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The Impact of Prenatal Exposure to Power Plant Emissions on Birth Weight: Evidence from a Pennsylvania Power Plant Located Upwind of New Jersey

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  • Muzhe Yang
  • Rhea A. Bhatta
  • Shin‐Yi Chou
  • Cheng‐I Hsieh

Abstract

To examine the infant health impact of prenatal exposure to power plant emissions, we draw scientific evidence on the impacted region downwind of a large polluter, a coal‐fired power plant located on the border of two states and proven to be the sole contributor to the violation of air quality standards of the impacted region. Our results show that among all live singleton births that occurred during 1990 through 2006, those born to mothers living as far as 20 to 30 miles away downwind from the power plant (which is also an affluent region) during pregnancy are at greater risks of low birth weight (LBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW): the likelihoods of LBW and VLBW could increase approximately by 6.50 and 17.12 percent, respectively. In light of the continual efforts of The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in reducing cross‐state air pollution caused by transboundary power plant emissions, our study is aimed at broadening the scope of cross‐border pollution impact analysis by taking into account adverse infant health effects of upwind polluters, which can impose disproportionate burdens of health risks on downwind states due to air pollutants transported by wind.

Suggested Citation

  • Muzhe Yang & Rhea A. Bhatta & Shin‐Yi Chou & Cheng‐I Hsieh, 2017. "The Impact of Prenatal Exposure to Power Plant Emissions on Birth Weight: Evidence from a Pennsylvania Power Plant Located Upwind of New Jersey," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(3), pages 557-583, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:36:y:2017:i:3:p:557-583
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1002/pam.21989
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    Cited by:

    1. Usha Dahal & Triin Veber & Daniel Oudin Åström & Tanel Tamm & Leena Albreht & Erik Teinemaa & Kati Orru & Hans Orru, 2022. "Perinatal Health Inequalities in the Industrial Region of Estonia: A Birth Registry-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Hill, Elaine L. & Ma, Lala, 2022. "Drinking water, fracking, and infant health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    3. Argys, Laura M. & Averett, Susan L. & Yang, Muzhe, 2018. "Light Pollution, Sleep Deprivation, and Infant Health at Birth," IZA Discussion Papers 11703, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Komisarow, Sarah & Pakhtigian, Emily L., 2022. "Are power plant closures a breath of fresh air? Local air quality and school absences," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    5. repec:ags:aaea22:335962 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Wang, Qinyun & Wang, Xuebin & Yan, Qianhui & Zhang, Lvqing, 2024. "Heavy industry regulations, hospitalization, and medical expenditures: Evidence from micro-level medical records in a northeast Chinese city," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    7. DeCicca, Philip & Malak, Natalie, 2020. "When good fences aren’t enough: The impact of neighboring air pollution on infant health," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    8. Hill, Elaine L., 2018. "Shale gas development and infant health: Evidence from Pennsylvania," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 134-150.
    9. Laura M. Argys & Susan L. Averett & Muzhe Yang, 2021. "Light pollution, sleep deprivation, and infant health at birth," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(3), pages 849-888, January.
    10. Eric Amster & Clara Lew Levy, 2019. "Impact of Coal-fired Power Plant Emissions on Children’s Health: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiological Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-11, June.
    11. Alessandro Palma & Inna Petrunyk & Daniela Vuri, 2022. "Prenatal air pollution exposure and neonatal health," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(5), pages 729-759, May.
    12. Erfanian, Elham & Collins, Alan R., 2020. "Air Quality and Asthma Hospitalization Rates: Evidence of PM2.5 Concentrations in Pennsylvania Counties," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 50(1), January.
    13. Yang, Muzhe & Chou, Shin-Yi, 2018. "The impact of environmental regulation on fetal health: Evidence from the shutdown of a coal-fired power plant located upwind of New Jersey," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 269-293.
    14. Jerch, Rhiannon L. & Phaneuf, Daniel J., 2024. "Cities and water quality," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    15. Wang, Haoluan, 2021. "Flood Your Neighbors: Spillover Effects of Levee Building," 95th Annual Conference, March 29-30, 2021, Warwick, UK (Hybrid) 311091, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.

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