Health Impacts of Coal Plant Retirement: Lessons from a Health Impact Assessment of the New Madrid Power Plant in Southeastern Missouri – Part 1 of 2: Health Impact Assessment
Abstract
The Magnitude 7 Metals (Mag 7) aluminum plant was once a significant employer in Missouri’s New Madrid County and contributed nearly one-third of national primary aluminum production. In January 2024, the plant closed. The community is interested in reviving aluminum production but has concerns about the potential health impacts of the Mag 7 smelter relying on electrical power generated by the New Madrid coal power plant, which has historically supplied the aluminum smelter’s energy. To assess the potential health and economic impacts of closing the coal power plant and replacing its energy generation with clean power, Renew Missouri, a nonprofit organization focused on advancing clean and affordable energy solutions across the state, has partnered with Stanford University Human and Planetary Health Action Lab and the Stanford Law & Policy Lab to conduct this Health Impact Assessment (HIA) with accompanying policy recommendations (Appendix A) and a mapping tool. The research partnership took place as a policy practicum, “Renewable Energy Transition in Rural America” (EBS 291/LAW 809U/PEDS 289) in Fall 2024.