Power plants impair visibility by releasing sulfur dioxide gas into the atmosphere. This is a result of burning coal, through complex chemical reactions, sulfur dioxide converts into the atmosphere and release sulfate particles that are visible as Haze.
Only 31% of the pollution is produced by power plants. But the power plants are not mostly the cause of haze over the Grand Canyon, mainly chimneys in the wintertime, cars, transportation, forest fires, and also tourists are the main cause of the haze over the Grand Canyon.
Our recommendations for the haze over the Grand Canyon caused by power plants such as the Navajo Generating Station in Page and the Mohave Generating station in Laughlin is to use natural gases, installing more scrubbers, getting the most quality and graded coal from Black Mesa Mine, and also shutting off the power plants when it reaches a curtain level due to SO2 that is released in to the atmosphere and causing pollution and the haze over the Grand Canyon. The Navajo Generating station is the single largest contributor to visibility at the Grand Canyon on 90% of the episode days during the winter.
On September 18, President Bush visited the Grand Canyon to celebrate the singing of an EPA final rule that will improve the Colorado Plateaus air quantity. And to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from the plant by 90%.
That is our recommendation for the Haze over the Grand Canyon.
Positive consequences:
1. Clean Air
2. Less Pollution
Negative Consequences:
1. Costs lots of money
2. The Navajo reservation will go broke.