Wednesday, April 05, 2017

Wealth didn’t matter. Pollution from a coal-fired plant, carried miles by wind, still hurt their babies.

What the republicans want more of.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/04/03/wealth-didnt-matter-pollution-from-a-coal-fired-plant-carried-miles-by-wind-still-hurt-their-babies/?utm_term=.0b2017c7d3ff&wpisrc=nl_most-draw14&wpmm=1

Wealth didn’t matter. Pollution from a coal-fired plant, carried miles by wind, still hurt their babies.
By Darryl Fears April 3, 2017

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New research released Monday documents the impact that pollution from a coal-fired plant in Pennsylvania had on four wealthy New Jersey counties as far as 30 miles downwind. Women in those counties had a greater risk of having babies of low or very low birthweight — less than 5½ pounds — than did women in similarly affluent areas.

It didn’t matter that the mothers there had advantages that low-income mothers don’t: money and access to private health care. Their babies still appeared to suffer from the effects of air pollution, specifically wind-borne sulfur emissions. The study authors say stronger federal regulation of emissions from coal-fired plants is needed to safeguard human health.

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