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Pacific Environment April 2010

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www.pacificenvironment.org

Health Impacts of Proposed Power Plants in Eastern Contra Costa County

In September 2009, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) filed an application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for two new large natural gas power plants. These plants are to be sited near Antioch (called Marsh Landing) and in Oakley, both in Contra Costa County. In addition, PG&E requested that two outdated power plants1, scheduled to be shut down due to their use of harmful once through cooling (OTC)

systems, remain open for eighteen months longer. Even if the best available technologies are used, the pollutants from these new large power plants are likely to worsen air quality‐related health problems for Contra Costa County communities. Natural gas power plants are known to emit all six “criteria pollutants” listed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), as well as many other toxic chemicals. Contra Costa County is already known for its high levels of toxic emissions, and adding more polluting industries will only increase current public health risks.

PG&E’s proposed power plants are not only costly and polluting, but they are also unnecessary. PG&E already has the potential to generate over 30% more power than it supplies in a typical year, even during peak times, and projections show that this will continue to be the case even when the two existing OTC plants2 are taken offline. Therefore,

adding two new large power plants (totaling over 1,300 megawatts) is simply unnecessary.

Additionally, although PG&E has promised jobs related to the construction and operation of the two proposed plants, those jobs would largely be temporary. The unemployment crisis has reached a critical point in Contra Costa County, but California is currently undergoing a “green” boom, with “green collar” jobs increasing in many Bay Area counties.

Local officials should work to attract sustainable companies that will create long term jobs, such as those found in the “clean‐tech” sector—renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other related industries. This is the key to creating sustainable jobs for our local communities without adversely affecting human health.

Executive Summary

Photo: LA Times

Natural gas power plants are known to emit all six EPA

“criteria pollutants”

PG&E already has the potential to generate over 30% more power

than it supplies in a typical year, even during peak times


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Air Pollution in Contra Costa County: Cumulative Effects

Contra Costa County already suffers the highest levels of toxic emissions of any Bay Area county, and ranks second only to Los Angeles in the state. PG&E’s proposed projects will increase toxic emissions in Contra Costa County, potentially leading to increased health problems for county residents. Emissions from vehicles, major industry, and other activities are already creating unhealthful air in Contra Costa County that frequently exceeds the set standards for “acceptable” air quality.3 Therefore, when considering the effects of PG&E’s proposed plants, it is important to remember that the pollution emitted by these new projects, as well as their related health effects, will be in addition (cumulative) to the emissions from the polluting industries already in operation.

These new power plants are not only unnecessary, but they are proposed to be built in a county that already bears more than its fair share of polluting industries. Natural gas power plants in the nine Bay Area counties have the capacity to generate a total of over 10,000 Megawatts (MW) of electricity, however Contra Costa on its own accounts for over half of that total.4 According to information submitted to the California Energy Commission (CEC), the two proposed new plants would emit a combined 170.81 tons per year of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and 75.1 tons per year of particulate matter (PM). These are toxic, polluting substances, which would further impact the health of local communities.

Current facts

• Contra Costa County already hosts more than a dozen power plants, five oil refineries, several chemical plants, and many other industrial facilities.

• Within an approximate six-mile radius of the proposed Marsh Landing facility near Antioch, in 2002 there were at least ten facilities on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) list of major polluting facilities.5

• The most recent Toxic Release Inventory data shows that in 2007 the Bay Area’s top four toxic emitters were in Contra Costa County.6

• The location of the proposed plants is already in the top tenth percentile in the nation for emissions of US EPA “criteria pollutants” (see pollutant chart below).7

• According to California Air Resources Board (CARB) data, Contra Costa County has five times the number of facilities that emit “criteria” air pollutants per square mile than the California average.8

• According to air samples collected in Concord, frequent violations of the Bay Area’s ozone and particulate matter standards are already occurring in the region.9

• The natural geography of the region does not allow for effective pollution dispersal. This results in elevated levels of pollutants on hot summer days or very cold winter nights.10


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Asthma is a respiratory disease that constricts the lungs and causes extreme breathing difficulties. In most cases, prescription inhalers are necessary to help clear the airways in the event of an asthma attack. Lack of medical intervention for asthma attacks can lead to hospitalization, emergency room visits, and even death.

