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As soon as state power plants had to start reporting their pollution emissions, they immediately topped the list of Wisconsin polluters.

And according to a report by Wisconsin's Environmental Decade and the Wisconsin State Public Interest Research Group, three of Wisconsin's top five air polluters reside in the Milwaukee area.  Those three are all Wisconsin Electric power plants: the Oak Creek facility; the Menomonee Valley plant and the Port Washington plant.

State utilities spewed 13.7 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the air in 1998 (the last recording period).  The Oak Creek power plant on its own accounted for 3.7 million pounds - approximately 27% of the total.

"The data tells us what we've strongly suspected for years, that electric power plants are the biggest source of toxic air pollution," says Rich Bogovich, of the Decade.

The plants emit a variety of toxins including hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid and manganese.  Long-term side effects from the poisoned stew include bronchitis, tooth erosion, lung cancer, emphysema, chronic runny noses, eye-tearing, brain damage and symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease.

"It is absurd that the industry creating the biggest source of toxic air pollution in Wisconsin enjoys loopholes in the federal clean air act," remarks Kerry Schumann, WISPIRG state director.

Utilities insist that the emissions are not health hazards.

"Electric power plants are a huge threat to the health of Wisconsinites," counters Schumann.