If Santee Cooper and DHEC get their way, expect to breathe in more than 90 pounds of poisonous mercury a year from now on.

The proposed coal-fired power plant for Florence County will be allowed to release that and other air pollutants under the air quality permit DHEC granted Santee Cooper yesterday.

DHEC claims mercury, ozone, particulate matter and greenhouse gases were addressed, but unless the permit gets turned down, our only savior now may be the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. If they determine “that an alternative energy source is the preferred approach to meet Santee Cooper’s need, DHEC’s air permit will be modified accordingly.”

btw: The American Geophysical Union just said today that oil is not the worst global warming problem, coal is!