Tennessee can Have an Energy Policy that is Healthier and Less Costly
Written by Kiana Edwards, Future901 Intern
Energy preservation is necessary in today’s global climate where we face challenges from global warming and reliance on hostile foreign powers for energy needs. As a result, many states have pushed legislation offering green-based initiatives. These programs help insure the overall wellbeing of the planet by monitoring carbon emissions, setting regulations for large companies and pushing for recycling. Currently, the most energy efficient states are Oregon, ranked as first in the nation for energy, followed by Washington and South Dakota. Tennessee is ranked in the middle of the list at 32 for energy. Comparing Oregon to Tennessee, Oregon’s electricity price was ranked at 12, power grid reliability was ranked at 17. In comparison, Tennessee’s ranking was 24 for electricity price, 41 for power grid reliability and 29 for renewable resources. What Oregon shows is that through smart policy, other states (like Tennessee) could enjoy lower utility costs with increased reliability. That can be done while also safeguarding our environment.
Even more pressing for Tennessee as we shift to renewable energy options is wrestling with the legacy of decades of fossil fuel usage on our environment. Though Tennessee ranks in the middle of states for utility cost, such pricing does not factor in the billions of dollars required to clean up the damage wrought by our state’s historic reliance on coal. The facilities that were needed to harvest this energy from coal often required the clearing of massive amounts of land that continues to disrupt wildlife habitation. Arguably worse though is the toxic impact that coal ash, the waste product from the coal plants, has had on the water supply that Tennessee residents rely on for their water. Locally, the Allen Fossil Plant is the most vivid example of this.
The Allen Fossil Plant is located in Shelby County, where it burned 7,200 tons of coal a day to produce power, which kept the lights on in Memphis. This plant was singly responsible for producing the highest amount of pollution in the area, as it spewed more than 11,000 tons of sulfur dioxide and 2,600 tons of nitrogen dioxide. This is equivalent to 5.4 million tons of carbon dioxide annual. This high emission of carbon dioxide contributed directly to climate change and sulfur dioxide was a cause of acid rain. This plant was also responsible for releasing toxic lead and mercury that was between 90 and 110 pounds annually. Thankfully, progress was made when the Allan Plant was closed in 2018 as part of the TVA’s shift away from coal to other sources (natural gas, nuclear, solar). At the time of the plants closure, the cost of ash abatement was supposed to be “just” $300 million, however, more recent estimates put that number closer to $600 million.
This high level of Carbon Dioxide or CO2 has a direct impact on the health of the community as well. Increased exposure can cause headaches, dizziness, restlessness, difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure. High levels are associated with an increase in temperature, an extended growing season, and an increase in humidity levels. With the higher temperatures, there will be a stress on plant life and ecosystems. Therefore, the past and continuing effects of TVA’s usage of coal comes with a real health cost to the public and compromises our food sources.
Progressiveness is focused on the future and Future 901 wants to focus on supporting candidates that care about what and who Tennessee will be in the years to come. As a result, politicians put in office must make changes that will help safeguard our air, our water and move us away from fuel sources that feed global warming. We need elected officials at the local and state level that advocate for smart energy policies. We need policy-makers that bring us lower energy costs to be sure. But we need those costs to consider not just dollars per KWH, but also the long-term costs that that the public has to bear for our energy usage today.
Often it is believed that there is not much that local government officials can do to impact the environment, but this is not true. In Shelby County the Allan Plant closure did not happen without community pressure. Similarly, when TVA has attempted to deposit coal ash in econcomically vulnerable communities or to put ash in locations that threatened drinking water, it was local officials and community leaders that have blocked them. More broadly, it is important to elect the right people into office in Tennessee to tackle problems from public transportation, adopting Oregon-style approaches to waste reduction and recycling and encouraging policies that allow for decreased energy conservation. Such leadership can reduce energy costs and increase public health. That is the energy future that Future 901 hopes to build.
Written by Kiana Edwards, Future901 Intern
References:
Best states for energy | US news best states. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2022, from https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/infrastructure/energy
Charlier, T. (2018, April 27). Memphis' largest polluter, the TVA allen plant, retires. The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved April 15, 2022, from https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2018/04/26/memphis-larget-polluter-tva-allen-plant-retired/543676002/
Local governments: Be more environmentally friendly: Diligent insights. Diligent Corporation. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2022, from https://www.diligent.com/insights/green-government/five-ways-local-governments-more-environmentally-friendly/#:~:text=Protecting%20your%20community's%20environment%20through,saving%20money%20for%20their%20organizations.