Who are the top climate polluters in the country?

Power plants are some of America's biggest climate polluters. That may change in the years to come.

America’s most polluting power plants emit more greenhouse gas pollution than some entire states. New standards addressing pollution from those plants and the growth of wind and solar energy could make a big difference for the climate.

Azariah Reese | Shutterstock.com
Jim Bridger power plant in Point of Rocks, Wyoming, the 11th-leading climate polluter in the U.S. in 2022.

A large share of the climate pollution produced in the United States comes from just a handful of big polluting facilities – the vast majority of them electric power plants. With the Biden administration recently announcing the final rules on reducing pollution from power plants, how big of a difference will it make to get the dirtiest polluters to clean up their act? According to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the answer is: a lot.

In 2022, the 50 highest-emitting U.S. facilities released 471.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gases (GHGs, carbon dioxide-equivalent). Those 50 facilities were responsible for nearly 7% of the U.S.’s total GHG emissions in 2022. 

Which power plants are worst for the climate?

  • Ninety percent of the top 50 polluters are power plants that burn coal and/or gas. Together, those 45 power plants emitted 27% of all greenhouse gases from electricity generation nationwide.
  • The number one greenhouse gas polluter in the country – the James H. Miller Jr. power plant in Quinton, Ala. –  released more than 21 million metric tons of GHGs in 2022. That’s more climate pollution than the entire state of Hawaii produced in 2021.
  • The nine power plants among the nation’s top 10 polluters released nearly 126 million metric tons of GHGs in 2022. That’s more from just nine facilities than 33 individual states – including Wisconsin, Colorado and Virginia – each released in 2021.

Emissions from top climate polluters compared with gross emissions from entire states

Which industrial polluters contribute most to climate change? 

Power plants aren’t the only industrial facilities producing large volumes of climate pollution. The ExxonMobil refinery in Baytown, Texas, for example, produced 12.6 million metric tons of GHGs (carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2022, sixth-most in the nation, and equal to annual emissions produced by 3 million of today’s typical passenger cars

Four other non-power plant facilities are among the nation’s top 50 emitters: two steel mills (the U.S. Steel facility in Gary, Ind., and the Cleveland-Cliffs facility in Burns Harbor, Ind.), the CF Industries Nitrogen LLC nitrogen fertilizer plant in Donaldsonville, La., and the Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas.

