Washington, DC -  November 18, 2009 – Physicians for Social Responsibility today released a groundbreaking medical report, "Coal's Assault on Human Health," which takes a new look at the devastating impacts of coal on the human body.  By examining the impact of coal pollution on the major organ systems of the human body, the report concludes that coal contributes to four of the top five causes of mortality in the U.S. and is responsible for increasing the incidence of major diseases already affecting large portions of the U.S. population.  A copy of the full report can be found at http://www.psr.org/coalreport.

Improving access to low-emission, 2 renewable, and modern energy technologies both in the home and
the community can benefit health and contribute to long term goals of sustainability. Notably, the
inefficient combustion of fossil fuels and biomass for energy purposes is the major cause of climate
change. Air pollution, often due to inefficient modes of energy production, distribution, and
consumption, is a large and growing cause of environmental health risks. Some indicative statistics: