Kentucky, Ohio rank among worst toxic pollution states

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Kentucky is the worst state in the nation and Ohio ranked second from the bottom when it comes to toxic air pollution from coal-fired power plants, a new report finds.

The report, released Thursday by the Natural Resources Defense Council, examined emissions from power plants in 2010, the most recent data available.

Other states bordering Kentucky, showed up on the list as well with Indiana ranking fourth, West Virginia fifth, Tennessee 11th, Virginia 12th, Missouri 15th and Illinois 16th. Delaware was No. 20 in the group's "Toxic Twenty" states.

Council officials said Kentucky's power plants are "poorly controlled" and that the state has "failed to ... adopt any kind of state law or regulation that requires substantial reduction in mercury or toxic pollution from the power sector."

John Lyons, director of the Kentucky Division for Air Quality, disagreed with the findings calling them "absolutely untrue."