across America, using
coal as fuel to create the energy needed for electricity. Although power plants have been a
reliable way of converting fuel energy into electricity, the wastes associated with the process are
starting to affect Americas ecosystem. For centuries now, coal powered power plants have been
spewing waste into our ecosystem causing irreversible damage. As the ecosystem worsens, so
does the population living within that ecosystem, meaning us. In the beginning of 2014, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new regulations in order to decrease the health
risks caused by power plants. Although these new Environmental Protection Agency regulations
would make it safer for power plant employees and the ecosystem in general, they will also be
the cause of a huge rise in unemployment. These new Environmental Protection Agency
regulations have a lot of pros and cons, which are why so many coal powered power plant
workers and owners are torn on which direction to go in. Throughout this paper I will be
discussing all of the pros and cons of closing down coal powered power plants, and will be going
into to detail and explaining why it is that the reasons listed are an indeed pro or con.
First Id like to discuss why it is that coal powered electrical plants are bad for our
ecosystem and why the Environmental Protection Agency felt the need to make drastic changes
in their new regulations. Coal plants came about during the industrial revolution. During that
time there were many inventions that are still utilized to this day. Of course weve remade and
improved most of what was hazardous when first invented, but we still havent done anything to
fix the effects coal plants have on our ecosystem. One of the main toxins that are released by coal
powered electrical plants is mercury. Mercury isnt only released from coal powered power
plants; a lot of other industrial businesses have been leaking that toxin into our ecosystem for
quite some time now. With mercury being an almost indistinguishable toxin, due to the fact that
it is colorless and odorless, it makes it one of the most dangerous and common found poisons.
Once mercury builds up in our ecosystem, like any other buildup of matter, it becomes too dense
to remain in the air which causes it to fall and settle in the ocean and water ways. When that
happens, the toxins get absorbed into the meat of the fish that live in the ocean, making it easy
for humans to accidentally ingest it while having a seafood meal. Once in the human body,
mercury acts as a neurotoxin, interfering with the brain and nervous system. (NRDC). In
women, mercury is said to lower the fertility rate, making it harder for women to have children.
The other side effects equally affect both the male and female body, and those side effects can
range from memory loss to heart disease.
In any case having too much mercury in or around the human body will have some
adverse effects, affects that arent easily fixed if able to be fixed at all. Carbon monoxide is
another prominent air toxin that is causing severe damage to our ecosystem and health as human

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beings. Although carbon monoxide is bad for the human body, the effects that it has been having
on our environment are even worse. If youve notice, with each summer and winter that comes
and goes, theres always a growth or decreases in temperature from the past year to the present
year. Each summer seems to be getting hotter, whereas each winter seems to be getting colder,
but why is that? An access of carbon monoxide in our air puts our ecosystem out of whack,
making it adapt and adjust to the growing toxins. Carbon is a natural gas that can be released by
humans, so it is already present in our atmosphere, but too much carbon puts the atmosphere in
defense mode instead of its natural seasonal cycle.
Global warming, which is basically the warming up of the planet, is a prime example of
the effects air pollution caused by coal powered power plants has on our atmosphere. Coalburning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution -- they produce 2.5
billion tons every year. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of
CO2 annually. (NRDC). With all that carbon dioxide collecting in our atmosphere, it creates
sort of a smothering blanket that traps the suns heat in our atmosphere, which makes each
summer increase in temperature. It sort of causes a butterfly effects, because as the temperature
increases, so does the need for more electricity in order to cool down homes during the summer,
which cause for the use fossil fuels which create air toxins. Over the past 50 years the average
global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. And experts think the
trend is accelerating: the 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Scientists say
that unless we curb global warming emissions, average U.S. temperatures could be 3 to 9 degrees
higher by the end of the century. (What Is Global Warming) Changes in temperatures arent the
only effects air pollution has on our ecosystem; it is also causing our sea levels to rise. The
Mercury and Air Toxins Standards or MATS that were put in the new Environmental Protection
Agency were made to reduce the number of all the toxins released by coal powered power plants.
Instead of using fossil fuel, the new Mercury and Air Toxins Standards released by the
Environmental Protection Agency are suggesting that plant owners use reusable fuels, fuels that
are less hazardous to our ecosystem.
From the year of 2012 to 2014 the Environmental Protection Agency was reviewing its
proposals on their new regulations, and even considering suggestions that the public had about
the new regulations. After consideration and continuous reviewing and molding to the Clean Air
Act, the Environmental Protection Agency finally settled on what their regulations would be. In
2014, closures threatened 24% of United States coal-fired electrical power plants. (Closures
Threaten 24 Percent).
Under CAA sections 111(a)(1) and (d), the EPA is authorized to determine the
BSER and to calculate the amount of emission reduction achievable through
applying the BSER; and the state is authorized to identify the standard(s) of
performance that reflects that amount of emission reduction. In addition, the state
is required to include in its state plan the standards of performance and measures
to implement and enforce those standards. The state must submit the plan to the

