Modeling the Effect of the US Supreme Court Ruling to Remove CO2 Caps on Atmospheric PM2.5 in Pennsylvania
Type of Presentation
Poster
Type of Project
Project I/II
Presenter 1 Program
ENVS
Project Description
On July 19, 2022, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could no longer cap CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants under the 1970 Clean Air Act. The impact of this ruling not only increases carbon emissions but also influences atmospheric concentrations of ozone and PM2.5. Overall, coal-fired power plants equipped with air scrubbers to reduce PM2.5 still contribute to 20% of the total PM2.5 atmospheric concentration. PM2.5 can penetrate the respiratory system and has been linked to both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. To investigate the impact of the US Supreme Court’s decision on the citizens of Pennsylvania, this study used ArcGIS Pro 3.0 to model expected changes in PM2.5 atmospheric concentrations by county after the removal of CO2 emission caps. Additionally, the study modeled expected PM2.5 atmospheric concentrations if the caps were permitted to continue. The modeled concentrations were then run through EPA’s BenMap tool to estimate the number of asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease cases that can be attributed to each scenario. The results of this project can be used as an educational tool to inform the public of the risks associated with not having a greenhouse gas reduction law.
Faculty Member
Christine Proctor
Modeling the Effect of the US Supreme Court Ruling to Remove CO2 Caps on Atmospheric PM2.5 in Pennsylvania
On July 19, 2022, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could no longer cap CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants under the 1970 Clean Air Act. The impact of this ruling not only increases carbon emissions but also influences atmospheric concentrations of ozone and PM2.5. Overall, coal-fired power plants equipped with air scrubbers to reduce PM2.5 still contribute to 20% of the total PM2.5 atmospheric concentration. PM2.5 can penetrate the respiratory system and has been linked to both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. To investigate the impact of the US Supreme Court’s decision on the citizens of Pennsylvania, this study used ArcGIS Pro 3.0 to model expected changes in PM2.5 atmospheric concentrations by county after the removal of CO2 emission caps. Additionally, the study modeled expected PM2.5 atmospheric concentrations if the caps were permitted to continue. The modeled concentrations were then run through EPA’s BenMap tool to estimate the number of asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease cases that can be attributed to each scenario. The results of this project can be used as an educational tool to inform the public of the risks associated with not having a greenhouse gas reduction law.