Status of Coal in Iowa

Transcription

1 IOWA CHAPTER Status of Coal in Iowa Iowa gets a significant amount of electricity from coal-fired power plants. Based on information provided by the Iowa Utilities Board website, the sources of the electricity generated in Iowa in 2013 are 1 : Coal 58.76% Wind 27.47% Natural Gas 2.52% Fuel Oil and Petroleum.25% Nuclear 9.39% Hydroelectric 1.32% Other Renewables and Other Sources 0.28% Total 100.0% Migration Away From Coal In the 21 st Century, several coal-fired power plants and related projects have been suspended before they were built or have been retired: In 2004, Dairyland Power Cooperative abandoned plans to build a power plant in either Mitchell or Chickasaw Counties near Mona. A proposed coal-fired ethanol plant for Des Moines was withdrawn by Lincolnway Energy in The Sixth Street Generating Station in Cedar Rapids was shuttered by Alliant Energy after the plant was heavily damaged in a flood in The plant was demolished in LS Power abandoned plans to build a coal-fired power plant near Waterloo in Alliant Energy cancelled a new coal-fired power plant in Marshalltown in A coal heap planned to be built by Southern Coal Handling near Nevada was abandoned in In 2010 Alliant retired Unit 2 at its Dubuque Generating Station, Unit 1 at M. L. Kapp Generating Station in Clinton, Unit 2 at Prairie Creek Station in Cedar Rapids, Unit 2 at Sutherland in Marshalltown, and Unit 2 and Lansing. In November, 2011, Alliant transitioned its 2 boilers (Units 3 and 4) at its Dubuque Generating Station from coal to natural gas in preparation for final closure which was expected in See the Iowa Utilities Board website:

2 In 2011, John Deere Dubuque Works, a farm machinery manufacturing plant in Dubuque, ceased burning coal and stated one of the reasons for that decision was the proposed maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standards for mercury and other hazardous air pollutants. Alliant completed converting two of its coal-fired boilers (Units 1 and 3) at Sutherland Generating Station in Marshalltown from coal to natural gas in However these boilers are still licensed to burn coal. These two boilers are expected to be retired in In 2012 the Pella Municipal Power Plant announced it would be shuttering its coal-fired power plant. The Central Iowa Power Cooperative Fair Station in Montpelier was shuttered in November, 2013, with plans to tear it down. 2 In 2013 Iowa State University decommissioned one coal boiler (unit 5) and converted two boilers to run on natural gas (units 3 and 4). Alliant Energy announced that it was shuttering Unit 3 at Lansing Generating Station in Alliant will also be transitioning the M.L. Kapp Generating Station to natural gas in the spring of Grain Processing Corporation plans to transition its wet corn processing plant in Muscatine from coal to natural gas in July, The Municipal Power Plant in Ames is expected to covert to natural gas before April, In January, 2013, MidAmerican Energy Company entered into a consent decree with the Sierra Club concerning its coal-fired power plants: 4 a. Stopping coal-burning at George Neal Energy Center, units 1 and 2, in Sergeant Bluff, by mid- April, 2016 b. Stopping burning of coal at Walter Scott, Jr. Energy Center, units 1 and 2, in Council Bluffs c. No longer burning coal at Riverside Generating Station in Bettendorf Economic Implications Wind and solar are power sources found in the state. The money spent on coal is all shipped out of the state since Iowa has no functioning coal mines. Historically Iowa had many coal mines, particularly in southern Iowa. Greenhouse Gas Implications The Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council reported that the sources of greenhouse gases in Iowa, using 2005 numbers, were: 2 Electricity 31% Fossil Fuel Industry 2% Industrial Fuel Use 13% Residential and Commercial Fuel Use 7% Transportation 17% Industrial Process 4% Waste 2% Agriculture 23% In 2005, 36.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide were generated by the production of electricity, with 34.9 million metric tons produced by coal-fired power plants. See Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council Final Report, December 23, 2008, pages 2-3 and Joe Jarosz, Coal plant powers down, Muscatine Journal, November 14, George C. Ford, Grain Processing completes dryer house, Cedar Rapids Gazette, May 7, Dave Dreeszen, MidAmerican settlement to end coal burning at two Sioux City area power plants, Sioux City Journal, January 22, 2013

