NCEE Seminar: Excess Emissions: Environmental Impacts, Health Effects, and Policy Debate

Virtual Seminar
Washington, DC 20460
United States

Contact: Ann Wolverton, 202-566-2278 (wolverton.ann@epa.gov)

Presenters: Nikolaos Zirogiannis, Indiana University

Description: 

The US Environmental Protection Agency classifies air pollution releases that are due to accidents, malfunctions, or unanticipated facility start-ups and shutdowns as excess emissions, which violate the Clean Air Act. Despite this, states have historically granted emitting facilities exemptions, shielding facilities from enforcement and penalties. We outline recent research that documents the incidence, magnitude, environmental impacts, and health effects of these emissions to inform the considerable policy debate surrounding their regulation. The majority of prior research focuses on Texas because it is the only state that provides access to detailed data on excess emissions that can be easily used for research. This data limitation creates uncertainties about the incidence, magnitude, and impacts of these emissions outside of Texas. We argue that a requirement for detailed data reporting in all states would best enable policy makers to design an effective regulatory framework.

Authors:

Alex Hollingsworth, David M. Konisky, and Nikolaos Zirogiannis

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This seminar is not open to the media. The purpose of the seminar, and all our seminars, is to foster the free exchange of information. For media inquiries, please contact the Office of Public Affairs (https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-public-affairs-opa).