Re: Power Plant Pollution Linked to 30,000 Premature Deaths

[Steven Dapra <sjd@swcp.com>]

Oct. 23

	I downloaded this report and read part of it.  On page four of the report
under the heading "New Findings," we read, "Researchers estimate that as
many as 60,000 people die prematurely each year because of exposure to fine
particles."  A citation is given to page 212 of "Particles in our Air:
Concentrations and Health Effects," edited by Richard Wilson and John
Spengler.

	I own a copy of "Particles," and on page 212 we read, "With the estimate
above of 60,000 premature deaths per year in the U. S. . . .."  Wilson and
Spengler give no citation, but if we look "above," we find ourselves on
page 210, where we read, "The consistent picture that a public health
authority should consider is that 60,000 persons might be dying prematurely
of air pollution related problems in the United States each year(Shprentz
et al. 1996)."

	"Shprentz" is a co-authored article by D. S. Shprentz, G. C. Bryner, and
J. S. Shprentz, (1996), "Breath Taking:  Premature Mortality due to
Particle Air Pollution in 239 American Cities," by the National Resources
Defense Council (NRDC).  (Is this "National" or "Natural"?  Wilson and
Spengler cite it as "National" on page 245.)

	The NRDC.  Well, we may be certain there is no bias here.

	Spengler wrote the Foreword to the study.  The study's author, a member of
the Clean Air Task Force, cited a book Spengler co-edited, didn't cite the
page giving Spengler's source material, and when we find the source
material it turns out to be an organization - the NRDC - which is
undoubtedly a kissing cousin of the clean air and PIRG organizations who
co-sponsored the report.  It makes a wobbly circle, but nonetheless it does
seem to be a circle.

	The Spengler/Wilson book is cited at least seven times in the study, and
Spengler's name appears in some of the other citations.

Steven Dapra
sjd@swcp.com



 

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