Environmental and Human Health Impacts from UWEC Coal-fired Heating Plant

Abstract

In the United States today, coal provides a substantial fuel source utilized to power our society. About 52 percent of the energy produced in the United States arises from combustion of coal (usgs.gov). The power sector alone accounts for 90 percent of coal consumption (eia.doe.gov). Although coal is relatively inexpensive, it bears costs in the arenas of both environmental and public health. The coal-fired power plant at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is one of many power plants in the nation that contribute annually to emissions associated with coal combustion. As of February 2010, the Wisconsin Sierra Club sued the Department of Natural Resources, claiming the agency failed to provide requested records on several state-owned coal plants in regard to compliance with the Clean Air Act. The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire was one of the plants thatrecords were requested and this study was designed to determine potential health risks associated with the plant. In order to do so, both environmental impacts from coal extraction and transport were investigated, as well as the human health impacts associated with combustion of coal.