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EPA, and the EPA must approve the plan if the standards of performance and
implementing and enforcing measures are satisfactory. (Regulatory Impact)
When those new regulations were first proposed and introduced to all employees of coal
powered power plants, they were given a maximum of two years to meet those new regulations.
If not met, those power plants would be forced to close because our environment can longer
withstand the abuse received from all of the air pollution caused by coal powered power plants.
Of course adjusting to such drastic changes will take the employees some time to get used, and
the managerial staff sometime to prepare for, but some plant owners didnt quite see why they
should have to change how they have successfully been doing things throughout the years of
running their power plant.
The reason that only twenty-four percent of coal powered power plants were threatened
with closure in 2014 is because, throughout those two years, sixty-nine percent of coal powered
power plants had already begun to meet the new Mercury and Air Toxins Standards that were in
the Environmental Protection Agency regulations. Plus, along with the sixty-nine percent of coal
powered power plants that had already begun following the new regulations, another seven
percent of coal powered power plants agreed with the Environmental Protection Agency that
they will be meeting those new Mercury and Air Toxins Standards in the near future. So that
seven percent sort of ask the Environmental Protection Agency for a loan of time in order to
ensure that they can truly meet those new standards. Though those numbers may make it seem as
though the United States wont notice a difference if those coal powered power plants were to
close, the Wall Street Journal states that twenty-four percent of coal powered power plants
represents about nine percent of United States source of electricity. Meaning, there will be a
difference in the strength and availability of electricity. The question that the Environmental
Protection Agency is still stuck with is, with the difference have more of a negative or positive
effect on United States electricity. Well, lets weigh the pros and cons.
To start off on the bright side of things, we can begin with the pros. The point of the
Environmental protection Agency establishing these Mercury and Air Toxins Standards of the
new regulations is to protect our environment so it can last a little longer than it will if we
continue to do nothing about the air pollution caused by coal powered power plants. As with
every trial and error, the outcome has both a positive and negative effect. Yes, our ecosystem will
have time to heal, but we will also be able to notice the difference in electricity source. On the
bright side however, the new Environmental Protection Agency regulations were proven to
prevent an estimated amount of around eleven thousand premature deaths, meaning deaths that
wouldnt have happened if the person was live an well. Having a loved one dying prematurely
because of an environmental flaw is a huge devastating to their family. The new Environmental
Protection Agency regulations were established to help prevent that very thing from happening.
The Mercury and Air Toxins standards are set high enough to protect power plant employees and
the environment. Deaths arent the only thing that air pollution causes, although they may be the
most severe, there are other effects as well. Respiratory illnesses are another effect of air

