Comments to EPA Bearing on Carbon PoUution Standards for New Power Plants 

5/25/2012 

Thank you 

My name: Maureen McCue MD PhD 0 .x PO"J. cJil . My affiliations and training: Physician and Professor of Global Health, University oflowa 

I'm unlikely to say anything about which you are unaware. Rather I see my role here today as 

speaking in support of your efforts to protect our health by limiting carbon emissions from new 

utilities burning any of a variety of carbon based fuels primarily coal but including natural gas, 

hjpmai~~ and others. 

For any coal or other fossil fuel burning utility, new or old, emissions of C02, NOx, SOx, 

Particulate Matter, Mercury, other heavy metals and green house gases are all released. Each is 

well known to be harmful to health either directly or indirectly through impacts on the climate 

and environment. 

While the U.S. is no longer the largest national emitter of carbon based pollution, it remains 

number one for the largest cumulative contribution of C02 in the atmosphere. U.S. citizens 

continue to produce the most carbon pollution on a per capita basis. Our carbon footprint is well 

above all other developed nations and most especially many times more than most of those in the 

poorer countries of the world- those hurt most by our changing climate. 

Carbon PoUution drives climate change. Climate Change is one of the gravest health threats 

facing our nation, and, the population of the entire world. Action is urgently needed to reduce 

carbon pollution and limit its most severe health effects. 

Climate change is here, now. Regardless of the difficulties in drawing clear lines between 

particular weather events and climate change there is a strong relationship between the emerging 

patterns of disasters and global warming. And, to acknowledge Mr. Romney who questions why 

we should be constrained in responding to a global phenomenon, as if it were not "American" 

warming, I'd like to quickly review recent US experience 

2011 was a year of extremes. Thousands of Weather Records were broken all across the US. 

2000-2010: Warmest Decade on Record 

2010, 2005 were the hottest years since records were kept beginning in 1880. 

We have experienced 35 consecutive years with global temperatures >20th century average. 

The Costs of this changing climate are climbing. 

Health Costs of just 6 US. climate change-related events 2002-2009: $14 billion. Note: this 

figure does not include related and less intense "morbidity" costs of several climate related vector 

or water borne diseases, allergies, mental health or food insecurity costs. 

The following events are all expected to increase in extent, frequency, and intensity: 

--Heat Waves 

Increasing Ozone Air Pollution across the nation- to which our existing coal plants 
contribute; 

Increasing periods of severe drought with more frequent Wildfires 

--Hurricanes and other extreme storm events 

More frequent torrential downpours, flooding, with associated water-borne & food borne 

diseases. Iowa is increasingly familiar with this phenomenon. 

--Infectious Diseases like the West Nile Virus outbreaks 

-Increasing levels of Pollens and Allergy 

--Ecosystem disruptions, leading to food and water supply insecurity 

- Reduced Mental Health and community wellbeing 

- Increasing numbers of environmental refugees both as displaced U.S. Citizens & others 

seeking entry. 

Other real "costs" of concern: Insurance for travelers, farmers, home owners, businesses; and 

the individual and community costs of preparedness. 

Lastly, Carbon pollution, climate change can also be considered generational child abuse: 

The love and concern for children in one state or country is no different than the love and 

concern for children in every country. What goes around, comes around. If we want our children 

to live long healthy lives, we must oppose any child anywhere being sickened as a result of 

policies made or not made in our time. Let's do for all the world's children what we want done 

for our own children, work to make the world a healthier, more peaceful place. 

We don't have to continue our excessive carbon pollution. Europe, and much of the rest of 

the world is learning how to live comfortably on much less carbon. California has demonstrated 

that individuals can reduce their carbon footprint, if there is the political will. Unfortunately, 

much of the rest of the country needs help in reducing carbon emissions. 

The U.S. coal industry is facing major headwinds. Coal's attractiveness is rapidly diminishing. 

Since 2010, plant operators have announced 106 retirements - representing 13 % of the U.S. 

fleet of coal facilities. The current drop in generation is mostly due to competition from natural 

gas which has it's own problems with both C02 and methane, an even more powerful greenhouse 

gas. Other factors will assist in diminishing coal and other sources of carbon pollution in our 

electricity mix including an aging fleet of plants, cost-competitive renewables, and new clean air 

regulations. The next step in clearing the air and protecting our health is to limit the emissions of 

more C02. 

When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. When a powerful monster comes near, don't 

feed or provoke it. The time to stop feeding the climate change monster is now. Limiting and 

reducing C02 emissions from new carbon burning utilities is but a small start on a long road. 
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Carbon Dioxide Intensity and Per Capita C02 Emissions -- 2001 

(Fossil Fuel Combustion Only) 

United States 

• 

Netherlands 

• 

+ Belgium 

California Denmark 

• 

Japan + 

• • 

0.20 0.30 

• Austria 

• 

+ Germany • 

+ Italy 

France 

0.40 0.50 0.60 

New 

Zealand 

+ Mexico 

0.70 

intensity (tons of C02 per 2000 US Dollar) 

• Canada 

• 

'-!fl. 7fl.(2_e~-0 

· -3 

• 

Australia 

S. Korea 

0.80 0.90 1.00 
$14 billion in health-related costs from just six 

US climate change-related events, 2002-2009 

(Knowlton et al., Health Affairs 2011) 

Six U S Cue Studlu, 2002-2009. Ruulted In More Tb1n $14 ~n In Climate-Related Htalth Costs. 

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Table 1. Health costs in clin1ate change-related case study areas, 

with costs er health effect, 2002 throu h 2009. 

- Climate Change- Total Health 

Related Case Premature Cost by Case 

Study Death Illness Study 

Ozone smog pol- $6.3 Billion $254 Million $6.5 Billion 

lution 

I 

Heat wave I $5.2 Bill ion $179 Million $5.3 Billion 

Hurricane $1 .1 Bill ion $255 Million $1 .4 Billion 

Wildfire $545 M illion $34 Million $578 Million 

Mosquito-borne I $190 M illion $1 8 Million $207 Million 

infectious disease 

River flooding $16 Mill ion $5 Million $20 Mill ion 

Total costs (in $13.3 Billion $744 Million $14.1 Billion 

U.S. dollars, 2008) 

http:/ /www.nrdc.org/health/accountingforcosts/ 

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