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New Scientist – US Supreme Court air pollution ruling will save lives

Lisa Grossman: “Citizens of the US, breathe easier. The Supreme Court has ruled that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can regulate air pollution that drifts across state lines. The ruling means about 1000 power plants will be forced to reduce their emissions. The states hit hardest by the rules include Texas and Ohio, where coal-fired power plants are still big business. But small states in the east like Connecticut, where 93 per cent of air pollution comes from out of state, will benefit. The EPA tried to impose the regulations in 2011, but energy firms and polluting states sued to block the move. A 2011 impact-analysis report by the EPA argued that the regulations would save at least $110 billion in social benefits like health and visibility, while costing just $0.8 billion to implement.”

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