Final Project Proposal

Assuming that 1 metric ton of coal is converted to electricity at 40% efficiency, for 2,460 kWh/ton.

Given: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Existing_U.S._Coal_Plants#State-by-state_output

State	2005 Power Production (GWh)	2011 Power Production (GWh)	Change (%)
Alabama	70,144	56,807	-19%
Alaska	650	656	1%
Arizona	40,730	43,702	7%
Arkansas	23,356	29,418	26%
California	3,024	1,982	-34%
Colorado	35,671	33,955	-5%
Connecticut	3,995	526	-87%
Delaware	5,185	1,455	-72%
District of Columbia	-	-	0%
Florida	66,378	51,991	-22%
Georgia	87,624	60,159	-31%
Hawaii	1,548	1,424	-8%
Idaho	51	83	63%
Illinois	92,772	90,013	-3%
Indiana	123,985	104,153	-16%
Iowa	34,729	38,229	10%
Kansas	34,595	31,656	-8%
Kentucky	92,613	91,656	-1%
Louisiana	23,190	24,628	6%
Maine	754	55	-93%
Maryland	29,782	21,059	-29%
Massachusetts	12,095	4,059	-66%
Michigan	71,871	58,948	-18%
Minnesota	34,336	28,259	-18%
Mississippi	16,661	9,723	-42%
Missouri	77,714	78,316	1%
Montana	17,844	15,056	-16%
Nebraska	20,175	25,965	29%
Nevada	18,412	5,407	-71%
New Hampshire	4,097	2,208	-46%
New Jersey	12,090	4,155	-66%
New Mexico	29,990	27,141	-9%
New York	22,018	9,426	-57%
North Carolina	78,854	59,758	-24%
North Dakota	29,813	27,109	-9%
Ohio	137,457	105,337	-23%
Oklahoma	36,446	34,479	-5%
Oregon	3,588	3,334	-7%
Pennsylvania	122,093	100,603	-18%
Rhode Island	-	-	0%
South Carolina	40,545	34,169	-16%
South Dakota	2,999	2,586	-14%
Tennessee	59,264	40,777	-31%
Texas	148,759	157,897	6%
Total	2,026,184	1,733,430	-14%
Utah	36,008	33,138	-8%
Vermont	-	-	0%
Virginia	35,099	19,881	-43%
Washington state	10,483	5,229	-50%
West Virginia	91,601	75,964	-17%
Wisconsin	41,675	39,938	-4%
Wyoming	43,421	40,961	-6%

Given: http://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm/coalandcoalash.html

Wastes	Radiation Level [pCi/g]
	low	average	high
Fly Ash	2	5.8	9.7

I will use the energy produced, the average weight/energy ratio, and the average radioactivity of fly ash (airborn ash) to determine the gross radiation being put out of coal power plants by state.


This map is kind of what I'm looking for, but I think I can do a whole lot better.

This map is more the look that I'm going for, though.