Alabama Power Plant Blamed for Premature Deaths

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By CBS-8 News

Story Created: Jun 8, 2012 at 2:19 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jun 8, 2012 at 2:20 PM CDT

A new report from the Environmental Integrity Project has found pollution from Alabama Power's coal-fired power plant in Greene County contributes to between 49 and 100 premature deaths a year.
   
The Birmingham News reports  the Greene County plant was among the 18 plants nationwide where the value of electricity generated was outweighed by the cost incurred because of premature deaths attributable to the plant's pollution, according to the project's calculations. Alabama Power has spent $1.7 billion installing scrubbers on plants in Birmingham and Mobile, but not in Greene County.
   
Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman says the company is considering its options at the plant. Coming environmental regulations could force changes at the plants that haven't received modern pollution controls. Other coal-fired plants are being converted to natural gas.
   

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

 
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