Respiratory diseases, such as asthma, can be triggered by, and may even be caused by, exposure to ground‐level ozone (smog), and particulate matter. Emissions from the proposed projects will increase local levels of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOCs ‐ smog causing chemicals), which may lead to an increase in childhood asthma in those communities.

Health Impacts Linked to Power Plant Emissions

According to Contra Costa Health Services, asthma is the number one cause of school absenteeism for children in the country, which leads to missed workdays and financial loss for parents.13

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that air pollutants emitted from industrial sources, such as power plants, increase the likelihood of adverse cardiovascular and respiratory impacts, as well as cause and worsen chronic health conditions, such as asthma.11 (A detailed description of the chemicals and their potential health effects can be found on pages 6‐8). These pollutants have also been linked to more serious health effects, such as cancer, permanent respiratory damage, and birth defects. These health impacts are made worse by the fact that 43% of low‐income residents in Contra Costa County do not have health insurance.12

ASTHMA

Some facts about asthma:

• Asthma is a potentially fatal, chronic disease responsible for over 1.8 million emergency room visits per year, over 460,000 hospitalizations and over 5,000 deaths per year.14

• Asthma in children is the cause of almost five million physician visits and more than 200,000 hospitalizations per year.15

• Childhood asthma rates for children ages 5-17 in Contra Costa County is 23.7%, while the national average is 14.2%.16

• As of 2005, for a child without asthma, the cost of medical expenses averages $618 per year; the annual cost of medical expenses for a child with asthma averages $1,047.17

Photo: Family Education


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RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)

Like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease aggravated by high levels of smog pollution and poor air quality. COPD encompasses a group of respiratory diseases that includes chronic obstructive bronchitis and emphysema. People suffering from COPD typically experience varying levels of airflow obstruction and breathing difficulties.

Exposure to smog can not only aggravate exi‐sting conditions (such as asthma), but it also may increase suscept‐ibility to respiratory illnesses, such as pneu‐monia and bronchitis.

Numerous scientific stu‐dies have linked ground level ozone to a variety of serious respiratory and pulmonary problems, including:

• Airway irritation, coughing, and pain when taking a deep breath;

• Wheezing and breathing difficulties during exercise or outdoor activities; and

• Inflammation of the lungs, which is much like a sunburn on the skin.22

Repeated exposure to certain pollutants, such as ozone, can cause permanent lung damage in some cases.

Although there are many factors that contribute to cancer (genetics, diet, lifestyle, environment, etc), certain carcinogenic pollutants are known to contribute to, and perhaps even cause certain types of cancers. Several of the compounds emitted by power plants are known carcinogens, or have been linked to increased cancer levels in certain areas. It should be mentioned that much of the air pollution‐related cancer risk in Contra Costa County is from diesel and other sources of mobile emissions. However, the proposed power plants will contribute additional cancer‐causing chemicals to an area already high in carcinogenic emissions.

CANCER

According to the US EPA18:

• COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., the leading cause of hospitalization in adults, particularly in older adults, and is a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and disability.19

• Air pollution may be an important contributor to COPD.20

Lung cancer has been linked to breathing polluted air, in addition to other factors. In fact, it has been shown that air pollution, mainly from vehicles, industries, and power plants, raises the chances of lung cancer and heart disease in people exposed to it long term.21

Photo: Living Well, Northern Nevada Medical Center


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CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (HEART DISEASE)

Like cancer, cardiovascular disease is caused by many factors, most of which are influenced by the patient (diet, exercise, lifestyle, smoking, high stress occupation, etc), but some are less easily controlled, such as environmental pollution.

REPRODUCTIVE ISSUES AND BIRTH DEFECTS

Natural gas power plants are known to emit pollutants that have been linked to various reproductive issues, including decreased fertility, miscarriage, premature birth, low birth‐weight, infant and fetal mortality, defective organs, and neurological issues. Risks of several other common birth defects, including neural tube defects, oral clefts, and cardiovascular defects, may also be influenced by exposure to environmental contaminants.