Top 50 climate polluters, 2022
Facility name City State County Total 2022 GHG emissions (metric tons, CO2 equivalent) Industry
James H. Miller Jr. Quinton AL Jefferson 21,775,440
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Labadie Labadie MO Franklin 15,860,759
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Monroe Monroe MI Monroe 14,908,126
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Martin Lake Tatum TX Rusk 13,330,423
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Oak Grove Franklin TX Robertson 12,697,798
Fossil fuel electric power generation
ExxonMobil Baytown Site Baytown TX Harris 12,611,929
Petroleum refining
W. A. Parish Thompsons TX Fort Bend 12,436,232
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Harrison Power Station Haywood WV Harrison 11,694,164
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Laramie River Wheatland WY Platte 11,524,663
Fossil fuel electric power generation
General J. M. Gavin Cheshire OH Gallia 11,298,607
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Jim Bridger Point of Rocks WY Sweetwater 11,115,560
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Prairie State Generating Station Marissa IL Washington 11,025,766
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Colstrip Colstrip MT Rosebud 10,740,663
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Sam Seymour La Grange TX Fayette 10,546,598
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Sherburne County Becker MN Sherburne 10,469,290
Fossil fuel electric power generation
U.S. Steel Corp. – Gary Works Gary IN Lake 10,414,363
Iron and steel production
Cardinal Brilliant OH Jefferson 10,120,054
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Ghent Ghent KY Carroll 9,887,785
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Four Corners Steam Elec. Station Fruitland NM San Juan 9,813,100
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Jeffrey Energy Center St. Marys KS Pottawatomie 9,449,839
Fossil fuel electric power generation
CF Industries Nitrogen, LLC – Donaldsonville Nitrogen Complex Donaldsonville LA Ascension Parish 9,155,496
Fertilizer manufacturing
Gibson Owensville IN Gibson 9,097,301
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Coal Creek Underwood ND Mclean 8,785,254
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Crystal River Power Plant Crystal River FL Citrus 8,780,184
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Trimble County Bedford KY Trimble 8,708,532
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Bowen Cartersville GA Bartow 8,475,024
Fossil fuel electric power generation
H. L. Spurlock Maysville KY Mason 8,198,349
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Scherer Juliette GA Monroe 8,170,628
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Petersburg Petersburg IN Pike 8,032,438
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Craig Craig CO Moffat 7,958,392
Fossil fuel electric power generation
J. H. Campbell West Olive MI Ottawa 7,781,612
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Limestone Jewett TX Limestone 7,728,951
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Pleasants Power Station Willow Island WV Pleasants 7,727,437
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Cumberland Cumberland City TN Stewart 7,694,050
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Cross Pineville SC Berkeley 7,687,274
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Hunter Castle Dale UT Emery 7,518,232
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Springerville Generating Station Springerville AZ Apache 7,497,856
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Galveston Bay Refinery Texas City TX Galveston 7,439,549
Petroleum refining
John E. Amos Winfield WV Putnam 7,410,174
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Gerald Gentleman Station Sutherland NE Lincoln 7,110,140
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Mill Creek Louisville KY Jefferson 7,066,313
Fossil fuel electric power generation
J. K. Spruce San Antonio TX Bexar 7,040,538
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Thomas Hill Energy Center Clifton Hill MO Randolph 7,014,056
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Nebraska City Station Nebraska City NE Otoe 6,934,949
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Barry Bucks AL Mobile 6,925,641
Fossil fuel electric power generation
West County Energy Center Loxahatchee FL Palm Beach 6,868,988
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Shawnee West Paducah KY McCracken 6,863,859
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor LLC Burns Harbor IN Porter 6,841,483
Iron and steel production
Belle River Saint Clair Haven MI Saint Clair 6,808,451
Fossil fuel electric power generation
New Madrid Power Plant New Madrid MO New Madrid 6,803,656
