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  Home Page » Opinion » Editorial » Dirty Skies

Dirty skies

Arizona's CO2 emissions grow at record pace

The air flowing in this direction from Arizona is dirtier than ever. Arizona increased its rate of fossil-fuel pollution faster than any other state between 1990 and 2007, according to a report released this week. The report, compiled by an environmental advocacy group but so far undisputed by other sources, says that the amount of carbon-dioxide pollution in Arizona's skies grew by 61 percent during that time, more than three times the national average. The Arizona Republic says that reflects a period of rapid expansion in the state and across the West - expansion since halted by the recession.

Arizona is of interest for an obvious reason: Some of the pollution that originates there ends up in the air of Southwest Colorado. For much of the year, the prevailing winds are out of the southwest, and that produces a domino effect. California's pollution, high long before growth accelerated in Arizona, blows over the eastern border into Arizona. New Mexico and Southwest Colorado have the disadvantage of being downwind from both states.

One result of the air pollution coming into Arizona from California may be that Arizonans say to themselves, "Our air is already bad; we might as well have the economic benefit of power plants." New Mexicans may have the same belief. After all, the pollution they generate moves off fairly quickly, to reduce the air quality in someone else's backyard.

Everyone is breathing someone else's exhaust. Contributing more to the people downwind should not seem like a way to "win."

The statistics from Arizona show that carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants increased 70 percent between 1990 and 2007. That's especially significant because power plants produce 54.4 percent of all the CO2 emissions in the state. Transportation was the next highest source, increasing 62 percent on its 36.4 percent share, a rate of pollution increase slower than the state's rate of population increase. The single-digit industrial, residential and commercial sources ranged on downward. As the pie gets bigger, so do the individual pieces.

It's important to note that Arizona is not, by far, the state contributing the most CO2 pollution. In total numbers, Texas is tops, then California, which is also pumping more pollution into southwestern skies. Arizona moved up in the ranking from 29th to 22nd.

In per capita CO2 emissions, Wyoming residents are by far the greatest polluters, with 124.2 metric tons per year. Arizona's CO2 emissions, apportioned among a much larger population, average 16 metric tons per person. But of course they aren't generated entirely "per person."

Transportation-related pollution can be reduced directly, and quickly, by individuals' choices. Power-plant pollution cannot, so it is much more difficult to reduce at all. Electricity is generated in large quantities, not increments for individual consumption. It can be exported long distances, and in the Southwest, often in the opposite direction as the path taken by power-plant emissions.

The Navajo Generating Station in Page is now under increased scrutiny by federal regulators. A reduction in emissions there (or at any power plant in Arizona) would help to improve air quality in La Plata County. That's an ambitious goal, especially when the record of the last 17 years has shown not improvement, but rapid degradation of air quality. That degradation cannot continue, and residents of the Four Corners should do what they can to make that very clear to Arizona, to California and to the federal government.