A new study states that Michigan is one of five states that would see the most public health benefits from the EPA's proposal to reduce carbon emissions from power plants.
According to Jonathan Levy, Associate Chair of Environmental Health at Boston University's School of Public Health, reducing carbon emissions would also reduce harmful pollutants like ozone and particulate matter. This particulate reduction would be especially important for Michigan that is exposed to pollutants from multiple sources: its own power plants, as well as power plants in neighboring states (Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana).
As Levy notes, "a lot of the air quality benefits that you would see in Michigan are related to power plants that are upwind of Michigan located to the southwest of Michigan."
Levy asserts that fully implementing the proposed regulations could prevent 190 premature deaths in Michigan a year.
He warns, though, that if the regulations are watered down, there will be no public health benefit - and not much reduction in carbon emissions, either.