• Particulate matter (PM) has been demonstrated to be a likely causal factor in both cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.23

• Studies suggest short-term exposures to particulate matter may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and hospital admissions or emergency department visits for cardiovascular symptoms.24

• Each year, heart disease kills more Americans than cancer.25

• Low birth-weight and preterm birth are important risk factors for infant mortality and birth defects. Low birth-weight infants have a significantly increased risk of infant death, and those who survive are more likely to experience long-term developmental disabilities.26

• Increased levels of ozone and carbon monoxide have been shown to elevated the risk of having a child with serious heart defects.27

• Recent studies report significant associations between particulate matter concentration and the risk of intra-uterine growth reduction and low birth-weight.28

• Growing evidence shows correlations between maternal exposures to air pollutants (e.g., sulfur dioxide and particulates) and preterm birth.29

Photo: The Mothering Coach


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Natural Gas Power Plants Emit Dangerous Pollutants

Although natural gas is often promoted as a “clean” fossil fuel, power plants that generate electricity from natural gas also create emissions that can lead to adverse environmental impacts, as well as exacerbate health problems for local communities. According to the US EPA, air pollutants are considered “toxic” when they have the potential to cause serious adverse health effects. The following toxic compounds are commonly found in natural gas power plant emissions and have been linked to various health impacts, including asthma, cancer, stroke, lung disease, and birth defects. These compounds are already present in East Contra Costa County’s air; adding more would only elevate the threat to public health.

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)

Description:

• The most harmful NOx is nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

• NOx react with ammonia, moisture, and other compounds to form small particles that penetrate deeply into the lungs.

• NOx is a primary ingredient in the creation of ozone (smog).

• NOx are listed as a “criteria pollutant” by the US EPA.30

Health Effects:

Lung irritation, aggravates asthma or chronic bronchitis, bronchitis and emphysema-like conditions, increases susceptibility to respiratory infections.

Description

• Gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O3).

• Ozone is not emitted directly from power plants, but rather is formed by other emitted pollutants (NOx and VOCs) in the presence of sunlight.

• Ozone is the primary component in smog.

• More visible in summer when hot weather makes ozone levels worse.

• According to US EPA, ozone can be dangerous even at low levels.

• Ozone is listed as a “criteria pollutant” by the US EPA.31

Health Effects:

Coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, eye, nose, and throat irritation; aggravates asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and heart disease.

Ground Level Ozone (smog)


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Description

• Colorless, odorless gas.

• Created when carbon dioxide (CO2) is not burned completely.

• The highest levels of CO in the outside air typically occur during the colder months of the year when inversion conditions are more frequent, and air pollution becomes trapped near the ground beneath a layer of warm air.

• Carbon Monoxide is listed as a “criteria pollutant” by the US EPA.32

Health Effects:

At high levels, causes death. At low levels, fetal exposure results in underweight birth. Low birth-weight is linked to lifelong health effects like obesity and diabetes.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Description

• Made up of a number of components, including acids, organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles.

• Can be formed in the atmosphere from sulfur dioxides (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

• Particles can get deep into lungs, and even the bloodstream.

• Particulate matter is listed as a “criteria pollutant” by the US EPA.33

Health Effects:

Premature death, chronic irritation that can trigger asthma attacks. Known to aggravate other lung diseases, cause lung cancer, interfere with blood gas exchange, and increase risk of death from heart disease.

Particulate Matter (PM)

Description

• Important greenhouse gas.

• Widely known as a pollutant responsible for global warming.

• New research suggests that CO2 forms “domes” over areas of mass pollution. These concentrated pockets elevate local levels of CO2, creating warming conditions that increase ozone formation.34

• CO2 domes thus worsen the effects of localized air pollution (pollution from ozone or particulates).

Health Effects:

Most of the effects from CO2 pollution are global, but localized CO2 domes worsen air quality in urban areas, causing respiratory problems, increasing rates of cancer, asthma, respiratory disease, hospitalizations, ER visit, and premature death in those areas.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)


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Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and Toxic Air Contaminants (TAC)

Description

• Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is one of a group of highly reactive gases known as “oxides of sulfur” (SOx).

• The largest sources of SO2 emissions are from power plant fossil fuel combustion.

• SO2 is one of the causes of localized “acid rain”.

