To strengthen Alberta’s environmental record, the Progressive Conservative government needs to implement a strategy to reduce pollutants emitted from burning coal and achieve measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, said Wildrose environment critic Joe Anglin.
A new report suggests that there are over 700 hospital visits to Alberta’s emergency departments and 80 hospital admissions due to short-term exposure to air pollution from coal plants in Alberta annually.
Anglin says Alberta is late to the party when it comes to creating meaningful reforms on reducing emissions generated from coal-fired electricity, as other provinces across the country have already taken significant action.
“Every Albertan has a stake in the quality of the air we breathe and we need to ensure that emissions and harmful pollutants do not infringe on the right of every Albertan to breathe clean air,” Anglin said. “This means implementing a meaningful strategy that works to reduce pollutants. We should look at increasing the use of combined cycle gasification of coal (clean coal), natural gas, and hydro-electricity generation.”