Inequitable Exposures to U.S. Coal Power Plant–Related PM2.5: 22 Years and Counting
Abstract
Background: Emissions from coal power plants have decreased over recent decades due to regulations and economics affecting costs of providingelectricity generated by coal vis-à-vis its alternatives. These changes have improved regional air quality, but questions remain about whether benefitshave accrued equitably across population groups. Objectives: We aimed to quantify nationwide long-term changes in exposure to particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter≤2:5lm(PM2:5) associated with coal power plant SO2emissions. We linked exposure reductions with three specific actions taken at individual power plants:scrubber installations, reduced operations, and retirements. We assessed how emissions changes in different locations have influenced exposureinequities, extending previous source-specific environmental justice analyses by accounting for location-specificdifferences in racial/ethnic populationdistributions. Methods: We developed a data set of annual PM2:5source impacts (“coal PM2:5”) associated with SO2emissions at each of 1,237 U.S. coal-firedpower plants across 1999–2020. We linked population-weighted exposure with information about each coal unit’s operational and emissions-controlstatus. We calculate changes in both relative and absolute exposure differences across demographic groups. Results:Nationwide population-weighted coal PM2:5declined from 1:96lg=m3in 1999 to 0:06lg=m3in 2020. Between 2007 and 2010, most ofthe exposure reduction is attributable to SO2scrubber installations, and after 2010 most of the decrease is attributable to retirements. Black popula-tions in the South and North Central United States and Native American populations in the western United States were inequitably exposed early inthe study period. Although inequities decreased with falling emissions, facilities in states across the North Central United States continue to inequit-ably expose Black populations, and Native populations are inequitably exposed to emissions from facilities in the West. Discussion: We show that air quality controls, operational adjustments, and retirements since 1999 led to reduced exposure to coal power plantrelated PM2:5. Reduced exposure improved equity overall, but some populations continue to be inequitably exposed to PM2:5associated with facilitiesin the North Central and western United States. Show more
Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Environmental Health PerspectivesVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
National Institute of Environmental Health SciencesMore
Show all metadata