Preventing Increased Air Pollution in Pennsylvania’s Environmental Justice Communities

Abstract

Air pollutants are known to cause serious health impacts, and historically marginalized groups are disproportionately exposed to these risks. Other hazardous pollutants often accompany carbon dioxide emissions during fossil fuel combustion, and therefore reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from climate policy can also improve air quality. However, although these policies may reduce pollution overall, existing programs have often increased local emissions levels – particularly in the most overburdened neighborhoods. The adverse health effects caused by a redistribution of emissions must be considered as Pennsylvania plans to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. We recommend the Department of Environmental Protection include an annual impact assessment of their cap-and-trade program on vulnerable communities using both the available carbon dioxide emissions data and additional local air quality measurements.