3 Mercury Contamination of Fish One of the pollutants emitted into the air when coal is burned is mercury. When mercury emissions settle in water bodies, the fish can be contaminated. People who eat the mercury-contaminated fish can face a number of health concerns since mercury is a powerful neurotoxin. It can interfere with normal fetal development if a mother ingests mercury-laden fish. Mercury has also been implicated in coronary disease in men. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) has listed several water bodies in Iowa where there are fish advisories that warn people to limit the number of fish they eat each week because the fish are contaminated with mercury. Advisories are also given for the consumption of turtles. Once a fish consumption advisory has been issued for a water body, the fish are periodically tested to determine whether the contaminant remains present in the fish. Once two successive tests show that the contamination levels have been reduced below the threshold for that chemical, the advisories are removed. 5 The DNR encourages Iowans and out-of-state visitors to fish. Not only does fishing provide recreation and food, but it also provides economic activities to the communities where fishing is prevalent. Mercury-contaminated fish can impact the tourism and economic benefits the state receives from people who fish. Because lakes and rivers can be added to the list of consumption advisories, check for updates at the DNR website: iowadnr.gov/environment/waterquality/watermonitoring/monitoringprograms/fishtissuemonitoring.aspx. The lakes and rivers in Iowa with mercury advisories are: Water body Location Eat 1 fish a week of the following species 6 Grade Lake Clarke County largemouth bass Lake Geode Henry County largemouth bass Lake Iowa Iowa County largemouth bass Lake Keomah Mahaska County largemouth bass Lake Miami Monroe County largemouth bass Lake Wapello Davis Largemouth bass Mormon Trail Lake Adair County largemouth bass Nine Eagles Lake Decatur County largemouth bass North Banner Lake Warren County largemouth bass Pollmiller Park Lake Lee Snapping turtle Red Haw Lake Lucas County largemouth bass South Banner Lake Warren County largemouth bass Upper Centerville Reservoir Appanoose County largemouth bass Yellow Smoke Lake Crawford Any predator fish Cedar River from the Highway 218 bridge at Floyd in Floyd County to Any predator fish the Iowa and Minnesota state line Iowa River Upper end of Coralville Reservoir near Swisher in Johnson any predator fish County to the dam at Iowa Falls in Hardin County Shell Rock River From the West Fork Cedar River confluence near Cedar Falls in Black Hawk County to the Winnebago River Any predator fish 5 Pool 12 of the Mississippi River, which is the area between Lock and Dam 11 in Dubuque and Lock and Dam 12 at Bellevue in Jackson County had an advisory for mercury removed after follow-up testing in the fall of 2006 and in The original advisory warned people to eat only 1 meal a week of walleye, sauger, largemouth bass, white bass or northern pike. 6 Note: predator fish includes smallmouth bass, white bass, walleye, northern pike. 3

