Renner Barsella, renner.barsella@sierraclub.org, 217-390-9394
St. Louis, MO - Tuesday, the Sierra Club released a new analysis that shows that the health impacts from Ameren Missouri’s four area coal plants led to 289 premature deaths in 2016 in the greater St. Louis area. The analysis, called “The Toll from Coal,” was produced by the national organization, Clean Air Task Force.
In addition to 289 premature deaths in 2016, the analysis showed that air pollution from Ameren’s four coal plants caused 174 heart attacks and 1,903 asthma attacks that year. Ameren’s four coal plants are Labadie in Franklin County, Rush Island in Jefferson County, Sioux in St. Charles County and Meramec in south St. Louis County.
Public health and environmental advocates gathered outside Ameren’s headquarters today to release the new analysis with a Halloween-themed display. Speakers pointed out that while Ameren has recently announced new investments in wind energy in Missouri, its plans for retiring coal generation are woefully slow.
“This Halloween kids should be getting candy, not asthma,” said Leah Clyburn, Organizer with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Missouri. “We are here to ask that Ameren lead throughout the midwest and invest in the people of Missouri by investing more than their current small amounts of wind and solar but instead, develop a plan to transition our community to 100% clean sources.”
In 2014, Ameren announced it would retire the smallest of its coal plants, the Meramec plant, by 2022. Beyond that however, Ameren’s long range plan does not contemplate retiring any more coal plants until 2033 (Sioux) and 2036 (only half the generation capacity at the Labadie plant).
“The problem is that Ameren is taking baby steps when we need to be running to a clean energy future,” said Dr. John Kissel, retired physician. “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a report this month that indicates that we need to get to net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2055 to avert climate disaster. Ameren plans to still be burning coal to generate 40% of its electricity in 2040, putting it at about the national average in the year 2000.”
“The Toll from Coal” analysis was developed by Abt Associates for the Clean Air Task Force. Abt Associates has for years served as U.S. EPA’s air quality benefits consultant.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.