28 Eastern States Would Benefit From Stronger EPA Power Plant Rule

(17 August 2004 - Raleigh, NC)  Environmental Defense today called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen and finalize a proposed rule to reduce power plant pollution in 28 Eastern states, a move that annually could prevent 16,000 premature deaths and one million childhood asthma episodes across the region.  “Stop Blowing Smoke in the Heartland,” a report released by the advocacy group, examines the public health and economic impacts of strengthening standards on sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide pollution in EPA’s proposed Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR).  The report is available at www.environmentaldefense.com/go/blowingsmoke.

According to the report, the 15 states that will realize the greatest human health protection from stronger controls on power plant smokestack pollution are Texas, Ohio, Florida, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, Alabama, Missouri, North Carolina, New York and Tennessee.  For example, if EPA finalizes a stronger power plant rule, 1,600 premature deaths and 100,000 asthma episodes in children could be prevented in Texas, and 1,200 premature deaths and 80,000 asthma episodes in children could be prevented in Ohio.

“While EPA’s proposal is a step forward, people in the Heartland and on the Atlantic coast will only breathe clean air if EPA strengthens and swiftly finalizes power plant clean-up standards,” said Michael Shore, senior air policy analyst for Environmental Defense.  “The science demands action, and the human health costs of delay are severe.” 

“The current pollution reductions proposed by EPA, while important, fall far short of protecting public health and the environment, and are far less than what can be cost-effectively achieved.  According to EPA’s own analysis, millions of Americans in Heartland cities — including Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Knoxville, Atlanta and Birmingham — will be left breathing unhealthy air if the agency’s proposed limits are implemented.  More protective power plant clean up standards are needed to lower harmful particulate and ozone pollution levels in these communities.  The EPA can do the right thing — secure deeper pollution reductions by requiring utilities to bear emission control costs that are more in line with what other sectors pay to protect public health,” said Shore.

“The Heartland is hit hardest by pollution from coal-fired power plants and has the most to gain from tougher EPA standards on harmful emissions,” said Mark MacLeod, Environmental Defense special projects director.  “EPA now has a unique opportunity to lock in limits that are long overdue.  The EPA’s own estimates show that public health and other benefits would outweigh the cost by a 20 to 1 ratio.  We could all  breathe easier if EPA strengthens these proposed power plant pollution standards.”