Abstract |
An environmental residuals technique was developed to quantitatively evaluate the environmental implications of Project Independence. Three models are discussed that compare the regional impacts of different scenarios of energy development: a Residual Allocation Model to predict the quantity and distribution of 15 energy-associated pollutant loadings, a Water Use Model to assess the compatibility of water available and water required for projected energy use, and an Air Quality Model to compare the impacts of the scenarios on ambient air quality. The approach is useful for scenario comparison, but is limited in degree of detail and absolute accuracy. It is concluded that the level of control technology achieved is more critical environmentally than the choice of scenarios. Further work should include a refinement and extension of the residuals studied and a more detailed sensitivity analysis, especially with respect to control technology and facility siting assumptions. |