About 20% of New Hampshire's total emission of global-warming gasses comes from the 40-year-old, coal-fired Merrimack Station, in Bow. It's the single largest source of carbon-dioxide emissions in our state. And it's a big emitter of mercury and sulphur dioxide.
In 2006, the NH legislature authorized adding a scrubber to the Bow power plant, to reduce acid-rain-causing sulfur and toxic mercury emissions. Since then the price-tag for the scrubber has jumped from and estimated $250,000,000 to nearly $500,000,000, without explanation. These scrubbers would reduce mercury and sulphur pollution, but would have no effect on emissions of global-warming gasses. 
Now that installation of the scrubbers seems imminent, there are two urgent questions:
- Firstly, are we certain that we must prolong the life of this coal-fired power plant? Or are there other options which would reduce our state's carbon emissions?
- Secondly, why have the costs involved in installing this scrubber increased so dramatically? We don't know - wouldn't it be best to find out?
Luckily, there are proposals in the NH House and State Senate that address both of these questions.
