Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113656

Connie A. Mizak, PhD, Environmental and Occupational Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612, 813-974-6637, cmizak@hsc.usf.edu and Noreen Poor, PhD, Environmental & Occupational Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612-3805.

In February 2000, the Tampa Electric Company (TEC) resolved with the USEPA an enforcement action that alleged violations of the New Source Review requirements. The agreement featured a commitment by TEC to re-power the Gannon power plant, located in Hillsborough County, FL, from coal to natural gas.

As a result, a substantial change in air toxics emissions from the power plant is expected. Between 1999 and 2004, for example, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions at the Gannon power plant dropped by 54,400 and 27,500 tons/year, respectively. The 1999 USEPA Toxics Release Inventory listed for the Gannon power plant air releases of ~5.3 tons of metals and 4,400 tons of acidic gases.

The goal of our research is to assess for Hillsborough County, FL, residents the change in exposure and risk associated with air toxins for the inhalation pathway as a consequence of the power plant conversion. Our approach will be to model with CALMET/ CALPUFF hourly emissions of NOx and then scale the annual air toxin emissions to the NOx emissions. The concentration isopleths generated from the CALMET/CALPUFF model will serve as inputs to the USEPA HAPEM4 model for the exposure and risk assessments.

Inhalation exposures prior to and following the power plant conversion will be predicted with HAPEM4. With the exposure information, we will conduct a hazard identification and dose-response assessment to estimate the change in risk of contracting cancer and the hazard reduction associated with adverse health effects of hazardous air pollutants.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• describe the procedure for conducting a community-based exposure and risk assessment, and
• discuss the potential health benefits of a major intervention to reduce air pollution and improve community health.

Keywords: Air Pollutants, Risk Assessment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.