• SO2 can react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form small particles which are easily inhaled.

• Sulfur Dioxide is listed as a “criteria pollutant” by the US EPA.36

Health Effects:

Constriction of the airways (more severe in people with asthma); bronchitis-like conditions from chronic exposure.

Particles created by SO2 emissions can cause or worsen respiratory disease, such as emphysema and bronchitis. They can also aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospital admissions and premature death.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Description

• VOCs are a large class of carbon-containing chemicals that evaporate readily into the air. Some VOCs, referred to as “Reactive Organic Gases,” are a primary ingredient in the creation of ozone (smog).

• Some VOCs are toxic, some are carcinogenic, and some are both toxic and carcinogenic.

• Toxic Air Contaminants is a class of chemicals that includes toxic VOCs and other kinds of toxic air pollutants.

Examples of Toxic Air Contaminants emitted from natural gas power plants include:

Ammonia, cyanide, arsenic, formaldehyde, chlorine, lead, mercury, cadmium, and benzene.35

Health Effects:

Toxic Air Contaminants can cause a variety of health problems, including organ damage, genetic mutations, reproductive problems, and cancer.

*Note: Information and data taken from the EPA website (unless otherwise noted). More information can be found at http://www.epa.gov.


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Don’t Become a Statistic: Protect Your Community

It has been shown that there are links between socio‐economic factors (ex: edu‐cation, income, occupation) and people’s health. This may be due to the fact that, in general, people with lower incomes tend to live in more environmentally polluted areas, have reduced access to health care, and in some cases, suffer a language barrier that puts them at a disadvantage for receiving services. In Contra Costa County, working class communities of color, in particular, bear a disproportionate share of health risk

due to environmental factors. Increased health risks may include elevated instances of cancer, asthma, heart attacks and other serious health problems related to higher exposures to toxic air contaminants.

Here are some statistics:

• According to Contra Costa Health Services, the hospitalization rate for asthma in African American children in Contra Costa County is four times higher than that for Caucasian children.37

• Residents of Bay Point can expect on average to die 11 years sooner than those living in Orinda.38

• Chronic diseases like asthma, heart disease, and diabetes have become the leading causes of death and disability, disproportionately impacting low-income and minority communities.39

• In a recent UCLA study, women who live in areas with the highest levels of air pollutants have three times the risk of having babies with birth defects than those living in areas with the cleanest air.40

• Estimated toxic air pollution related cancer risk in the Antioch area is 30-60 times higher than the level commonly deemed acceptable in California (assuming lifetime exposure).41

• The incidence of stroke and cancer related deaths in Contra Costa County are both significantly higher than the state average.42

• Rates of breast cancer are more disproportionate for women in Contra Costa County over other women in the state, and especially amongst African-American women.43

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The bottom line is that Contra Costa County residents are already exposed to some of the highest levels of toxic emissions in the entire state of California, and often suffer poor air quality as a result. In addition, although only one out of nine Bay Area counties, Contra Costa is forced to bear over half of the electricity generation, along with the associated environmental and health effects.


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Take Action Today! Everyone has the right to breathe clean air, and now is the time for Contra Costa County residents to demand this right. Good jobs do not have to come at the price of your family’s health; there is another way to create jobs in the energy sector without relying on polluting fossil fuels.

According to a recent study, while overall employment fell by one percent in California from 2007 to 2008, growth in green businesses grew by 5 percent, and the Bay Area led the rest of the State in the creation of clean energy jobs.44 This is an emerging field that promises future growth, as we are inevitably heading towards a renewable energy future, and California’s utilities will be forced to comply with

the State’s renewable portfolio standard (33% of the State’s energy must be renewable by 2020). In order to provide quality “green” jobs for Contra Costa County community members, local leaders should be working to attract the type of “clean tech” companies that are currently being created in California.

Contact your state and federal representatives! Tell them you oppose these two new facilities in Contra Costa County, and that you want to see incentives to attract green businesses to Contra Costa County:

Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan: 916‐319‐2015 (Oakley)

Assemblyman Tom Torlakson: 916‐319‐2011 (Antioch)

Senator Mark De Saulnier: 916‐651‐4007

Congressman John Garamendi: 202‐225‐1880

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Glossary of Terms

Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD): Regional agency charged with planning, regulatory authority and enforcement to achieve air quality standards in the nine‐county Bay Area.

