Coal Use in Wisconsin
As the largest source of electricity in the world, burning coal is also one of the largest sources of manmade greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. Even though we have no coal of our own in Wisconsin, we get the majority of our electricity from coal plants, some dating as far back as the 1940s.
Each year, these coal plants in Wisconsin emit thousands of tons of greenhouse gases that contribute to our warming climate, as well as polluting our air with other contaminants, including
- Particulate matter: Can cause premature death in people with lung or heart diseases; causes a large number of respiratory and cardiovascular problems
- Sulfur dioxide: Causes acid rain; can cause respiratory problems; contributes to fine particulate matter; can have an amplifying effect on the impacts of mercury pollution
- Nitrogen oxides: Forms ozone, and can contribute to respiratory problems and the formation of particulate matter
- Mercury: Gets into the water and environment, and interferes with brain development, in humans and in wildlife
Key Points
- Despite some recent improvements, Wisconsin still gets the majority of its electricity from coal. In 2010, 62.5% of electric power was generated by coal-based power plants, down from 70.9% in 2000.[1]
- Despite not having any coal of our own, we burn around 25 million tons of coal every year in Wisconsin.[1] To import all this coal, we send over $1 billion dollars out of state every year.[1]
- Coal accounts for the vast majority of air pollution in our state. In 2010, coal power plants were responsible for 86% of sulfur dioxide and 77% of nitrogen dioxide emissions from the electric power industry.[1]
- Pollution from Wisconsin coal plants is estimated to contribute to 268 deaths, 201 hospital admissions and 456 heart attacks each year.[2]
- Nearly 90% of the water used each year in Wisconsin is used to cool power plants.[3]
Clean Wisconsin's Work
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Please cite this resource as: Clean Wisconsin, Inc. “Coal Use in Wisconsin.” Clean Wisconsin Enviropedia. Retrieved from www.cleanwisconsin.org/enviropedia.