4 Water body Location Eat 1 fish a week of the following species 6 confluence near Rockford in Floyd County Turkey River From confluence with the Mississippi River 21 miles any predator fish upstream to confluence with Volga River near Garber, all in Clayton County Upper Iowa River from Highway 76 bridge in Allamakee County upstream to the County Road W-20 bridge in Winneshiek County All species of fish Volga River, Little Volga River, and the North Branch Volga River West Fork of the Des Moines River upstream from the town of Volga in Clayton County into Fayette County; including the Little Volga River and the North Branch Volga River from the confluence with the East Fork of the Des Moines River in Humboldt County to state highway 15 south of West Bend in Humboldt and Pocahontas Counties Environmental Contaminants: Combustion Waste and Coal Tar smallmouth bass Any predator fish After coal is burned, it leaves behind coal combustion waste. Fly ash accumulates in the smoke stack. Bottom ash is found at the bottom of the boiler. Combustion waste also includes particles that are captured by scrubbers, bag houses, and other pollution control measures. Combustion waste, also known as coal ash, contains a slew of toxic chemicals that are harmful to people. These chemicals can leach from the landfill site and move into the groundwater. Neither federal nor state law requires ground water monitoring wells around the coal ash burial sites. Iowa law does not require composite liners on coal ash landfills and ponds. Likewise Iowa law does not require dust controls at coal ash landfill sites nor does it require daily cover of the coal ash landfill sites. 7 There are 43 8 coal ash ponds and landfills in Iowa. 9 In the reports In Harm s Way: Lack of Federal Coal Ash Regulations Endangers Americans and Their Environment and Risky Business: Coal Ash Threatens America s Groundwater Resources at 19 More Sites, J. Russell Boulding and Jeff Stant identified five sites in Iowa where coal ash had contaminated ground water and Earthjustice identified 4 additional sites 10. Groundwater pollution can easily travel from the source, contaminating private and public drinking water supplies. These sites include: Lansing Station Ash Ponds and Landfill, owned by Allliant Energy. High levels of arsenic were detected. George Neal Station South Ash Monofill, owned by MidAmerican Energy Company. High levels of arsenic were detected. George Neal Station North Landfill, owned by MidAmerican Energy Company. High levels of arsenic were detected. Prairie Creek Generating Station/Stoney Point Coal Ash Landfill, a former limestone quarry, owned by Alliant. Fair Station Ash Monofill, owned by Central Iowa Power Cooperative Walter Scott Jr Energy Center, owned by MidAmerican Energy Company. High levels of antimony and lead were detected. Riverside Generating Station, owned by MidAmerican Energy Company. High levels of antimony and lead were detected. Sutherland Generating Station, owned by Interstate Power and Light Company. High levels of boron, iron, and manganese were detected. Additionally the groundwater exceeded the federal standards for ph. Muscatine County Landfill, which is showing high levels of sulfate and selenium. 4 7 Iowa and Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills, Earthjustice 8 Sean Cockerham, Lack of coal waste oversight is under fire, Cedar Rapids Gazette, March 2, For a complete list of the coal ash ponds and landfills, see mary-tableforrelease.pdf, Environmental Integrity Project, June 26, Iowa and Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills, Earthjustice

5 The Iowa DNR has not required these sites to be cleaned up. 5 The Iowa DNR gave four mining and quarry sites waivers to use coal ash as part of the site reclamation process. In other words, the mine and quarries became coal ash landfills. The sites are not being monitored for ground water contamination. The four coal ash disposal sites in Iowa are unlined; an unlined site is especially prone to leaking. These coal ash landfills are An abandoned quarry in Cedar Rapids An abandoned quarry in Goose Lake in Clinton County Wendling Quarries An abandoned quarry in Waterloo Waterloo South Quarry An abandoned mine in Buffalo Coal ash is imported into Iowa from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. The three Regents universities Iowa State, University of Northern Iowa, and University of Iowa have been dumping coal ash in an old limestone quarry, BMC Aggregates, near Waterloo. The universities voluntarily tested the groundwater beneath the quarry where they dump coal ash in The tests did not show contamination. In 2010, monitoring wells were installed around the dump site. Tests have been conducted each month to ensure that the groundwater has not become contaminated. Several retired coal gasification sites have been placed on the National Priority List for the Superfund hazardous waste cleanup program. 11 Fairfield Coal Gasification Plant, in Fairfield, owned by Alliant Energy Iowa City Former Manufactured Gas Plant, Iowa City, owned by Iowa Illinois Square, it is the site of 54 apartments Mason City Coal Gasification Plant, in Mason City, owned by Alliant Energy Peoples Natural Gas Company, in Dubuque, now owned by the City of Dubuque and Iowa Department of Transportation Waterloo Coal Gasification Plant, in Waterloo, site owned by MidAmerican Energy The Environmental Protection Agency assessed a number of coal ash ponds in Iowa in The results 12 of that assessment follow: Owner Plant Location Name of the pond EPA condition assessment Alliant Energy Burlington Generating Station Burlington Ash Seal Pond Satisfactory Alliant Energy Burlington Generating Station Burlington Economizer Ash Pond Satisfactory Alliant Energy Burlington Generating Station Burlington Main Ash Pond/Bottom Satisfactory Ash Pond Alliant Energy Burlington Generating Station Burlington Ash Pond 2/Lower Ash Not rated 13 Pond Alliant Energy Burlington Generating Station Burlington Upper Ash Pond/Ash Satisfactory Pond 1 Alliant Energy Lansing Power Station Lansing Ash Pond 2 Satisfactory Alliant Energy Lansing Power Station Lansing Ash Pond 1 Satisfactory Alliant Energy M L Kapp Generating Station Clinton Emergency Ash Primary Poor Settling Pond Alliant Energy M L Kapp Generating Station Clinton Emergency Ash Secondary Settling Pond Poor 11 The sites currently on the superfund list can be found at This pond receives minimal amounts of coal ash and is used for clarified water and overflow. It regularly is flooded by the Mississippi River.

