A recent commentary published in the American Journal of Public Health emphasizes the critical role of air pollution control devices (APCDs) in safeguarding public health.
The APCDs implemented in power plants throughout 2023 saved up to 9,100 lives and helped avoid up to $100 billion in health-related costs. However, these gains may be at risk if upcoming administrations weaken the Clean Air Act or limit the regulatory powers of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to researchers from Boston University, the Sierra Club, the Institute for the Environment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
The research highlights a significant reduction in deaths related to air pollution from coal-fired power plants, thanks to EPA policies. These policies have resulted in a 93% decrease in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and an 87% drop in nitrogen oxides (NOx) between 1995 and 2022. The commentary warns that public health gains could be dramatically reduced if environmental platforms like Project 2025 or the America First Agenda are adopted, as both aim to dismantle environmental regulations, particularly the Clean Air Act.
“Air pollution control devices and other provisions of the Clean Air Act are a bedrock part of the public health infrastructure in the United States,” said Dr. Jonathan Buonocore, assistant professor of environmental health at Boston University and lead author of the commentary. “This work serves to remind us how important the Clean Air Act is, and that there are big public health benefits to protecting or strengthening it.”
The researchers explored the potential consequences of weakening air pollution regulations by modeling a scenario where power plants significantly reduce or eliminate the use of APCDs. The result was alarming: SO2 emissions would increase 2.9 times, and NOx emissions would rise by 1.8 times.
The health impact of these changes would be severe, leading to thousands of preventable deaths and an immense burden on the healthcare system. In 2023 alone, APCDs at power plants prevented between 3,100 and 9,000 premature deaths, with health-related cost savings ranging from $35 billion to $100 billion.
“Power plants are not the highest contributors to air pollution-related public health risk anymore in the US, thanks to federal policies that drastically reduced the emissions of SO2 and NOx from this sector,” explained Saravanan Arunachalam, deputy director at the University of North Carolina’s Institute for the Environment. “Any future efforts to weaken the Clean Air Act may elevate this sector back to the top again, and further increase the overall disease burden for Americans.”
The commentary also pointed out that the health risks from air pollution, including stroke, heart attacks, and respiratory issues like asthma, would worsen under weakened environmental regulations. Moreover, the commentary notes that while the nation as a whole would feel the effects of increased air pollution, regions like Appalachia, the Midwest, and the Mountain West, which have a high concentration of coal-fired power plants, would bear the brunt of the health consequences. The sharp reduction in SO2 emissions from coal plants has played a crucial role in mitigating these health risks in recent years.
More than just a health issue, the commentary outlines how these policies would exacerbate racial and economic inequities. Communities of color and low-income populations, already disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards, would be particularly vulnerable.
“Health benefits from APCDs may be concentrated in specific locations, but these results show that strong environmental regulations benefit everyone,” noted Dr. Mary Willis, assistant professor of epidemiology at Boston University.
The potential rollback of APCD use also threatens to undermine climate action plans in cities that have committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The electrification of buildings and transportation, which are crucial for tackling climate change, could be offset by rising emissions from power plants.
Jeremy Fisher, principal advisor on climate and energy for the Sierra Club, voiced his concern over the proposed changes, saying: “These misguided plans to unravel pollution protections and undermine the Clean Air Act would jeopardize the health and safety of millions. Lives are on the line, and the American people deserve more thorough accountability and oversight of polluting power plants, not less.”
Air pollution policy and climate policy are closely tied to public health. Any efforts to reduce APCD use not only risk rolling back years of progress but also threaten to exacerbate health risks and environmental injustices. Dr. Jonathan Levy, chair of the Department of Environmental Health at Boston University and senior author of the commentary, said: “These policy platforms targeting the EPA threaten to take us backward and make Americans less healthy.”
As the future of environmental regulation remains uncertain, the stakes are undeniably high. Weakening the Clean Air Act could not only lead to significant health and financial costs but also disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, risking the public health infrastructure that has been built over the last few decades.
Journal Reference:
Jonathan J. Buonocore, Jeremy Fisher, Daniel Prull, Mary D. Willis, Saravanan Arunachalam, Frederica Perera, Patrick Kinney, Brian Sousa, and Jonathan I. Levy, ‘Federal Policy Platforms and Public Health: Reinforcing the Benefits of Air Pollution Control Devices at Power Plants in the United States’, American Journal of Public Health (2024). DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2024.307896
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by Boston University School of Public Health
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