Researchers discover illegal behavior that surged during US government shutdown — here are the details

In late 2018 and into early 2019, the U.S. government shut down temporarily for more than a month while a new budget was being debated, and thousands of employees were furloughed. During this period of inactivity, one might assume that there would be somewhat less pollution with fewer commuters on the road and fewer offices open. 

However, a recent analysis shared by The Conversation revealed a disturbing truth: While regulators were out of commission, major polluters appear to have actually ramped up their polluting activity on purpose, knowing that they couldn't be caught.

What's happening?

Researchers Ruohao Zhang, Huan Li, and Neha Khanna reviewed data from 204 coal-fired power plants to determine whether they adhered to rules regulating particulate pollution during the shutdown, when regulators were unable to operate. 

Unfortunately, they found that as soon as the government shut down, these plants increased their output of polluting particles by about 15% to 20%. Once the federal government came back online, the plants resumed normal operation, and the pollution went back down.

After testing several theories, the researchers determined that the explanation that best fit the data was that operators had turned off filtration equipment that uses electricity during the furlough. This would save the plant money while allowing significantly more particulate pollution into the atmosphere.

Why is the particulate matter output important?

The particulate matter air pollution produced by coal-fired power plants, called PM2.5 and PM10 pollution in reference to the micrometers of individual particles, is tinier than the thickness of a human hair and can travel deep into the lungs when inhaled. It contributes to asthma, heart disease, and premature death. 

A significant increase in pollution, as noted in this study, is likely to have resulted in a death toll.

What can be done to limit air pollution?

The researchers noted that only direct enforcement of environmental regulations would keep coal plant operators from polluting beyond the legal limits. They also said that enforcement has been decreasing in recent years, with the number of staff devoted to these regulations being reduced. 

Fully staffing the Environmental Protection Agency with regulators is the only way to protect the health of everyday Americans.

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