6 Owner Plant Location Name of the pond EPA condition assessment Alliant Energy M L Kapp Generating Station Clinton Main Ash Primary Poor Settling Pond Alliant Energy M L Kapp Generating Station Clinton Main Ash Secondary Poor Settling Pond Alliant Energy Ottumwa Generating Station Ottumwa Ash Pond 1 Satisfactory Alliant Energy Ottumwa Generating Station Ottumwa Ash Pond 2 Satisfactory Alliant Energy Sixth Street Generating Cedar Rapids Ash Pond 1 Fair Station 14 Alliant Energy Sixth Street Generating Station Cedar Rapids Ash Pond 2 Fair Alliant Energy Sixth Street Generating Station Cedar Rapids Ash Pond 3 Fair Alliant Energy Sixth Street Generating Station Cedar Rapids Ash Pond 4 Fair Alliant Energy Sutherland Generating Station Marshalltown Main Pond Fair Alliant Energy Sutherland Generating Station Marshalltown North Primary Settling Not assessed Pond Alliant Energy Sutherland Generating Station Marshalltown South Primary Settling Not assessed Pond MidAmerican Louisa Power Station Muscatine Bottom Ash Pond Satisfactory Energy Co. MidAmerican Energy Co Riverside Generating Station Bettendorf North Ash Pond Satisfactory. It is inactive. MidAmerican Riverside Generating Station Bettendorf South Ash Pond Poor Energy Co MidAmerican Walter Scott Junior Energy Council Bluffs North Ash Pond or Ash Satisfactory Energy Co Center Pond 2 MidAmerican Walter Scott Junior Energy Council Bluffs South Ash Pond or Ash Satisfactory Energy Co Center Pond 1 MidAmerican George Neal North Power Sioux City Pond 1 Satisfactory Energy Co Station MidAmerican George Neal North Power Sioux City Pond 2 Satisfactory Energy Co Station MidAmerican Energy Co George Neal North Power Station Sioux City Ponds 3A, 3B North, 3B South Satisfactory Coal-burning Plants in Iowa Most of the coal-burning plants in Iowa generate electricity for consumers while there are several coal-fired industrial plants. The following is a list of the coal-fired power plants in Iowa. Some facilities have more than one unit burning coal. Plant name Use of the plant 15 Plant location 1 Ag Processing Eagle Grove Power Plant soybean processing company Eagle Grove 2 Ames Municipal Power Plant Municipal utility Ames 3 Archer Daniels Midland Cedar Rapids Power Plant Corn processing Cedar Rapids 4 Archer Daniels Midland Clinton Cogeneration Plant 16 Corn processing Clinton 6 14 The Sixth Street Generating Station has closed and is being dismantled. 15 Some of the electric utility power plants have additional owners who are not listed in this column. 16 The current power plant in Clinton, which began operating in 2009, is co-generating with biomass. This power plant replaced several old coal boilers.

