Climate Pact States Fall Short on Pollution Inequity, Study Says

A regional climate pact among Northeast states has dramatically cut power plant carbon dioxide emissions but has had less success in benefiting communities of color and other marginalized populations still suffering disproportionately from air pollution, according to a study published Wednesday.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed PLOS scientific journal, was touted as the first data-driven assessment of the disparities in environmental justice communities related to power generation in the 11 states participating in the cap-and-trade program known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

The study by the Union of Concerned Scientists comes as the RGGI program and participating states ...