Download How Coal Kills: The Link Between Air Pollution, Climate Change

Climate Health Action Teams (CHAT)
2015 Webinar Series
May 20, 2015
CLIMATE HEALTH ACTION TEAM
(CHAT) ACTIONS REPORT
CHAT and PSR members sent over 1,900 letters to EPA
Administrator Gina McCarthy, urging EPA to draft a
strong, health-protective rule that will set limits on
methane leaks in gas and oil production.
Presenter: Alan H. Lockwood M.D. FAAN
• Emeritus Professor of Neurology at the University at Buffalo
• Co-Chair, of the Environment and Health Committee, Physicians for Social
Responsibility
Alan H. Lockwood, MD,
FAAN, FANA
Emeritus Professor of Neurology
University at Buffalo
Past President and Chair
Environment and Health Committee
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Health is a state of complete physical,
mental and social well-being
and not merely the absence of disease
or infirmity.
World Health Organization
1948
Sources of Energy for
Generating Electricity
Source: NY Times, 9/14/14, US Energy Information Administration
Coal Use
by
State
Source: New York
Times, April 22, 2015
Line graph from global carbon atlas. When the link
Loads, click on “OK I Get IT. Then click on
time series under tools to see graphic.
This is slow to load, so best to already have it running in
Your Browser.
http://www.globalcarbonatlas.org/?q=en/emissions
Hazardous Air Pollutants
(HAPS)
from Coal Combustion
 Oxides of sulfur
 Oxides of nitrogen
 Particulates
 Arsenic
 Beryllium
 Cadmium
 Chromium
 Mercury
 Nickel
 HCl
 HF
 Acreolin
 Dioxins
 Formaldehyde
 Uranium and
Source: EPA Report to Congress,
publication 453/R-98-004a
Thorium
Air Pollution and Leading
Causes of Death in
Americans
 Heart Disease – leading
 Respiratory disease –
cause in US - 617,527 in
2008
 Myocardial Infarct
 Congestive Heart
Failure
 Fatal Arrhythmia
 Malignant neoplasms –
Second leading cause in
US, 566,137 deaths in
2008
Source: CDC, 2011
third leading cause in US
– 141,075 in 2008
 Asthma (esp. kids)
 Emphysema
 Bronchitis
 Cancer
 Stroke – Fourth leading
cause in US, 133,750
deaths in 2008
Source:
US EPA
Tropospheric Ozone Formation,
102
CO From Forest Fires, 2004 vs
2005
Fires released about
30 terragrams (66
billion
Pounds), of ozone, and
increased Ground Level
Ozone. 25% In
Northern
Hemisphere, and
10% in Europe
Source: NASA Terra Satellite, www.eos.ucar.edu/mopitt/ NCAR MOPITT Team
Increases in Ozone, Daily One Hour
Maximum:1990 vs 2050
 On average, daily 1-hour




maximum increased by 4.8
ppb
Largest increase was 9.6
ppb
Number of days exceeding
current US 8-hr standard (75
ppb) increased 68%
Daily mortality projected to
increase by 0.11% - 0.27%
Did not explore changes in
anthropogenic emissions
Source: Bell et al., Climatic Change 2007;82:61-76
Costs versus Benefits, Clean
Air Act
Source:
US EPA
Benefits Clean Air Act
By 2020, Acid Rain





2025 New Ozone Standard
230,000 fewer adult deaths  320,000-960,000 fewer
PM2.5
asthma attacks
Ozone deaths 7,000
 330,000-1,000,000 lost
2,400,000 asthma
school days
exacerbations PM2.5
 65,000-180,000 missed work
5,400,000 ozone lost school days
days
 1,400-4,300 fewer ER asthma
17,000,000 lost work days
visits
PM
2.5
Source: US EPA
State of Health at Present Ambient
Temperatures
Effects of 4 Cº Increase
2080 – 2100
“Era of Climate Options”
 Major effects on
nutrition, heat, food and
water-borne infections
 Greater opportunities to
mitigate extreme
weather, mental health
and violence
Thanks!
Lockwood home, Buffalo, NY, 4,400 Watt PV Array
We replace
We are replacing
CFLs With
CFLs with LEDs
LEDs
How Coal Kills: The Link Between Air Pollution,
Climate Change and Respiratory Disease
 Questions/Comments
Time to defend the Clean Power Plan!
Biggest tool available
for protection from climate change
• First-ever limits on existing power plants.
• Nationwide.
• States design their own programs.
• Opportunity to greatly increase renewable energy and energy
efficiency.
• Not all we need, but necessary.
Clean Power Plan health co-benefits
• 3,500 premature deaths avoided each year (9 per day)
• 1,000 hospital admissions avoided each year
• 220 heart attacks prevented each year
Other benefits:
• Creates tens of thousands of RE/EE-related jobs
• Reduces electricity bills for Americans
• Minimizes mining/extractive activity, pipeline construction,
shipment by rail, generation of toxic coal ash, etc.
Sweeping attacks -- before it is even
released!
• Efforts would severely weaken the entire Clean Air Act.
• Multiple attacks, both House and Senate.
• Example: Senate bill introduced by Sen. Capito (R-WV)
1. Weakens the Clean Air Act
Now: CAA sets standards based on best demonstrated pollution
controls.
• EPA has used this for 45 years to set technology standards.
Sen. Capito’s bill would: Block EPA from finalizing proposed
standards.
• Limit standards for new coal plants to pollution levels of
today’s dirty plants.
• Curtail future standards for existing plants.
2. Blocks standards until all lawsuits are
resolved.
Now: courts can postpone a rule if challengers show
“irreparable harm” and likelihood of winning the lawsuit.
Sen. Capito’s bill would: automatically stop carbon pollution
standards until lawsuits were resolved.
• Unprecedented.
• Indefinitely delay Clean Power Plan implementation.
3. Destroys the federal guarantee that
makes the Clean Power Plan work.
Now (proposed): States create implementation plans, federal
government steps in only if states refuse.
Sen. Capito’s bill would: allow governors to “opt out.”
• Shields polluters from any pollution controls.
• No way to protect communities.
Protect the Clean Power Plan now!
Ask your senators to reject all legislation that would:
• undercut or weaken the Clean Power Plan;
• allow power plants to dump unlimited CO2 into the air,
• put our health at risk with devastating heat/extreme weather
events.
Join Us For the Next Climate Health Action Team
(CHAT) Webinar!
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
8:00-9:00 pm eastern
Wind Power: Clean, Efficient and Healthy
For more information contact:
Paz Artaza-Regan, Climate Organizer: [email protected] or 202-587-5251
Barb Gottlieb, Environment & Health Director: [email protected]
www.PSR.org
202-667-4260