California Air Resources Board (CARB): is the "clean air agency" of the California State Government, and part of the California Environmental Protection Agency. Goals include attaining and maintaining healthy air quality, protecting the public from exposure to toxic air contaminants; and providing innovative approaches for complying with air pollution rules and regulations.

California Energy Commission (CEC): California’s primary energy policy and planning agency, responsible for deciding future energy needs, promoting energy efficiency, and supporting renewable energy technologies.

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC or PUC): commission that regulates privately‐owned utilities in the state of California including electric power, telecommunication, natural gas, and water companies. Headquarters are in San Francisco.

Criteria pollutant (criteria air contaminant): air pollutants listed by the US EPA as especially harmful to air quality, and must adhere to national regulation standards for air quality. These compounds are known to cause smog, acid rain, and human and environmental health hazards.

Megawatt (MW): Measurement for energy production. A megawatt is equal to 1000 watts.

Once through cooling (OTC): System of cooling industrial facilities, such as power plants. Pulls water directly from a water source (river, lake, ocean), runs it though the facility, and ejects it back where it came from. Thermal pollution from OTC causes environmental effects, such as changes in habitat, loss of biodiversity, and other ecological impacts.

Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) list: Available from the US EPA, the TRI is a publicly available database containing information on toxic releases and other waste management activities in the United States.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA, or EPA): Federal government agency responsible for the protection of human health and the environment. Writes and enforces regulations based on laws passed by Congress.


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Endnotes:

1. The power plants referred to here are Contra Costa 6 & 7. 2. The two existing OTC plants, Contra Costa 6 &7, ran less than four percent of the time in 2006 according to the California Energy Commission.

http://www.energy.ca.gov/siting/documents/2008-05-20_CHAIRMAN_SWRCB.PDF 3. See: www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/transportation/cleanairplan.pdf 4. http://energyalmanac.ca.gov/powerplants/POWER_PLANTS.XLS 5. For more information, visit http://www.scorecard.org/env-releases/county.tcl?fips_county_code=06013#maps.) 6. See: http://www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/tri/report/07/tri-ca.html 7. Scorecard: The Pollution Information Website, Criteria Air Pollutant Report for Contra Costa County, available at http://www.scorecard.org/env-

releases/cap/county.tcl?fips_county_code=06013 8. See Air Resources Board, Facility Search Engine, available at http://www.arb.ca.gov/ei/disclaim.htm 9. See www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/transportation/cleanairplan.pdf 10. Ibid. 11. See, e.g., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cleaning Up Common Pollutants, available at http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/peg/cleanup.html;

California Air Resources Board, Asthma and Air Pollution, available at http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/asthma/asthma.htm 12. “Low income” is here defined as earning less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). In 2005, 200% of the FPL was around 19K/year for

individuals and 32K for a family of three. See Community Health Indicator for Contra Costa County, Community Health Assessment, Planning and Evaluation Group Executive Report (June 2007), available at http://cchealth.org/health_data/hospital_council_2007

13. See Contra Costa Health Services, Blueprint for Asthma Action: A Report for Awareness and Advocacy in Contra Costa County, available at www.cchealth.org/topics/asthma/pdf/blueprint_for_asthma_cover.pdf)

14. See Department of Health and Human Services, 2002 15. Ibid 16. See Contra Costa Asthma Coalition, available at http://www.calendow.org/uploadedFiles/CAFA3_CCscreen.pdf 17. http://www.pediatricasthma.org/about/asthma_burden, citing Wang LY, Zhong Y, Wheeler L. “Direct and Indirect Costs of Asthma in School-Age

Children.” Preventing Chronic Disease , 2(1): [serial online], January 2005 18. See EPA report of the environment- human disease and condition:

http://cfpub.epa.gov/eroe/index.cfm?fuseaction=list.listBySubTopic&lv=list.listByChapter&ch=49&s=381 19. American Lung Association. 2008. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) fact sheet. Accessed February 2009.

