For Immediate Release
Contact:
Amy Gomberg, Environmental
Advocate
614-460-8732 – office
614-314-1863 – cell
Columbus, Ohio – Today, American Electric Power
announced that they will be retrofitting two of their existing out of state
power plants with carbon capture technologies.
“As Congress prepares to set a cap on carbon emissions
from coal fired power plants, the time is now for Ohio’s power companies to take
steps to reduce their global warming causing carbon emissions,” stated Amy
Gomberg, Environment Ohio’s Environmental Advocate.
Right behind Texas and
Florida, Ohio ranks the third largest contributor in
the country of carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. Carbon
dioxide is one of the leading pollutants causing global warming.
“AEP has taken an important step by acknowledging the
problems caused by the global warming pollution from their coal fired power
plants,” noted Gomberg. “It is essential that we find ways to reduce this
pollution, and invest in new sustainable energy resources like wind energy.”
Ohio has
significant wind energy resources along Lake Erie, throughout northwest
Ohio and stretching down through the farmlands
to central Ohio.
“Ohio has enough wind
resources to generate at least ten percent of Ohio’s electricity within the next decade.”
said Gomberg. “Environment Ohio urges AEP to
invest in Ohio’s homegrown renewable wind energy
resources. AEP has invested in wind energy projects in various other states
including Texas and Oklahoma. They should
make these same clean energy investments here in Ohio.”
Environment Ohio is the new home of Ohio PIRG's environmental
work.