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pollution caused by coal powered power plants, meaning illnesses dealing with your lungs and
breathing.
Asthma is probably the most infamous of all respiratory diseases. Asthma is basically the
narrowing of your airways once something irritates them, some peoples airways become
irritated more easily than others. I bring this up because another pro of the new Environmental
Protection agency regulations is that they also were proven to prevent asthma attacks as well.
Employees who work in those coal powered power plants are constantly breathing gin those air
toxins, meaning they are constantly breathing in things that are doing irreversible damage to their
lungs.to make matters even worse, think about those children who are raised in neighborhoods
that are right next to coal powered power plants and the effect that those air toxins and the
release of mercury have on their young bodies. With the new Environmental Protection Agency
regulations being followed those workers, and those kids have a better chance at keeping their
lungs and the rest of their body in good health instead of them being in terrible shape due to
nasty air toxins. With the prevention of both premature deaths and asthma attacks, it sort of
makes sense that the implementation of the new Environmental Protection Agency regulations
prevented or reduced the number of yearly coal powered power plant related emergency room
trips by five thousand and seven hundred, as stated in the Wall Street Journal. (WSJ)
Now, with coal powered power plants being a hazardous job, their health benefits had
have some substance in order to seem like a fair offer with the job. But, with the precision of the
Mercury and Air Toxins Standards (MATS) testing that came with the Environmental protection
Agencys new regulations, the job seems to be less hazardous which calls for lower health
benefit rates. The new EPA regulations of saved ninety billion dollars per year on health
benefits alone (Tribelive.com), now if that doesnt speak numbers on how well the new
Environmental Protection Agency regulations have been doing, then I dont know what will. Its
understandable and common for drastic changes caused by new regulations can cost companies
money at first and eventually even them back out, but to save your company ninety billion
dollars per year is a new achievement. So, just to sum up all of the pros of the new
Environmental Protection Agency regulations Ill list them again. First, the new regulations
prevent premature deaths, deaths that dont happen due to natural causes. Secondly, the new
regulations also help prevent respiratory diseases, and prevented approximately one hundred and
thirty thousand asthma attacks. Thirdly, the Environmental Protection Agencys new Mercury
and Air Toxins Standards testing helped cut down on the number of yearly emergency room
visits that were related to coal powered power plants. The first three pros are all pros that show
how the new regulations helped make the coal powered power plants a less hazardous place to
work, which leads me to my last pro. Lastly, by making the work environment of power plants a
bit safer, the new Environmental Protection Agency regulations also helped coal powered power
plants retain up to ninety billion dollars each year, and thats on health benefits alone.

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Although the pros or positive effects of the implementation of the new Environmental
Protection Agency regulations brought light to the subject, there are also some negative side
effects. To begin listing the cons, Id like to restate the fact that the twenty four percent of
undecided coal powered power plants represent about nine percent of the United States source
of electricity, meaning that if those plants do in fact close nine percent of our electricity source
will be lost. With nine percent of our electricity source lost, the money we pay for electricity will
rise; meaning the rise in electricity will put our economy in a hold, as it does when there is a
scarceness of any resource. So not only will the implementation of the Environmental Protection
Agencys new Mercury and Air Toxins Standards have a huge impact on the prevalence of
electricity in the United States, they also will cause our electric bills to be higher for the same or
maybe even a less amount of electricity in our households.
That not only is a pain to have to deal with higher bills, but it might also land our
economy in another low point. Another con to the New Environmental Protection Agency
regulations is that since the coal powered power plants have already done so much irreversible
damage to our ecosystem, we still have to deal with the increasingly hot summers that come
yearly. What that means is that during the peak of the summer everyone is going to want to have
some way to cool down, and the easiest way to cool down in the summer is to go into an air
conditioned building. Air conditioning, which is electricity, is going to be in high demand
amongst businesses because a cool building attracts and retains customers the most during the
summer. Businesses arent the only people who will be in need of air conditioning either, regular
home owners like me and you will also be wanting air condition during the summer so that they
can relax in the comfort of their own home with it being at the temperature of their liking.
Once again, with nine percent of the United States source of electricity being lost due to
the new Environmental Protection Agency forcing coal powered power plants who have yet to
conform to the new regulations to close, it might be hard to get that big of an amount of
electricity spread to all of those different places at one time, which could lead burn outs and
black outs. A burn out and a black out are, well exactly what they sound like. Basically a burn
out or black out is when an electric generator, which is generated by a power plant, is pushing
out way too much electricity at once, causing its systems to fry, hence the burn in burn out, and
ceasing electricity to all of the areas it was sending electricity to, hence the black in black outs.
Although a blackout/burnout is already unpleasant because none of your electronics will be
working, a blackout/burnout on the peak of summer time is even more unpleasant. The reason for
the burnout in the first placed is because so many people will be using their air condition during
the summer in order to stay cool, that the electrical generator burned itself out. So with the
electric generator being down, and the electricity that was being sent to your area ceasing to be
sent, you will end up having to deal with the scorching weather anyways. Luckily, the length of a
burnout is always uncertain, they could either last for six hours or 6 days, it depends on how
scarce the resource is that is needed to produce fuel for electricity.

