American Electric Power 2008 Corporate Sustainability Report

14 Environmental Performance trade-offs can be difficult. In some cases, the controls we use to reduce air emissions can adversely affect the quality of our water discharges. AEP uses the mineral trona to control sulfur trioxide (SO3) levels in the flue gas on certain units, including our Mitchell Plant in West Virginia. Unfortunately, when we used trona there, the pH of the fly ash pond increased and heavy metal concentrations rose to levels above the permit limits. We are exploring solutions at Mitchell Plant and will apply the lessons learned to other plants as well. Another challenge is compliance with fly ash pond discharge limits when SCRs operate year-round. Some of the ammonia used in the pollution control systems ends up in the fly ash ponds. In the summer, bacteria and algae in the ponds absorb or chemically alter ammonia, making it less toxic. But when the SCRs run in the winter, when the water is much colder, biological reactions occur very slowly. In these conditions, ammonia levels can remain high. Fortunately, ammonia is less toxic in cold water, so AEP has worked with state regulators to increase permit limits during the winter. Without these increases, operating SCRs year-round to comply with the NSR settlement and Clean Air Interstate Rule could create compliance problems with our state water permits. WASTE MANAGEMENT includes metals found in ash, emissions, waste put in landfills, ammonia and acids. Our TRI report is available on our web site. For a full waste management summary, visit www. AEP.com/cr/GRI. One of two waste-related enforcement actions AEP received in 2007 related to construction of a landfill at our Mountaineer Plant. After substantial rainfall, landfill runoff inadvertently carried soil and fly ash from the plant into nearby waterways and neighboring properties. There was no fine associated with the Mountaineer enforcement action. We also self-reported an error we found in how material from the Conesville Plant scrubbers had been disposed of and took corrective action. We conducted a root-cause analysis and changed some of our processes in the shortterm while we develop a long-term solution to address these issues and prevent future recurrences. MERCURY Mercury, a toxic heavy metal, is released when coal is burned. The amount of mercury emitted from our power plants depends on the type of coal and the emission control equipment installed. AEP’s Pirkey Plant in Texas was ranked as one of the two highest emitters of mercury in the United States last year, for the third straight year (based on 2005 data), because the lignite it burns tends to have higher mercury levels compared with other types of coal. Pirkey’s SO2 scrubber removes significant amounts of the mercury in the flue gas. Concerns about the environmental and public health implications of mercury emissions led the U.S. EPA to establish the Clean Air Mercury Rule. AEP has been working toward meeting the requirements of that rule, which had a compliance deadline of 2010. The necessary emission reductions will come largely from installing SO2 scrubbers and NOx SCR systems which, in combination, can achieve significant mercury reductions. Additional controls may be needed as well. The EPA’s mercury rule was challenged by a number of states and environmental groups when it was issued in 2005. AEP reduces, reuses or recycles as much of its waste as possible and tries to dispose of the remainder with the least adverse effect on the environment. For example, the company has recycled more than 180 million pounds of metal, 5.8 million pounds of paper, 2.6 million gallons of oil and more than 470,000 light bulbs during the last five years. We do not track the total weight of our general refuse but we do track special waste streams, such as hazardous wastes, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and other products that have serious environmental consequences if not properly disposed. We report to the U.S. EPA under the Toxic Release Inventory Program (TRI) the transfers and releases of toxic chemicals that occur off-site. For AEP this report typically http://www.AEP.com/cr/GRI http://www.AEP.com/cr/GRI

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of American Electric Power 2008 Corporate Sustainability Report

American Electric Power 2008 Corporate Sustainability Report Contents Leadership, Management & Strategy A Message from Michael G. Morris A Message from Dennis E. Welch About This Report Environmental Performance Work Force Issues Public Policy Climate Change Energy Security, Reliability & Growth Stakeholder Engagement Glossary GRI Table of Contents

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