Power Plant Emissions: Particulate Matter-Related Health Damages and the Benefits of Alternative Emission Reduction Scenarios

This report analyzes the health impacts of various US power plant emission reduction policies, comparing the Clear Skies Act (CSA) with the Carper Bill, Jeffords Bill, and an EPA Straw Proposal. Using the REMSAD air quality model and BenMAP health analysis tool, the study quantifies avoidable cases of premature mortality, chronic bronchitis, heart attacks, and respiratory/cardiovascular hospitalizations. The findings indicate that the Jeffords Bill provides the highest health benefits in both 2010 and 2020, while the CSA provides the lowest among the policy options. The report also includes a 'No EGU' scenario to establish the total health footprint of coal-fired electricity generating units.

• The Jeffords Bill is the most effective of the analyzed policy options in reducing health damages, with the highest estimated number of avoided premature mortalities in 2010 (16,575 cases) and 2020 (21,749 cases).
• The Clear Skies Act (CSA) results in the lowest health benefits among the four policy scenarios for both 2010 and 2020 across all quantified health endpoints.
• In 2010, the total monetized value of health benefits for the Jeffords Bill is estimated at $104.8 billion, compared to $52.0 billion for the Clear Skies Act.
• For the year 2020, the monetized health benefits of the Jeffords Bill are estimated at $157.8 billion, while the Clear Skies Act is estimated at $107.0 billion.
• The 'No EGU' analysis, which removes all emissions from fossil-fueled electricity generating units, estimates 23,604 attributable premature deaths in 2010.
• The report identifies premature mortality as the most significant monetized benefit, with a value of a statistical life estimated at $6.12 million in 1999 dollars.
• The analysis uses a five-year lag structure for premature mortality, assuming 25% of deaths occur in the first year, 25% in the second, and 16.7% in each of the following three years.
• The Speciated Modeled Attainment Test (SMAT) indicates that the Jeffords Bill would result in the fewest non-attainment counties in 2010 (16 counties) compared to the Clear Skies Act (38 counties).
• The report estimates that the value of avoiding a case of pollution-related chronic bronchitis is $331,000 in 1999 dollars.
• Work loss days are valued using the national median daily wage, which was $105.8 in 1999 dollars.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2004). Power Plant Emissions: Particulate Matter-Related Health Damages and the Benefits of Alternative Emission Reduction Scenarios. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093536/Power_Plant_Emissions.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Power Plant Emissions: Particulate Matter-Related Health Damages and the Benefits of Alternative Emission Reduction Scenarios. 2004. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093536/Power_Plant_Emissions.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Power Plant Emissions: Particulate Matter-Related Health Damages and the Benefits of Alternative Emission Reduction Scenarios |date=June 2004 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093536/Power_Plant_Emissions.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2004power, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Power Plant Emissions: Particulate Matter-Related Health Damages and the Benefits of Alternative Emission Reduction Scenarios}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2004}, month = jun, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093536/Power_Plant_Emissions.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }