Health Impacts
Hampden County already receives an "F" grade for air quality from the American Lung Association, and its children suffer from elevated asthma compared to the rest of the state.
(We credit much of the following to excellent research and writing by Massachusetts Environmental Energy Alliance, www.massenvironmentalenergy.org More detailed information is available on their website.)
There are several studies, some new, linking particulate air polution to increased rates of diabetes, heart disease, and risk of death. Click here for informative summaries of these studies.
The following are PRE's currently proposed emissions:
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)= 13.9 tons/yr. HAPs is the group name for 187 compounds which are known to have highly harmful health or environmental effects. The list includes metals like chromium, lead, and mercury, as well as compounds like benzene (a constituent of gasoline) and methylene chloride, a widely used solvent. When an emitting source produces 25 or more tons of all HAPs, it is considered to be a “major source” under the Federal Clean Air Act.
Particulate Matter= 44.6 tons/yr. The EPA has found particulate matter harmful to humans. No safe level can be determined for particulate matter because of its association with cancer and impacts on respiratory health even at low levels. Western Massachusetts is close to exceeding the EPA air quality standards for particulates already. See www.airnow.gov for more information.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)= 22.3 tons/yr. Some are known to cause cancer in humans and are a key component of ground level ozone.
Nitrogen Oxides= 49 tons/yr. These compounds are what create ground-level ozone with the right conditions. The American Lung Association’s list of health effects of ozone include “shortness of breath, chest pain when inhaling deeply, wheezing and coughing and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, risk of premature mortality, pulmonary inflammation, risk of asthma attacks and the need for medical treatment and for hospitalization of persons with asthma.”
Source: http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.4126997/
Carbon Monoxide= 99.6 tons/yr.
All these emissions will be added to the region’s air at a time when the western Massachusetts region has been given an “F” by the American Lung Association due
to high ground-level ozone and low grades for particulate matter (PM) pollution levels that are associated with asthma, heart disease, and cancer. (Source: http://www.stateoftheair.org/2009/states/massachusetts/)
Modeling for emissions permitting is performed using averages and assumptions on general air movement. Any actual day’s air quality can be far worse than what the permit implies. An air quality permit does NOT guarantee safe air on any one day, or week, for that matter. |
