Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump's New Rules On Coal Plants Could Lead To More Premature Deaths, But Several Senators Welcome The Move
The New York Times: Cost Of New E.P.A. Coal Rules: Up To 1,400 More Deaths A Year
The Trump administration has hailed its overhaul of federal pollution restrictions on coal-burning power plants as creating new jobs, eliminating burdensome government regulations and ending what President Trump has long described as a “war on coal.” The administration’s own analysis, however, revealed on Tuesday that the new rules could also lead to as many as 1,400 premature deaths annually by 2030 from heart and lung disease, up to 15,000 new cases of upper respiratory problems, a rise in the extremely fine particulate matter that can trigger bronchitis, and tens of thousands of missed school days because of to increased pollution. (Friedman, 8/21)
PBS NewsHour: How Trump’s Rules On Coal-Fired Power Plants Differ From Obama’s
The new EPA proposal, called the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, would give states leeway on whether to limit emissions and by how much, and allow older power plants to operate longer. The proposal, called the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, would replace Obama era regulations. Those rules aggressively pushed for accelerated closures of older coal-fired plants by setting national targets, by reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and encouraging adoption of cleaner energies, such as solar and wind power. (Alcindor, 8/21)
The Associated Press: US Plan For Coal Power Deregulation Could Cause More Deaths
EPA officials said they could give no firm projections for the health effects of their plan because that will depend on how states regulate power plants within their borders. But models provided by the agency estimate that under the Trump plan, 300 to 1,500 more people would die prematurely each year by 2030, compared to the Obama plan. The models for the Trump plan also project tens of thousands of additional major asthma attacks and hundreds more heart attacks compared with the Obama plan. (Knickmeyer and Borenstein, 8/22)
The Associated Press: States Blast Trump Administration Coal Plan, Mull Lawsuits
States with a history of fighting air pollution generated by coal-fired power plants on Tuesday criticized a move by President Donald Trump’s administration to scale back federal restrictions on emissions, with some threatening court challenges. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan was among those who pledged to “take legal action to ensure the federal government does its job” to protect the environment and people’s health. ... New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood also vowed to sue the Environmental Protection Agency if the plan is approved. Both are Democrats. (Haigh, 8/21)
Texas Tribune: Trump Unveils Major Rollback Of Obama's Clean Power Plan
Texas’ Republican leadership cheered the new proposal on Tuesday, which will go through a public comment period and is sure to face legal challenges. “I’m glad to see President Trump remains committed to eliminating job-killing Obama regulations that for years were a wet blanket on the Texas economy,” Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said in a statement. “By rolling back this rule, Texas and other states will now have the freedom to determine a clean energy plan that works best for them. Pro-growth policies under this Administration continue to boost the Texas economy and benefit Americans across the country.” (Collier, 8/21)
NPR: West Coast Smoke: Scientists Warn Of Longer And Harsher Season
Across California and the West, where dozens of large wildfires are burning, public health agencies are urging people to seal off their windows and doors, change filters in air conditioning units and in some places wear masks if they have to go outside for any extended period. Just as the wildfire season is getting longer and more destructive in the West due to climate change and prior forest management, scientists are warning of a lengthening — and worsening — smoke season. The fires themselves have burned hundreds of homes and forced thousands to evacuate. But the smoke, and the unhealthy toxins blowing in with it, will directly affect hundreds of thousands more people. (Siegler, 8/21)
MPR: Air Quality Improving, But Smoke Took A Toll On Upper Midwest
The air quality around Minnesota is improving, and state officials are predicting good to moderate air quality for the rest of the week. But it's been a summer of many air quality alerts, and doctors and people who are active outdoors have noticed the effects. (Lebens, 8/22)