Fossil fuel electric power generation
Top climate polluters by state, 2022
Facility name City State County Total 2022 GHG emissions (metric tons, CO2 equivalent) Industry National rank
Central Compressor Plant Prudhoe Bay AK North Slope Borough 2,996,872 Petroleum and natural gas systems 178
James H. Miller Jr. Quinton AL Jefferson 21,775,440 Fossil fuel electric power generation 1
White Bluff Redfield AR Jefferson 5,709,994 Fossil fuel electric power generation 69
Springerville Generating Station Springerville AZ Apache 7,497,856 Fossil fuel electric power generation 37
Los Angeles Refinery (LAR) Carson CA Los Angeles 6,263,565 Petroleum refining 57
Craig Craig CO Moffat 7,958,392 Fossil fuel electric power generation 30
Lake Road Generating Company Dayville CT Windham 2,189,121 Fossil fuel electric power generation 271
Delaware City Refinery Delaware City DE New Castle 3,680,307 Petroleum refining 137
Crystal River Power Plant Crystal River FL Citrus 8,780,184 Fossil fuel electric power generation 24
Bowen Cartersville GA Bartow 8,475,024 Fossil fuel electric power generation 26
Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) Kahe Generating Station Kapolei HI Honolulu 2,018,125 Fossil fuel electric power generation 305
Walter Scott Jr. Energy Center Council Bluffs IA Pottawattamie 6,601,780 Fossil fuel electric power generation 53
Rathdrum Power, LLC Rathdrum ID Kootenai 638,923 Fossil fuel electric power generation 811
Prairie State Generating Station Marissa IL Washington 11,025,766 Fossil fuel electric power generation 12
U.S. Steel Corp – Gary Works Gary IN Lake 10,414,363 Iron and steel production 16
Jeffrey Energy Center St. Marys KS Pottawatomie 9,449,839 Fossil fuel electric power generation 20
Ghent Ghent KY Carroll 9,887,785 Fossil fuel electric power generation 18
CF Industries Nitrogen, LLC – Donaldsonville Nitrogen Complex Donaldsonville LA Ascension Parish 9,155,496 Fertilizer manufacturing 21
Fore River Energy Center Weymouth MA Norfolk 1,411,784 Fossil fuel electric power generation 442
Brandon Shores LLC Baltimore MD Anne Arundel 2,219,520 Fossil fuel electric power generation 267
Westbrook Energy Center Westbrook ME Cumberland 920,809 Fossil fuel electric power generation 639
Monroe Monroe MI Monroe 14,908,126 Fossil fuel electric power generation 3
Sherburne County Becker MN Sherburne 10,469,290 Fossil fuel electric power generation 15
Labadie Labadie MO Franklin 15,860,759 Fossil fuel electric power generation 2
Daniel Electric Generating Plant Escatawpa MS Jackson 6,018,792 Fossil fuel electric power generation 62
Colstrip Colstrip MT Rosebud 10,740,663 Fossil fuel electric power generation 13
Belews Creek Belews Creek NC Stokes 5,922,637 Fossil fuel electric power generation 65
Coal Creek Underwood ND Mclean 8,785,254 Fossil fuel electric power generation 23
Gerald Gentleman Station Sutherland NE Lincoln 7,110,140 Fossil fuel electric power generation 40
Granite Ridge Energy Londonderry NH Rockingham 1,326,883 Fossil fuel electric power generation 465
Linden Cogeneration Facility Linden NJ Union 2,709,778 Fossil fuel electric power generation 209
Four Corners Steam Elec. Station Fruitland NM San Juan 9,813,100 Fossil fuel electric power generation 19
Chuck Lenzie Generating Station Apex NV Clark 2,202,264 Fossil fuel electric power generation 270
Astoria Energy LLC & Astoria Energy II LLC Astoria NY Queens 2,912,919 Fossil fuel electric power generation 187
Gen. J. M. Gavin Cheshire OH Gallia 11,298,607 Fossil fuel electric power generation 10
Northeastern Oologah OK Rogers 3,753,893 Fossil fuel electric power generation 131
Hermiston Power, LLC Hermiston OR Umatilla 1,530,100 Fossil fuel electric power generation 413
Conemaugh New Florence PA Indiana 5,446,609 Fossil fuel electric power generation 75
Rhode Island State Energy Center Johnston RI Providence 1,246,513 Fossil fuel electric power generation 495
Cross Pineville SC Berkeley 7,687,274 Fossil fuel electric power generation 35
Big Stone Big Stone City SD Grant 2,188,991 Fossil fuel electric power generation 272
Cumberland Cumberland City TN Stewart 7,694,050 Fossil fuel electric power generation 34
Martin Lake Tatum TX Rusk 13,330,423 Fossil fuel electric power generation 4
Hunter Castle Dale UT Emery 7,518,232 Fossil fuel electric power generation 36
Greensville County Power Station Emporia VA Greensville 3,897,339 Fossil fuel electric power generation 120
GlobalFoundries U.S. 2 LLC – Vermont Facility Essex Junction VT Chittenden 252,977 Other 1,351
Centralia Centralia WA Lewis 3,953,535 Fossil fuel electric power generation 117
Elm Road Generating Station Oak Creek WI Milwaukee 5,324,629 Fossil fuel electric power generation 80
Harrison Power Station Haywood WV Harrison 11,694,164 Fossil fuel electric power generation 8
Laramie River Wheatland WY Platte 11,524,663 Fossil fuel electric power generation 9