7 Plant name Use of the plant 15 Plant location 5 Archer Daniels Des Moines Cogeneration Plant Soybean processing Des Moines 6 Burlington Generating Station, unit 1 Alliant Energy power plant Burlington 7 Cargill Corn Milling Power Plant Corn milling Eddyville 8 Cargill-Cedar Rapids Grain processing Cedar Rapids 9 Central Iowa Renewable Energy (CORN) LP Dry mill ethanol Goldfield 10 Council Bluffs Energy Center (Walter Scott Jr. Energy MidAmerican utility Council Bluffs Center), units 1 and 2 11 Council Bluffs Energy Center (Walter Scott Jr. Energy MidAmerican utility Council Bluffs Center), unit Earl F. Wisdom Generating Station Corn Belt Power Cooperative Spencer power plant 13 George Neal Station North, units 1, 2, 3 MidAmerican power plant Sergeant Bluff 14 George Neal Station South, unit 4 MidAmerican power plant Salix 15 Grain Processing Corporation 18 Wet corn processing Muscatine 16 Iowa Army Ammunition Plant Ammunition plant for Middletown Department of Defense 17 Iowa State University Power Plant, units 1, 2 University power plant Ames 18 Lansing Power Station, units 3 and 4 Alliant Energy power plant Lansing 19 Lincolnway Energy 19 Dry-mill ethanol plant Nevada 20 Louisa Generating Station, unit 1 MidAmerican power plant Muscatine 21 Milton L. Kapp Generating Station, unit 2 Alliant Energy power plant Clinton 22 Monsanto (Iowa) Pesticide manufacturing Muscatine 23 Muscatine Generating Station Municipal utility Muscatine 24 Ottumwa Generating Station, unit 1 Alliant Energy power plant Ottumwa 25 Prairie Creek Generating Station, units 3, 4 Alliant Energy power plant Cedar Rapids 26 Riverside Generating Station MidAmerican power plant Bettendorf 27 Roquette America Wet corn milling Keokuk 28 Streeter Station Municipal utility Cedar Falls 29 University of Iowa Main Power Plant University-owned power plant Iowa City 30 University of Northern Iowa Power Plant University-owned power plant Cedar Falls 7 17 This unit began operating in Grain Processing Corporation plans to transition from coal to natural gas in July, See George C. Ford, Grain Processing completes dryer house, Cedar Rapids Gazette, May 7, In December, 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture awarded Lincolnway Energy $1.9 million to assist in the transition from coal to biomass. In the 10-K report Lincolnway Energy filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, it stated Lincolnway Energy is continuing to consider switching the fuel source for its plant from coal to biomass or natural gas.

8 Sources 8 has information about the coal-fired power plants in Iowa. Marlys Barker, SCH Wounded But Not Dead, Nevada Journal, February 3, Dave DeWitte, Alliant to Close Dubuque Power Plant, Cedar Rapids Gazette, November 3, Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council Final Report, December 23, 2008, pages 2-3 and 2-6. Eileen Mozinski Schmidt, Alliant power plant goes coal turkey, Dubuque Telegraph Herald, November 4, Jeff Stant, In Harm s Way: Lack of Federal Coal Ash Regulations Endangers Americans and Their Environment, Environmental Integrity Project, Earthjustice and Sierra Club, August 26, J. Russell Boulding, Risky Business: Coal Ash Threatens America s Groundwater Resources at 19 More Sites, Environmental Integrity Project, December 12, Coal, Ash Levels Below Standards, Iowa City Press Citizen, February 18, Bob Zientara, Lincolnway Energy receives grant to convert from coal to wood, Nevada Journal, December 17, Jason Hancock, Coal ash consequences report suppressed, Iowa Independent, May 7, 2009 Jason Hancock, Secret EPA coal ash report increases fear on contamination in Iowa, Iowa Independent, May 13, Letter from Kathleen Gibson and Jeff Kaman, John Deere, to Executive Secretary of Iowa Utilities Board, December 22, 2011, re Utility Coal Plant Planning, NOI UI Statement on Coal Ash Displacement, February 18, 2011, Dave DeWitte, Iowa power plants leave coal for natural gas, Cedar Rapids Gazette, March 15, 2012 Dan Piller, Alliant plans more natural gas projects, The Des Moines Register, February 18, 2012 Alliant Energy 2012 Annual Report Angela Neville, JD, Top Plant: ADM Clinton Cogeneration Plant, Clinton, Iowa, Power Magazine, October 1, 2010, Gavin Aronsen, Ames looks to its energy future with power plant conversion plans, Ames Tribune, December 14, 2013 Alliant transitioning M.L. Kapp Generating Station to natural gas, Corridor Business Journal, January 3, 2014