While the plant’s electricity generation has significantly declined over the past several years it still ranks as one of the biggest polluters in the state due to a lack of modern pollution controls for air pollutants like nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide. In the past five years alone the Crane plant has managed to pump over four million tons of climate-disrupting carbon dioxide into the Baltimore area, almost 17 million tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and over 28 million tons of dangerous sulfur dioxide.
A new report from Climate Analytics concluded that if the world was to avoid raising global temperatures above 1.5 degrees Celsius that all US coal plants would need to phased out no later than 2030. The Crane plant is the 243rd power plant to announce it is phasing out coal burning since 2010, leaving 280 coal plants still operating in the US without any retirement plans or transition plans for the affected workers and communities.
In response, David Smedick, Maryland Beyond Coal Campaign and Policy Representative for the Sierra Club, issued the following statement:
“Maryland residents, and especially those in Baltimore, can breathe a healthier sigh of relief with the news that the C.P. Crane plant will stop burning coal in 2018. The Crane power plant has provided electricity for decades, but has simultaneously dumped billions of tons of pollution into our air and put our communities’ health at risk. This announcement is a wake up call for Maryland -- it’s time to re-evaluate our state’s addiction to coal and start making a full transition to clean, affordable renewable energy.
“This announcement gives Middle River Power an exciting opportunity to do the right thing by investing in Maryland’s growing clean energy economy. First, Middle River must ensure a just transition plan is in place for the workers who may be impacted by this decision. Currently, the Crane site has the potential for additional energy development and technologies like energy storage that could not only help ensure grid reliability, but could also put Baltimore County on the map as the center of a new and flourishing clean energy industry within the state.
“The community around Crane deserves a smart transition to cleaner energy - and we believe Middle River Power can lead that charge. We look forward to continuing our work to ensure the owners of the Crane facility give a new, positive and innovative life to the surrounding community while protecting the health of local residents and the environment.”