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When good fences aren’t enough: The impact of neighboring air pollution on infant health

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  • DeCicca, Philip
  • Malak, Natalie

Abstract

The Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) mandated the reduction of power plant emissions in the eastern United States. Starting in March 2005, this policy greatly reduced exposure to a specific form of pollution—fine particulate matter—in neighboring downwind counties. Using data from the 1995 to 2013 waves of the U.S. Natality Detail Files, we investigate the impact of this reduced exposure on birth outcomes including premature birth, birth weight status and infant mortality. Our most consistent finding is that the CAIR reduced premature birth, particularly among women aged thirty-five and older, those who experienced clinically-designated “risky” pregnancies, and those who gave birth to female newborns. We also find a substantial reduction in infant mortality for newborns whose mothers experienced “risky” pregnancies. Taken together, our findings suggest that policy-induced reductions in exposure to fine particulate matter may lead to improved birth outcomes among those mothers and newborns most at risk.

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  • 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).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:102:y:2020:i:c:s0095069620300474
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2020.102324
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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. Ai, Hongshan & Zhou, Zhengqing & Li, Ke & Kang, Zhi-Yong, 2021. "Impacts of the desulfurization price subsidy policy on SO2 reduction: Evidence from China's coal-fired power plants," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    3. Kong, Dongmin & Liang, Junwei & Liu, Chenhao, 2022. "Invisible enemy: The health impact of ozone," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    4. Pham, Linh & Roach, Travis, 2023. "Particulate pollution and learning," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    5. Xiaoying Liu & Jere R. Behrman & Emily Hannum & Fan Wang & Qingguo Zhao, 2022. "Same environment, stratified impacts? Air pollution, extreme temperatures, and birth weight in south China," Papers 2204.00219, arXiv.org.
    6. Dede Long & David Lewis & Christian Langpap, 2021. "Negative Traffic Externalities and Infant Health: The Role of Income Heterogeneity and Residential Sorting," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(3), pages 637-674, November.
    7. Tamás Hajdu & Gábor Hajdu, 2020. "Temperature, climate change and birth weight: Evidence from Hungary," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 2032, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    8. Liu, Ziheng & Chen, Xi & Lu, Qinan, 2023. "Blowin' in the Wind of an Invisible Killer: Long-Term Exposure to Ozone and Respiratory Mortality in the United States," IZA Discussion Papers 15981, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Ohler, Adrienne, 2023. "The Economics of Environmental Health Disparities: Who Benefits from Coal Power Plant Closures?," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335760, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Infant health; Premature birth; Low birth weight; Infant mortality; Air pollution; Power plant;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • K32 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Energy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Law
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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