The Health Benefits of the Clean Power Plan

The document argues that transitioning from fossil fuel-based electric power to clean renewable energy is a public health imperative. It details how climate change exacerbates respiratory, cardiovascular, and mental health issues, and how the Clean Power Plan's goal to reduce carbon pollution by 32% below 2005 levels by 2030 will prevent thousands of premature deaths and asthma attacks. The toolkit provides clinicians with messaging and model letters to influence state policymakers, while explicitly arguing against nuclear power due to radiation risks and waste management failures.

• The EPA's Clean Power Plan aims to reduce carbon pollution from the power sector to 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, which is expected to yield significant health co-benefits.
• By 2030, the reduction in ozone and particle pollution resulting from the Clean Power Plan is estimated to prevent 1,500-3,600 premature deaths, 90,000 childhood asthma attacks, 180-1,700 heart attacks, and 1,700 hospital admissions annually, with a total economic value of $34-54 billion.
• Climate change acts as a health threat by intensifying existing conditions like COPD and asthma and introducing new threats such as the spread of vector-borne diseases, with vulnerable populations including the elderly, children under 4, and those with low socioeconomic status.
• Extreme heat is identified as the leading cause of weather-related death in the U.S., and its impact is amplified in cities through the "Urban Heat Island" effect, where concrete and asphalt cause temperatures to be 1-6 degrees Fahrenheit higher than surrounding areas.
• The document argues that nuclear power is not a safe alternative due to the risk of radiation exposure—which can cause cancers and birth defects—and the lack of a permanent waste repository after the cancellation of the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada.
• Investment in clean renewable energy provides a high return on health spending, with the EPA estimating that every $1 spent on clean renewable energy saves $4-7 in medical care.

APA

Center for Climate Change Communication (2016). The Health Benefits of the Clean Power Plan. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/20160601-Affiliate-Toolkit-.pdf

Chicago

Center for Climate Change Communication. The Health Benefits of the Clean Power Plan. 2016. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/20160601-Affiliate-Toolkit-.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for Climate Change Communication |title=The Health Benefits of the Clean Power Plan |date=1 June 2016 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/20160601-Affiliate-Toolkit-.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforclimatechangecommunication2016health, author = {{Center for Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{The Health Benefits of the Clean Power Plan}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2016}, month = jun, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/20160601-Affiliate-Toolkit-.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }