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Analysis - The Institute for Southern Studies

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2. Hawaii (33% vs. 22%)<br />

3. New Mexico (32% vs. 26%)<br />

4. Arizona (33% vs. 26%)<br />

5. Cali<strong>for</strong>nia (32% vs. 26%)<br />

o A sub-total of 291 plants (63%) have surrounding children populations which exceed their respective statewide percentage.<br />

Plant level results:<br />

Using the plant-by-plant (i.e. itemized ZCTA) basis, 310 plants (63%) have surrounding child populations which exceed their statewide<br />

children benchmark percentages, whereas 185 plants (37%) have children populations below their statewide benchmarks, which represents a<br />

plant ZCTA ratio of 1.68 (i.e., 310/185). Since this ratio is much greater than 1.00, this finding indicates that a highly disproportionate count of<br />

plants have surrounding child population percentages which exceed their statewide benchmark.<br />

State level results:<br />

Using the state-by-state aggregation basis, the percentage of child populations surrounding the plants were compared to their respective<br />

statewide population benchmarks. <strong>The</strong> state-by-state ratios revealed that approximately 27 of the 47 states (57%) have disproportionate<br />

percentages of children within the plant address ZCTA compared to the rest of the state suggesting a disproportionate surrounding child<br />

population. However, in comparison to the other two numerical comparisons above, this state-by-state count approach does not include<br />

numerically-weighting of state plant counts or state surrounding populations, which explains why this comparison method yields a different<br />

numerical result. This method illustrates how population comparison results may be sensitive to the comparison method.<br />

Nationwide results:<br />

Using the nationwide aggregation basis across all 495 plants in all 47 states where the plants are located, 6.08 million people live in ZCTAs<br />

surrounding the plants, which include a sub-total of 1.54 million children (25.4%). Comparison of this percentage to the national aggregate<br />

benchmark across all states of 24.7% children yields a ratio of 1.03 (i.e., 25.4%/24.7%). This ratio indicates a slightly higher disproportionate<br />

child population surrounding the 495 plants. Comparison of the nationwide child population sub-total <strong>for</strong> all plants reveals that +4.1%<br />

additional children reside near the plants, compared to the expected child population if based on state averages (i.e., 1,541,854 children living<br />

near the 464 plants compared to 1,480,831 expected children count).<br />

<strong>The</strong>se three alternative comparisons indicate that the current (baseline) environmental and human health hazards and risks from electric utility<br />

CCR disposal units, and the expected future benefits of the regulatory options, may have a disproportionately higher effect on child<br />

populations.<br />

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