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=9oICLOOxGrF&b=1541153 20. EPA report of the environment- human disease and condition:

http://cfpub.epa.gov/eroe/index.cfm?fuseaction=list.listBySubTopic&lv=list.listByChapter&ch=49&s=381 21. Lung Cancer, Cardiopulmonary Mortality, and Long-term Exposure to Fine Particulate Air Pollution, Journal of the American Medical Association (Vol.

287, No. 9: 1132-1141) 22. EPA report of the environment- human disease and condition:

http://cfpub.epa.gov/eroe/index.cfm?fuseaction=list.listBySubTopic&lv=list.listByChapter&ch=49&s=381 23. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2004. Air quality criteria for particulate matter. Volumes I (EPA/600/P-99/002aF) and II (EPA/600/P-

99/002bF). National Center for Environmental Assessment—RTP Office, Office of Research and Development. 24. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health and the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program (CBCMP)

http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/155/1/17.pdf 25. United States (1999). “Chronic Disease Overview” US Government. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/overview_text.htm. 26. National Center for Health Statistics. 2001. Healthy people 2000 final review. Hyattsville, MD: Public Health Service. p. 208.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hp2000/hp2k01-acc.pdf 27. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health and the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program

(CBCMP)http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/155/1/17.pdf 28. Behrman, R.E., and A. Stith Butler, eds. 2007. Preterm birth: Causes, consequences, and prevention. Committee on Understanding Premature Birth

and Assuring Healthy Outcomes. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Washington, DC: National Academic Press. 29. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health and the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program (CBCMP)

http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/155/1/17.pdf 30. For more information on the health effects of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), see http://www.epa.gov/air/nitrogenoxides/health.html 31. For more information on the dangers and health effects of ozone, see “Smog - Who Does it Hurt?”, downloadable at

http://www.epa.gov/air/ozonepollution/health.html 32. For more information on the health effects of Carbon Monoxide (CO), see http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/co/hlth1.html 33. For more information on health effects from particulate matter pollution, see http://www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution/health.html 34. For more information on CO2 domes, see Mark Jacobson’s research “Enhancement of local air pollution by urban CO2 domes”

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es903018m?cookieSet=1&journalCode=esthag 35. To see exactly which Toxic Air Contaminants are coming out of industries in your area, please refer to the Bay Area Air Quality Management

District’s reports on Toxic Air Contaminant inventories: http://www.baaqmd.gov/Divisions/Engineering/Air-Toxics/Toxic-Air-Contaminant-Control-Program-Annual-Report.aspx

36. For more information on the health effects of Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), see http://www.epa.gov/air/sulfurdioxide/health.html 37. Contra Costa Health Services, Health Disparities in Contra Costa, available at http://cchealth.org/groups/rhdi/pdf/health_disparities_in_cc.pdf 38. Community Health Indicators for Contra Costa County, 2007. Prepared by the Community Health Assessment, Planning and Evaluation Group

(CHAPE), Public Health Division, Contra Costa Health Services. 39. Contra Costa Health Services, Health Disparities in Contra Costa, available at http://cchealth.org/groups/rhdi/pdf/health_disparities_in_cc.pdf 40. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health and the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program (CBCMP)

http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/155/1/17.pdf 41. Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Regional Toxics Modeling and Cancer Risk Evaluation, CARE Task Force Meeting, Staff Power Point Presentation (Sept. 17, 2008). See U.S. EPA, Cleaning Up Common Pollutants, available at http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/peg/cleanup.html 42 & 43 Ibid 44. http://www.nextten.org/next10/pdf/NT_state_Release_FINAL.pdf


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Written by: Andrea Barnetche, Pacific Environment

Andrea is currently a volunteer with the California Energy Program at Pacific Environment. She has a Masters Degree in Environmental Management from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and a B.S. in Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity from the University of California, Davis.

Edited by: Rory Cox, California Energy Program Director, Pacific Environment

PACIFIC ENVIRONMENT protects the living environment of the Pacific Rim by promoting grassroots activism, strengthening communities, and reforming international policies.

Pacific Environment 251 Kearny Street, Second Floor San Francisco, CA 94108 Ph: 415.399.8850 [email protected]

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