Indiana among worst toxic pollution states - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

A recent report shows Indiana is the fourth worst state in the nation when it comes to toxic air pollution from coal-fired power plants.

The analysis was released Thursday by the Natural Resources Defense Council and looked at emissions from power plants in 2010, the most recent data available.

Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania were the top three. Indiana was followed by West Virginia, Florida and Michigan in the group's list of "Toxic Twenty" states.

Nationally, the report found a 19 percent drop in all air toxics emitted from power plants in 2010, compared with 2009 levels.

The report said one reason for the drop, which included a 4 percent decrease in mercury emissions, is due to an increased use of natural gas by power companies.

The NRDC applauded the EPA's new Mercury and Air Toxics standards, saying they will cut mercury air pollution by 79 percent from 2010 levels, beginning in 2015. According to estimates, the new standard will reduce mercury pollution from 34 tons to 7 tons by 2015. Sulfur dioxide pollution will be reduced from 5,140,000 tons in 2010 to 1,900,000 tons in 2015, while another dangerous acid gas, hydrochloric acid, will be reduced from 106,000 tons in 2010 to 5,500 tons in 2015.

The NRDC believes the reductions in pollution will prevent 11,000 premature deaths, 130,000 asthma attacks, 5,700 hospital visits, 4,700 heart attacks and 2,800 cases of chronic bronchitis starting in 2016. The group also says the improvements could save as much as $37 billion to $90 billion in health care costs and prevent over 500,000 missed work or sick days every year.

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