View this policy brief as a printer-friendly PDF

February 2008

Key Points

• Clean-air energy sources—nuclear power plants, hydroelectric power and renewables—help minimize the production of greenhouse gases and pollutants because they generate electricity that otherwise would have to come from burning fossil fuels. The more electricity each source generates, the more it helps meet the nation’s clean-air goals. Nuclear energy is by far the largest of the clean-air sources, producing nearly 20 percent of our nation’s total electricity. Hydroelectric power provides 7 percent of our nation’s electricity; renewables, 3 percent.
• The Clean Air Act of 1970 set standards to improve the nation’s air quality. The legislation established limits on the emission of certain pollutants for states and regions of the country. These pollutants include nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂). States that fail to meet federal clean-air standards face economic consequences that can affect economic growth and jobs.
• In 1970, nuclear energy produced only 1 percent of our nation’s electricity, while oil—now little used for electricity—provided 12 percent. The Clean Air Act and the concerns it addressed were among the reasons electric companies built nuclear plants in the 1970s and early 1980s. Clean air is an even bigger concern today, and nuclear energy’s environmental benefits are a key reason that companies are turning once again to new nuclear generation. Increased use of clean-air nuclear energy will give states additional flexibility for economic expansion and reduce the overall cost of clean-air compliance.

Pages 1 2 3