Health costs of a reduced energy supply

Health effects associated with electricity production, especially air pollution from fossil fuel combustion, have received much attention in the past 30 years. Virtually no attention has been paid to the health costs of a reduced or overpriced energy supply although these are real and formidable. Stringent regulations mandating control technology on stack emissions and/or burning of low sulfur fuels have been promulgated which cost the American public billions of dollars. These have indeed alleviated some health problems, but pressures to further tighten regulations offer little chance of further health benefits commensurate with their cost and are most likely to produce a new series of problems.