KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, SportsWyoming: 14th Dirtiest State, Says Study

Wyoming: 14th Dirtiest State, Says Study

By: Travis Knudsen

A new study released Wednesday by Environmental Integrity Project the places Wyoming as the 14th most filthiest state in regards to air pollution.

The study looked specifically at power plants across the country and their emissions of highly toxic heavy metals such as: Arsenic, Chromium, Lead, Mercury, Nickel and Selenium.

The top five dirtiest states were Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Texas.

Ilan Laven, associate director of the environmental integrity project says that most of the pollution is caused by only a few power plants.

"We looked at the most recent company, self reported, data on the release of toxic chemicals into the air.  What we found is a relatively small handful of power plants across the country are among the worst toxic air polluters." Said Laven.

Palliative power plants are the main focus of this study, and it says that the Basic Electric's Laramie River Station power plan, just northeast of Wheatland is the fourth highest pollutant in the country.

The study claims that the power plant emitted 6,122 pounds of polluted air into the atmosphere in 2010.

"Basin Electric Laramie River Station in Wyoming is in the top ten for arsenic, chromium, nickel and selenium."  Laven said.

This report comes on the heels of the US Environmental Protection Agency's plan to adopt power plant air toxic standards later this month.

The new standards will mainly target mercury, fine particulate heavy metals, and acidic gases.  The EPA also says that the planned regulations will save $48 to $140 billion dollars a year in public health costs by 2016.