Pa. is a national leader in growth of CO2 emissions
Pennsylvania recorded the fifth-highest state increase in emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from power plants last year, according to an environmental group that reported a 2.9 percent rise nationwide, the most in nine years.
Pennsylvania recorded the fifth-highest state increase in emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from power plants last year, according to an environmental group that reported a 2.9 percent rise nationwide, the most in nine years.
Texas, the biggest energy consumer of any state, had the largest increase in greenhouse-gas emissions, the Washington-based Environmental Integrity Project said yesterday in a report, citing analysis of data reported by power companies to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Coal-fueled power plants account for a third of carbon- dioxide emissions in the U.S., and the group attributed last year's increase to more intense use of coal-burning generators to meet electricity demands. Emissions rose 12 percent in the last decade.
"Carbon emissions in the past year increased faster than electricity demand," Eric Schaeffer, a former EPA enforcement chief who founded the nonprofit in 2002, said during a conference call with reporters. "It suggests some of this is coming from lost efficiencies at some of the older plants."
Pennsylvania is the fifth-highest producer of carbon dioxide emissions overall, the organization said, due largely to coal-fired power plants in the western regions.
While the state's one-year increase in tons of emissions was also fifth highest in the nation, the percentage increase was slightly above average.
New Jersey and Delaware, by contrast, have far fewer coal-burning power plants and so emit far less carbon dioxide. But their percentage increases last year were far higher.
CO2 Emissions Up
States ranked by total emissions from power plants last year. Percent change is 2006 to 2007.
In millions of tons.
Total Percent
emitted change 1. Texas 261.8 2.2
2. Ohio 138.6 2.3
3. Fla. 134.5 0.4
4. Ind. 132.4 -0.3
5. Pa. 123.6 3.7
38. N.J. 14.7 8.4
43. Del. 6.8 16.8
Nation 2,566.3 2.9
SOURCE: Environmental Integrity ProjectEndText