A report released by the Environmental Integrity Project on toxic emissions by power plants (h/t Jeff Lorenzo at the Indiana Environmental Law Report) ranks Indiana third in overall toxic emissions. The rank is achieved by looking at Indiana's emission of eight different toxins (arsenic, chromium, cobalt, hydrochloric acid, lead, mercury, nickel, and selenium) and averaging out Indiana's rank for each toxin.
New EPA rules are on the way dealing with mercury and other toxins. Assuming this report is accurate, Indiana utilities may be significantly impacted by those rules.
The report also lists the 20 highest-emitting power plants for arsenic, chromium, lead, and mercury. None are in Indiana. Interestingly, the report is based on data that the power plants submit to EPA. The plant listed as the highest single emitter of arsenic, chromium, lead, and mercury, Plum Point Energy Station in Arkansas, apparently misreported its data. An errata at the beginning of the report states that, while Plum Point initially reported emissions 12,179 pounds of chromium and 759 pounds of lead, it now states that it emitted only 13 pounds of chromium and one pound of lead. Oops!
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