A recent report from the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) ranks the states in the U.S. based power plants with the highest levels of toxic air pollution. Overall, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Texas are the states emitting the highest toxic air pollution in terms of pounds of emissions. These pollutants include mercury, arsenic, lead, nickel, chromium, and selenium.
Additionally, the top three worst emitting power plants for pounds of toxic metal emissions in 2010 were the Plump Point Energy Station in Arkansas (13,110 lbs), the Paradise Fossil Plant in Kentucky (6,762 lbs), and the Shawville Station in Pennsylvania (6,466 lbs). Here are some facts about other environmental quality rankings states and cities have received:
* According to the Huffington Post, the American Lung Association (ALA) released its State of the Air 2011 report earlier this year detailing the cities with the worst air in terms of ozone pollution, short-term particle pollution, and year-long particle pollution, each of which have major health impacts.
* The Bakersfield-Delano, Calif. area ranked the worst, followed by a three-way tie between the areas Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.; Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, Ariz., and Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
* A report from the Congressional Research Service indicated that Texas had the highest greenhouse gas emission levels in 2003, followed by California, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
* Similarly, those four states in addition to Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Michigan, and Louisiana accounted for nearly 50 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2003.
* The Philadelphia metropolitan area ranked number 1 on Forbes' 2011 Most Toxic Cities list due to its poor water quality and being the home of over 50 hazardous waste-containing Superfund sites.
* The state with the most metropolitan areas on the Most Toxic Cities list was California with a total of four areas claiming spots within the top 10.
* Another study looked at U.S. cities with the worst drinking water quality, based on percentage of chemicals found, total number of contaminants, and the most dangerous average level of a single pollutant, according to MSNBC.
* Pensacola, Fla. ranked the worst for drinking water, with Riverside, Calif., Las Vegas, Nev., and Riverside County, Calif. claiming the second, third, and fourth spots respectively.
* The Mississippi River was ranked as being the most polluted body of water in the U.S. with direct toxic discharges in the water totaling 702,496,748 pounds between 1990 and 1994, reported the Environmental Working Group.
* The Pacific Ocean and Ohio River ranked as the second and third most polluted bodies of water in the country respectively.
Rachel Bogart provides an in-depth look at current environmental issues and local Chicago news stories. As a college student from the Chicago suburbs pursuing two science degrees, she applies her knowledge and passion to both topics to garner further public awareness.
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