Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I am a new pediatrician to the Great Falls area. My wife and I came to Great Falls for many reasons but chief to them was nature, Lewis and Clark history and how clean the air and water are relative to even Northern Michigan, our past residence. I was aware of Great Falls environmental past with the smelter and its removal in the 1980’s. Michigan and the rest of the great lake states have a similar legacy that has continued over many decades to present day, which are coal-fired power plants. As a child in Michigan, their were no “mercury fish advisories” in the great lakes but over the past 20 years the health advisories have progressively increased to now included mothers-to-be to women that could become pregnant, younger children and less so for all children in general. So I am very familiar with the environmental impact of mercury and how it collects over decades in the ecosystem.

As a pediatrician I also treated 100’s of children every year with asthma, developmental disabilities and autism contributed by mercury, sulfur, nitrous and particulate waste contributed from coal fired power plants. We are all familiar with lead abatement and elimination of lead from paint and gas. Why? Because lead is a heavy metal that at even very small amounts causes significant brain damage to a new developing brain. Is mercury any different? NO! Mercury is also a heavy metal that is as dangerous as lead to a newly developing baby’s brain. Vaccines for children eliminated all mercury preservatives 6-10 years ago for these same concerns as above.

5-6 thousand Americans die each year to Asthma. Total cost of Asthma in; lost school/work days, treatment and visits to hospitals is at least 100’s of millions to billions of dollars per year and the trends with even the best of medical treatments are increasing. The Autism rate currently is 1 in 164 children. Also these trends in nerodevelopmental conditions including Autism are increasing.

Will the purposed Highwood Generation Plant make an impact on the children and future children of Great Fall, Big Sandy, Havre and Fort Benton? The fact is the purposed plants emissions would include 40-46 pounds of Mercury, and thousands of tons of sulfur, nitrous and particulate matter that would be blown each year mostly over Fort Benton, Big Sandy, Havre and Great Falls.

To answer this question, I would ask every person in Great Falls, Fort Benton, Big Sandy, and Havre if they would like to start adding lead to their gas, paint and add mercury to all their vaccinations with the air quality of a major metropolitan city. From history we can look back at the smelter and easily make this decision by not repeating the past. Every mother, father or grandparent could easily make this decision for their child’s health and not to take these unnecessary risks with their health.

In Randy McNally road atlas it states the Great Falls is “the windiest city in the USA”. I am not sure if 13.1 mph consistent wind speed is up to date but I do know wind as a free source of electricity through wind turbines and it doesn’t have any of the above problems with the environment or increases the risks to children’s health. Just look to the west side of town to see the future of clean energy.

Montana’s children and families have something very special going for them, clean air and water. So lets all try our best to stop the purposed coal fired power plant and let the citizens have a say in public health impact on their children, grandchildren and future of Montana. Let’s have a voice for them in such important issues.

Thank you,

Charlie Christensen DO FAAP