[2] In operation since 1985, the incinerator's tall white smokestack that reads "Baltimore" is considered to be a distinctive landmark for travelers on nearby Interstate 95 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
[3] In 2010, several environmental groups, including the Washington, D.C.–based Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), the Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and Clean Water Action have successfully intervened in the Wheelabrator's permit-renewal process, which prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to order the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to reinforce the plant's pollution-monitoring necessities.
[4] According to a 2011 report by the EIP, the Wheelabrator Incinerator produces more mercury, lead, and greenhouse gases per hour of energy than each of the state's four largest coal-fired power plants.
[5] In addition, the incinerator produces nitrogen oxide emissions, which can contribute to smog and pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.
We are pleased that EPA intervened here to do the right thing and hope that MDE will fix this permit and take steps to ensure that emissions monitoring of mercury, particulate matter, and other harmful pollutants is as accurate as it can be.