What changed from 2021?

Some facilities saw significant decreases in total emissions and rankings from 2021. Notable examples include:

  • Ascend Performance Materials (Fla.): Pollution fell from 8.6 million metric tons in 2021 to 3.5 million metric tons in 2022, dropping the facility from 29th place to 145th. Ascend invested in GHG reduction equipment, including a new control device at its chemical facility in Pensacola, Fla., in 2021.
  • Rush Island power plant (Mo.): Pollution fell from 7.4 million metric tons in 2021 to 4.5 million metric tons in 2022, causing the plant to move from 44th most polluting to 98th. The facility reduced its electricity generation from 8.2 million MWh in 2021 to 4.9 million MWh in 2022.
  • John E. Amos power plant (W.Va.): Pollution dropped from 11.5 million metric tons in 2021 to 7.4 million metric tons in 2022, changing the plant’s ranking from 10th to 39th. The power plant reduced its electricity generation from 12 million MWh in 2021 to 7.3 million MWh in 2022.

What will change in the years to come? 

While power plants are the nation’s biggest individual contributors to global warming, things are getting better. Coal-fired electricity, which emits copious amounts of carbon pollution, is on the decline, and was surpassed in terms of its share of U.S. electricity production by renewable energy in 2022. 

A number of top polluters plan to close or convert one or more generating units in the coming years. The Jim Bridger coal-fired power plant in Wyoming plans to convert two of its generating units to run on methane gas and then close in 2037. The Craig facility in Colorado, which was the 30th largest polluter in the country in 2022, will close all three of its generating units by 2029 at the latest. Six other top 50 polluters have closing dates ranging from 2024 to 2033. 

Additional pollution reductions will result from the Biden administration’s 2024 adoption of new rules to limit pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. One rule requires existing coal-fired power plants to control 90 percent of their carbon pollution by 2039. The combination of strong regulation with companies’ compliance could mean less negative impact from this small number of big polluters.

With the cost of renewable energy falling and the amount of clean wind and solar power on the grid surging, there is simply no excuse for allowing America’s biggest polluters to continue to harm our climate and our health. 

Frontier Group intern Hailey Seo provided research and writing assistance.

Topics
Authors

Elizabeth Ridlington

Associate Director and Senior Policy Analyst, Frontier Group

Elizabeth Ridlington is associate director and senior policy analyst with Frontier Group. She focuses primarily on global warming, toxics, health care and clean vehicles, and has written dozens of reports on these and other subjects. Elizabeth graduated with honors from Harvard with a degree in government. She joined Frontier Group in 2002. She lives in Northern California with her son.

Lisa Frank

Executive Director, Environment America; Vice President and D.C. Director, The Public Interest Network

Lisa leads Environment America’s work for a greener, healthier world. She also directs The Public Interest Network’s Washington, D.C., office and operations. A pragmatic idealist, Lisa has helped win billions of dollars in investments in clean energy and transportation and developed strategic campaigns to protect America’s oceans, forests and public lands. Lisa is an Oregonian transplant to the Capital region, where she loves hiking, running, biking, and cooking for friends and family.

Abe Scarr

State Director, Illinois PIRG Education Fund

Abe Scarr is the director of Illinois PIRG and is the PIRG Energy and Utilities Program Director. He is a lead advocate in the Illinois Capitol and in the media for stronger consumer protections, utility accountability, and good government. In 2017, Abe led a coalition to pass legislation to implement automatic voter registration in Illinois, winning unanimous support in the Illinois General Assembly for the bill. He has co-authored multiple in-depth reports on Illinois utility policy and leads coalition campaigns to reform the Peoples Gas pipe replacement program. As PIRG's Energy and Utilities Program Director, Abe supports PIRG energy and utility campaigns across the country and leads the national Gas Stoves coalition. He also serves as a board member for the Consumer Federation of America. Abe lives in Chicago, where he enjoys biking, cooking and tending his garden.

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