Clean Air News

As the new home of NCPIRG's environmental work, Environment North Carolina can be contacted with any questions regarding this news release. 

A new study released today by North Carolina Public Interest Research Group (NCPIRG), titled Children at Risk: How Air Pollution from Power Plants Threatens the Health of America's Children, finds that 1,166,947 children in North Carolina live in the shadows of the state's 14 coal-fired power plants. These children are exposed to pollutants that cause a host of health problems, from asthma attacks to neonatal death and slowed neurological development. Of these children living near power plants, 74,947 suffer from asthma.

"Right now, kids in North Carolina are living near power plant smokestacks, and breathing air loaded with all sorts of hazardous pollution," said Elizabeth Ouzts, Director for NCPIRG. "Parents have good reason to be concerned."

Over the past few years, numerous peer-reviewed studies have appeared in scientific journals clearly documenting how pollution from power plants has serious long-term health consequences for children. Children at Risk, prepared by the Clean Air Task Force, provides parents up-to-date information about how pollution from power plants impacts their children.

In North Carolina, Children At Risk found that:

• 1,166,947 children live within a 30-mile radius of a coal-fired power plant.

• 252,453 of these children live in poverty.

• 74,947 of these children suffer from asthma, ranking North Carolina 10th in the nation.

• 1,659 schools are located within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant, ranking North Carolina 18th in the nation.

The report also details the dangers of breathing power plant emissions, including

• Dangerous "particulate matter" pollution can lead to neonatal death, cause serious health impacts such as asthma attacks, and slow lung function growth;

• Ozone smog may permanently damage and stunt developing lungs, triggering asthma attacks and possibly causing asthma;

• Air toxics like mercury and chromium can have devastating impacts on children and neonatal development, acting as carcinogens and neurotoxins; and

• Recent research suggests that children are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which is caused in part by greenhouse gases released from power plants.

"It's clear that our children's health is at stake if we fail to clean up these plants, especially since we have the technology to do it," said Paula A. Wolf, Chief Lobbyist for Covenant with North Carolina's Children. "The North Carolina Clean Smokestacks bill could slash power plant pollution dramatically and help protect public health for all the state's citizens—but especially for children."

In 2001, Rep Martin Nesbitt and Senator Steve Metcalf introduced the Clean Smokestacks bill to clean up the state's 14 coal-fired power plants by more than 70%. The bill passed quickly out of the NC Senate, but stalled in the House after protests from industrial utility customers. This year, Governor Easley crafted an agreement that would reduce pollution without additional costs to ratepayers in the first five years. The Governor announced the agreement along with House Speaker Jim Black and other legislative leaders at the end of April.

Proponents of the bill are urging state lawmakers to address the legislation as soon as they return for the regular Short Session on May 28.

"In recent weeks, Governor Easley has lead the charge for clean air," said Ouzts. "We urge lawmakers to follow through by approving the "Clean Smokestacks" bill as soon as they can. North Carolina's children can't keep holding their breath."