Trump roll back on coal regulations will impact african american communities

Vice News reported on August 22, 2018 that the EPA under the Trump Administration vows to roll back Obama's Clean Power Plan to increase coal production. In a recent report, the EPA demonstrated that Trump's new Affordable Clean Energy Plan will cause an annual increase of 1,400 premature deaths due to pollution.  The report states that, "implementing the proposed rule is expected to increase emissions of carbon dioxide and increase the level of emissions of certain pollutants in the atmosphere that adversely affect human health," (Vice News, 2018). People of color and the poor tend to live closer to the power plants and therefore will be impacted more significantly compared to the general population. The EPA estimates that African Americans will suffer up to 50% more of the negative health affects due to the increase in coal waste and pollution.

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  1. MonicaMarquezUSFSeptember 3, 2018 at 3:33 PM

    Increase of 1,400 premature deaths due to pollution?! That's awful!! I think it is so heartbreaking how low-income communities and people of color are always at a greater disadvantage due to living near power-plants, factories, etc., which contributes to the cycle of illnesses and disease that are typically found in minorities and low income communities. Rather that making an effort to better the living conditions and health of disadvantaged groups, this "plan" seems to be only concerned with profit rather than protecting the lives and health of the surrounding/greater community.

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