The Sierra Club and the Kentucky Environmental Foundation released a study Tuesday suggesting that nine Kentucky power plants emit dangerous levels of sulfur dioxide, leaving areas of Kentucky in violation of national air-quality standards. The study says the dangerous levels of sulfur dioxide can cause and compound breathing problems, cardiovascular disease and other ailments. In its report, the environmental groups say the study showed that all of Lexington and most of Louisville aren't meeting the standard set for sulfur dioxide presence. The power plants targeted in the report include Kentucky Utilities' Cane Run, Green River and Tyrone power plants, Kentucky Power's Big Sandy plant and East Kentucky Power Cooperative's Cooper, Dale and Spurlock plants. Chris Whelan, spokeswoman for Kentucky Utilities, says the utility is spending upwards of $3 billion to build new natural gas-fired power plants.
