pollution

Healthy Air Peabody

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Mon, 01/09/2023 - 22:35

Everyone wants their family (children, adults, and elderly) to enjoy good health. We all want to breathe healthy air, avoid illness, and live a long, happy life.

But pollution poisons our air, makes us sick, and kills some of us.

Introduction to the Healthy Air Peabody program, a community organization effort focused on health education and mitigation of harm is a springboard for remedial action.

Bejjani Urges Comprehensive Monitoring, Protection of Health, Closing Peakers

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Sun, 12/11/2022 - 21:32

Within the context of emissions monitoring, I want to return to the point of cumulative impact. This facility is being built on the same site as two existing peaking power plants—two plants that have been polluting surrounding neighborhoods for decades with serious impacts. Preliminary studies have shown that census tracts around the Waters River site have significantly higher levels of pulmonary disease, cardiac issues, cancer, and other illnesses than other parts of the city and the state. This new facility cannot be considered in a vacuum: it will be piling on top of existing emissions and generations of environmental racism and harm.

Smoller Demands Response To All The Pollution Impacting All The Communities

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Sun, 12/11/2022 - 21:13

The burden that neighboring communities are already facing is clear.  Do not further exacerbate these impacts.  The Peabody Peaker project should not be permitted to move forward especially if no community health impact assessment is conducted.  Instead of adding to the burden of the community, we should be reducing it. The city of Peabody and the PMLP should look to retire not one, but both of the existing facilities that are currently polluting and harming affected neighborhoods.

Sharon Cameron, Peabody Director of Public Health, Seeks Environmental and Health Reports

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Sun, 12/11/2022 - 20:59

At this fall’s Massachusetts Health Officer’s Conference, I had the opportunity to hear Commissioner Suuburg discuss the initiatives of MassDEP to promote environmental justice and specifically, to address the cumulative impact of environmental stressors on environmental justice populations.

There are many well-documented health concerns associated with fossil fuel-burning power plants.

What Goes Around

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Wed, 12/07/2022 - 02:45

Carbon dioxide—the fizzy bubbles in carbonated drinks—is safe. Or is it?

The hearing today is focused on the obligation of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to evaluate how to monitor the amount of CO2 pollution that the Peabody peaker may emit.

My remarks will focus on the validity of the assumptions underlying the monitoring method and on the moral validity of the underlying assumptions.

Stop Pollution to Protect Our Health & Climate

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Wed, 11/16/2022 - 16:32

We have a pollution problem affecting the health of every person in our North Shore communities. Pollution affects health today, making children ill and damaging their lungs and minds, thus impacting their future. It makes elderly people ill and can kill them. Finally, by amplifying global warming, pollution increases future threats to health.  Community organization effort focused on health education is a springboard for action. 

Stop Pollution for Our Health

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Tue, 10/18/2022 - 01:48

Air pollution is a toxic cloud over Peabody and the North Shore

Prepared for presentation to the Peabody Board of Health on October 20, 2022


I am Jerry Halberstadt, Coordinator of Clean Power Coalition, the lead for the new initiative I present today. The goal is to focus on the disease and death caused by pollution in Peabody and the North Shore, protect people, and reduce the use of oil and gas, the major source of pollution.

Clean Air & Clean Power, Yes. Pollution, No

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Wed, 09/28/2022 - 19:18

How can we stop burning fossil fuels for transportation and electricity, burning that creates pollution? We need community engagement.

If we are to stop pollution, we must inform and empower everyone to identify pollution as a source of their pain. I announce here a coordinated effort to expand our movement for clean air, health, life, and the planet that will focus on broad community engagement and empowering local leaders.

Pollution MaydayMaydayMayday

Submitted by Jerry Halberstadt on Tue, 08/16/2022 - 21:12

In our North Shore and Cape Ann communities, we face an invisible threat of air pollution that causes disease and premature death while it despoils our environment and contributes to global warming. Every breath brings the potential for disease and death.

Like sailors approaching a hidden danger, we need a lighthouse, a warning system for air pollution so that we can mitigate the harm to ourselves, our natural environment, and the climate and so that we can act together to reduce air pollution by stopping it at the source.