we are The owNers oF The omaha PubliC Power disTriCT

oPPds North omaha Coal Plant stands in the way of our Clean energy Future

As Omaha citizens, we have the power and the right to determine our energy future. We can choose between moving forward with a clean energy future that is good for peoples health, creates jobs and is good for the environment, or being stuck with a dangerous old coal plant that is hazardous to health, bad for the economy and bad for the environment.
old, ouTdaTed aNd ouTsourCed North Omaha Station Coal Fired Power Plant is Omaha Public Power Districts (OPPD) oldest plant and one of the oldest and dirtiest in the country, with some boilers burning coal since the 1950s. North Omaha Station burns Wyoming coal, sending millions of Nebraska dollars out of state every year. The price of coal continues to rise, and the cost to modernize a coal-fired power-plant like North Omaha Station could double or triple the cost of the electricity it produces. New, CleaN aNd NebrasKaN Nebraskas wind resource is ranked 4th in the United States but our state ranks 25th in wind development, behind all of our neighbors. Iowa has lower potential for wind development than Nebraska, but has developed more than a dozen times the wind power and the jobs and economic benefits. Nebraska also has the 9th best solar potential in the United States. It is time we start growing clean energy jobs in Nebraska. By planning well and upgrading our buildings, we can cut electricity consumption and save homeowners and businesses money. Analysis from the American Council for an EnergyEfficient Economy shows that 17 jobs are created for every $1 million invested in energy efficiency. Energy-efficient building upgrades can reduce energy needs for homeowners and businesses by as much as 30 percent. Energy efficiency improvements are particularly beneficial to lower income residents, many of whom live close to the North Omaha Station.

The North Omaha Coal-Fired Power Plant is Hazardous to our Health According to the Clean Air Task Force, pollution from North Omaha Station has been linked to premature deaths, asthma attacks and heart attacks, as well as more than $100 million annually in health and environmental related costs which are passed on to taxpayers. There are over 127,000 people within 5 miles of North Omaha Station directly exposed to carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx), mercury and other toxins daily. North Omaha Station emits more than 300 pounds of mercury each year. Of the 51 coal plants located in metropolitan areas the size of Omaha and larger, North Omaha Station ranks 1st in mercury emissions. According to the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health, if pregnant women are exposed to mercury, it can lead to serious birth defects, including impairments in language, attention and memory According to the Omaha Asthma Alliance, parts of Omaha have some of the highest asthma rates in the country: Omahas asthma hospitalization rate is nearly double the national average. The highest average asthma rates in Douglas County are east of 42nd street. Average annual asthma death rates for blacks, 63.5%, was twice that of whites, 28.8%

Asthma hospitalization rates and emergency room visit rates in Douglas and Sarpy counties are highest in northeast Omaha Omaha Deserves Clean Air and Clean Jobs As OPPD customer-owners, it is time we tap Nebraskas plentiful wind and solar resources. The costs of generating electricity through wind and solar continue to decline. Since there is no cost for fuel for wind and solar energy, they dont have the increasing fuel costs associated with fossil fuels. Wind and solar investments would provide economic benefits to Nebraskans, keeping money in the state. They dont require massive water usage like coal-fired power plants. And they protect the environment because they dont emit harmful pollution like mercury, sulfur dioxide or greenhouse gases. As the owners of OPPD, our community can get involved to determine our energy future. With an open, timely and transparent public process, we can create an energy plan that invests in and protects Omahas future.

To learn more about how the community can build a clean energy future for Omaha, contact Graham Jordison with the Sierra Club in Omaha, Nebraska at Graham.Jordison@sierraclub.org or 712-790-1566.

Sierra Club, Nebraska 140 N 8th St, Suite 212 Lincoln, NE 68508

Sierra Club National 85 Second Street, 2nd Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 977-5500

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