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The last and probably most devastating con of the new Environmental Protection Agency
regulations is the fact that they will be responsible for a huge jump in the unemployment rates.
Lets say each coal powered power plant has five hundred employees, and that there are about
seven hundred coal powered power plants all together. Twenty four percent of coal powered
power plants were threatened with closure at the end of the year 2014. Twenty four percent of
seven hundred is one hundred and sixty-eight, meaning that one hundred and sixty-eight of the
coal powered power plants will be forced to close because they didnt conform to the new
Environmental Protection Agency regulations. Now remember we said each power plant had five
hundred employees. If one hundred and sixty-eight of the seven hundred coal-powered power
plants were to close, that would mean that eighty-four thousand employees would lose their jobs.
Not to be too political, but usually high unemployment rates are tied to higher crime rates and no
one wants higher crime rates. Besides that causing that many hard working employees to lose
their jobs is sort of insulting to the employees, in my opinion at least. Its sort of like saying after
all of your years of hard work and after all off your years of being around and ingesting these
toxic fumes that we are now creating regulations to get rid of, you will no longer be of anymore
use to us. Those men or women have families that they have to provide for and buy just tossing
them aside like old part of a new machine, to me, is the wrong way to handle things.
However, along with the sudden job loss due to the closing of coal powered power plants
forced by the Environmental Protection Agency, the employees that were laid off are granted a
recovery kit. That isnt the exact name for it, but they are given money to compensate for a
certain amount of time at work. That way they still have some money as if they were still
working while they look for a new job so they can get back on their feet.
Personally, after weighing the pros and cons, I think the new regulations implemented by
the Environmental Protection Agency are more good than bad, or in my eyes the pros outweigh
the cons. To me, the safety and health of our ecosystem, which includes the planet we live on, is
way more important than reasonable electric bills. However, I do still see the amount of
unemployment that would be a result of the new Environmental Protection regulations as
unnecessary; I dont think that I would rather have an unhealthy planet. Instead I would hope that
The Environmental Protection Agency would realize how many people will lose their job and
find a way to make amendments to the new regulations. The fact that these new regulations not
only will help better the health of the planet and also the health amongst the people on this
planet, but also instead of coasting to electrical plant industry money, they will actually help this
multi-billion dollar industry save a huge money, ninety billion per year to be exact. If the
replacement source is strong enough and reliable enough to continuously supply the United
States with the same amount of if not more electricity than the previous coal fossil fuels, then
half of the cons that the public and the Environmental Protection Agency are worried about
wont even be associated with the big change. Its kind of a coin toss, if the new resource is
reliable and strong then the pros will shine in the limelight, while the cons disappear, but if the
new resource is weak and unreliable or too scarce, then the pros will definitely be outweighed by

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the cons, and the United States will have a devastating summer come summer of 2015. There
will be a shortage of electricity which will cause burnouts and higher electric bills and just an
unpleasant summer. However, just because the Environmental Protection Agency implemented
new regulations doesnt mean that the earth will miraculously heal itself over night. Its going to
take some time to get the earth back to good health. Remember coal powered power plants arent
the only source of air pollution. Everyday things such as cars, cigarette smoke, and even cell
phone radiations adds to the pollution in our ecosystem. But on the bright side, with the
Environmental Protection Agency addressing one the biggest source of air pollution, coal
powered power plants, by creating new Mercury and Air Toxins testing standers, they are taking
a big step towards a healthier future for our planet and our species in general.
To conclude this paper, Id like to state that the new Environmental Protection Agency
regulations were not created out of malice towards the old fashion way of creating electricity;
they were instead created in order to make the use of electricity a little bit safer for our
environment since it will always be in high demand. Hopefully after reading this paper you will
understand why the Environmental Protection Agency is forcing so many coal powered power
plants to close and why it is that they felt the need to implement new regulations.

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Works Cited
"EPA." What Is Doing. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.
"Closures Threaten 24 Percent of US Coal-fired Power Plants." Communities Digital
News. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.
"NRDC: Mercury Contamination in Fish - Learn About Mercury and Its Effects." NRDC:
Mercury Contamination in Fish - Learn About Mercury and Its Effects. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr.
2015
"U.S. Steel Plans to Close Two Plants Affecting 545 Workers." TribLIVE.com. N.p., 21
Jan. 2015. Web. 27 Mar. 2015
"U.S. Steel to Idle Plants and Lay Off 545 More Workers." WSJ. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar.
2015
"What Is Global Warming?" What Is Global Warming? N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.