Health and Air Quality Benefits of Policies to Reduce Coal-Fired Power Plant Emissions: A Case Study in North Carolina
Health and Air Quality Benefits of Policies to Reduce Coal-Fired Power Plant Emissions: A Case Study in North Carolina
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DOI：
10.1021/es501358a
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发表时间：
2014-09-02
影响因子：
11.4
通讯作者：
Gibson, Jacqueline MacDonald
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Li, Ya-Ru;Gibson, Jacqueline MacDonald
我们分析了2002-2012年美国东南部二氧化硫(SO2)排放和细颗粒物硫酸盐(PM2.5)浓度，以评估2002年《北卡罗来纳州清洁烟囱法案》对北卡罗来纳州(NC)的健康影响。这项州法律要求逐步减少北卡罗来纳州燃煤发电厂的污染物排放(超出联邦法规要求的范围)。尽管燃煤发电厂仍然是北卡罗来纳州SO2的主要来源，但一项趋势分析显示，自该法案通过以来，SO2排放量(-20.3%/年)和PM2.5硫酸盐浓度(-8.7%/年)显著下降。北卡罗来纳州的减排幅度明显高于邻近州，北卡罗来纳州皮埃蒙特地区的排放量和PM2.5硫酸盐浓度降幅最高，该州14家主要燃煤电厂中有9家位于该地区。我们的风险模型估计，这些空气质量的改善将北卡罗来纳州可归因于PM2.5硫酸盐的过早死亡风险降低了约63%，导致2012年估计防止了1700人(95%可信区间：1500,1800)死亡。这些发现支持了最近的研究，这些研究预测，实施拟议的联邦跨州空气污染规则(最近得到美国最高法院的支持)可以大幅减少可归因于燃煤发电厂排放的美国过早死亡。
We analyzed sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and fine particulate sulfate (PM2.5 sulfate) concentrations in the southeastern United States during 2002-2012, in order to evaluate the health impacts in North Carolina (NC) of the NC Clean Smokestacks Act of 2002. This state law required progressive reductions (beyond those mandated by federal rules) in pollutant emissions from NC's coal-fired power plants. Although coal-fired power plants remain NC's leading SO2 source, a trend analysis shows significant declines in SO2 emissions (-20.3%/year) and PM2.5 sulfate concentrations (-8.7%/year) since passage of the act. Emissions reductions were significantly greater in NC than in neighboring states, and emissions and PM2.5 sulfate concentration reductions were highest in NC's piedmont region, where 9 of the state's 14 major coal-fired power plants are located. Our risk model estimates that these air quality improvements decreased the risk of premature death attributable to PM2.5 sulfate in NC by about 63%, resulting in an estimated 1700 (95% CI: 1500, 1800) deaths prevented in 2012. These findings lend support to recent studies predicting that implementing the proposed federal Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court) could substantially decrease U.S. premature deaths attributable to coal-fired power plant emissions.