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American Heart Association
Opposes Power Plant
October 4, 2004
Commissioner Steve Gaw
Missouri Public Service Commission
PO Box 360
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0360
Dear Chairman Gaw:
In light of the debate regarding Kansas City Power and Light’s proposal to build a coal-burning power plant near Kansas City I wanted to take the time to share the American Heart Association’s recently released scientific statement that addresses the link between cardiovascular disease and ambient particulate matter. In particular, I wanted to be sure you and your colleagues are aware of the relationship between air pollutants and cardiovascular disease.
In our review of available scientific data most, but not all, studies have found positive associations between several different air pollutants and adverse health outcomes. Nevertheless, the existing body of evidence is adequately consistent, coherent, and plausible enough to draw several conclusions. At the very least, short-term exposure to elevated particulate matter (PM) significantly contributes to increased acute cardiovascular mortality, particularly in certain at-risk subsets of the population. Hospital admissions for several cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases acutely increase in response to higher ambient PM concentrations. The evidence further implicates prolonged exposure to elevated levels of PM in reducing overall life expectancy on the order of a few years.
In more concise terms, short-term exposure to elevated levels of particulate matter can trigger acute cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and irregular heart rhythms. Long-term exposure may accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis (a hardening of the arteries) and exacerbate the health problems associated with it.
It is no secret that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and any action taken that could exacerbate the problem and lead to even more cases of cardiovascular disease needs to be seriously studied. We recognize that growing communities with growing demands on the energy infrastructure must seek additional resources in order to supply the region with the power demanded by its citizenry. However, communities have safer and cleaner alternatives available that must be considered.
I urge the Missouri Public Service Commission to carefully evaluate the scientific data provided in the attached scientific statement to determine whether the proposed power plant is a health threat to our community. If so, I encourage the commission to take that into account when determining Kansas City’s energy needs. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kevin M. Walker
Vice President of Advocacy
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