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CANADIAN CLEAN AIR CAMPAIGN
Government Reveals Emissions Plan
Another important piece of the Government of Canada's clean air campaign was unveiled - tighter emission guidelines to reduce smog and acid rain pollutants from new coal, oil and gas fired power plants. The New Source Emission Guidelines for Thermal Electricity Generation, under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, will be in force as of April 1, 2003. The revised Guidelines are an integral part of Environment Canada's vision for managing electricity emissions in Canada - that is, to achieve an environmentally and economically sustainable energy future with the lowest practical emission levels.
"These guidelines are an important component of the government's clean air agenda to reduce smog from electricity generation," said Environment Minister David Anderson. "They are one part of our plan to improve air quality with respect to smog and toxic substances, and contribute to improving the health of Canadians while also helping to reduce Canada's greenhouse gas emissions."
The guidelines include new emission limits for the smog pollutants nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) that are 60 per cent and 80 per cent lower, respectively, than the limits in the previous Guidelines. The revised sulphur dioxide (SO2) emission limits, to reduce the threat of acid rain, vary with the sulphur content of the coal, but are up to 75 per cent lower than the previous allowable limits. The revisions bring the Guidelines up-to-date regarding the emissions performance of current Best Available Technologies (BAT) that are economically feasible. In particular, the revisions align with emission standards currently in place in the United States. Environment Canada will continuously track developments in BAT. The Guidelines will be updated to keep pace with evolving knowledge and technology, to promote sustainable development and to achieve the clean air on which the health of Canadians depends.
Environment Canada expects provinces to reduce emissions from existing power plants as part of their actions to achieve Canada-Wide Standards for PM and Ozone by 2010. The long-term target for the sector is that all fossil fuel-fired generation can approach clean-as-gas performance. This target brings together the clean air and climate change agendas.
The longer term goal of cleaner electricity generation is being assisted by past budget measures to promote wind and renewable energy; the promotion in the Climate Change Plan for Canada of new technologies to reduce CO2 emissions from thermal plants; the promotion of cleaner options for existing thermal electricity plants; and the proposed Canada-wide Standard for mercury emissions from coal-fired plants. The government's expectation is that technologies now under development will prevent the release into the environment of 70 to 90 per cent of the mercury in coal.
The Guidelines were initially established in 1981, following consultations under the former Clean Air Act. ET
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