Megan Wittman, megan.wittman@sierraclub.org
Madison, WI - Yesterday, Sierra Club released a new report, “Out of Control: The Deadly Impact of Coal Pollution.” This report explores the extent and effect of particulate pollution from the country’s remaining coal-fired power plants to understand where that pollution is felt and which plants and parent companies are most responsible.
According to the report, soot pollution from coal-burning power plants is responsible for 3,800 premature deaths annually. In Wisconsin, 69 Wisconsinites die annually due to all coal plants nationally, with 19 of those people dying prematurely due to coal burning in our state. The report examines two Wisconsin utilities, WEC Energy Group and Dairyland Power.
In 2021, researchers at the University of Chicago estimated that air pollution reduces life expectancy by more than two years. Additionally, a recent Clean Wisconsin analysis found that People of Color in Wisconsin are more likely to be exposed to harmful air pollution than white people, creating the third-highest racial disparity in the nation, behind only New York and Pennsylvania.
“Burning coal produces particulate matter pollution, or soot pollution, and is one of the deadliest kinds of air pollution. Exposure to soot pollution causes increased infant mortality, cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, cognitive impairments, and premature death. Transitioning to clean energy will save lives,” said Laura Lane, communications coordinator of Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action.
“This is a crucial issue of environmental justice. Between this Sierra Club report and so many other studies, there is no question that our reliance on coal is killing us. Soot pollution is disproportionately harming our redlined communities in Wisconsin. When clean energy is more affordable and accessible than ever, utilities like WEC Energy and Dairyland Power owe it to their ratepayers to provide the most affordable, safe energy possible. That simply isn’t the case today, and Wisconsinites are paying with their health and their lives,” said Cassie Steiner-Bouxa, Senior Campaign Coordinator, Sierra Club - Wisconsin. “Our utility companies must retire their coal fleet and transition to clean energy now.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.