Station 3: Health Impacts

Coal-fired power plants are the nation’s largest industrial polluter. The air pollutants from power plants—Carbon Dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, small particles, mercury, and other air toxins harm public health, causing unhealthy levels of ozone smog and fine particulate pollution that damages lungs and can shave years off people’s lives.

Ozone smog and particle pollution can cause premature death and other serious health effects such as asthma and asthmatic attacks, heart attacks and strokes, preterm births, and impaired cognitive functioning later in life. Particle pollution can also cause lung cancer.

According to the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment, 12.5% of metro adults have asthma, while 18.2% of Northeast Omaha adults have asthma.  Area trends have increased by 4.5% in the past 9 years. 

The Child and Adolescent Health Needs Assessment documents, while our Metro Area  rate is lower than the National benchmark of 18.4%, northeast Omaha’s rates are 23.4%. 

Prayer of the Faithful: For all who have died, especially those who have suffered due to the effects of environmental destruction, that they may be granted eternal peace and rest in God’s loving care, and that their memory may inspire us to continue the work of healing and restoration.

We pray to the Lord...

Lord, hear our prayer.