Frequently Asked Questions & Answers on WPS' Pulliam Power Plant

What is Pulliam?
The J.P. Pulliam plant is a World War II-era coal fired power plant located at the mouth of the Fox River in Green Bay.  It is owned by Wisconsin Public Service Corporation. WPS is one of five large investor-owned utilities in the state, serving northeast Wisconsin.

What's wrong with Pulliam?
Federal laws require that new power plants be built with modern pollution controls.  Pulliam, because it is so old, is not subject to these laws, so it continues to operate, spewing out pollutants that are harming the health of local residents and those living downwind of the plant.

How do we know that Pulliam is polluting our air?
Utilities like WPS must have permits from the DNR to operate their plants.  These permits require that they continuously monitor their air emissions to be sure they're within the legal limits for each pollutant that is regulated.  They then submit quarterly reports to the DNR, which are public information available to everyone.  One of the things that is monitored at each plant is “visible emissions,” or soot.  The EPA (which has given its regulatory authority to the Wisconsin DNR) uses a measurement called “opacity” to determine whether the smoke coming out of the stacks is too thick.  Smoke that is too thick is an indication that too much soot is being emitted.  According to WPS' reports to the DNR, Pulliam has exceeded its limit for visible emissions every quarter for the last five years, violating the federal Clean Air Act.

What is soot and why is it bad?
"Soot" is a common term for particulate matter, which are very fine particles small enough to get through the body's filtering system and lodge in our lungs, causing respiratory problems, aggravating asthma and cardiovascular illness.  Children and the elderly are most vulnerable to problems caused by soot, but anyone can be affected.  The DNR issues regular alerts to citizens in parts of the state where soot may be especially bad.  When these alerts occur, residents are urged to stay indoors as much as possible and limit outdoor activity.

How dangerous is the air from polluting power plants like Pulliam?
Very.  According to a 2002 Clear the Air report, 79,300 lost work days, almost 12,000 asthma attacks, 879 heart attacks, and 474 deaths (50 from lung cancer) are due to the effects of pollution from power plant production in Wisconsin.

Is the air around Green Bay and Door County that bad?
Yes.  Both Brown and Door Counties receive very poor grades from the American Lung Association for their air quality.  Door County has been designated by the DNR as a “nonattainment area” for ground-level ozone, which is caused by the same pollutants emitted by Pulliam, even though Door County has virtually no industry of its own. It is, unfortunately, downwind of Brown County, where the Pulliam plant is located.

What is being done about cleaning up Pulliam?
Not much… yet.  The DNR knows that the plant is in almost continual violation of the law but has not brought any enforcement action.  EPA has not done anything either.

So what can be done?
The Clean Air Act has a provision in it for “citizen suits” so that anyone who is affected by the pollution can bring a lawsuit against the polluter in federal court for a violation of that law.  That is what Clean Wisconsin and Sierra Club are doing.  We are asking WPS to clean up their aging power plant by installing modern pollution controls.  On July 12, 2005 Clean Wisconsin and Sierra Club gave a notice of intent to sue to WPS.  This gives WPS a chance to talk things over with us and come to an agreement if they so choose.  If we cannot reach an agreement, we will file a lawsuit in federal court in Green Bay.

Will installing pollution controls be expensive?
It is not cheap to do so, but it is a cost of doing business.  WPS has seen record shareholder profit recently and can definitely afford to spend the money to clean up your air. WPS made the decision to invest in better pollution controls at its Weston plant near Wausau; we think that Green Bay and Door County residents deserve the same consideration.  If WPS refuses to clean up Pulliam, Green Bay residents will continue to pay through increases in asthma, higher medical bills, and time away from work.  Door County, which relies so heavily on tourism, may not be as popular a destination if the air is dirty and people are told to stay inside.

What can I do to help?
Contact your local officials and write letters to the editor in the newspaper demanding WPS clean up its act.  Tell your friends and neighbors about the costs and problems associated with dirty air.  Ask WPS to be a good neighbor and to do the right thing.  Hopefully with enough community pressure from the people of Green Bay and surrounding areas, WPS will realize that refusing to use modern technology while continuing to pull in record profits will not be tolerated.