This project has three objectives. First, we will provide new statistical evidence on the relationship between exposure to pollution from hazardous waste sites and infant health. Second, we will endeavor to identify the specific chemicals and pathways that are most deleterious to the health of infants. Third, we will quantify the benefits of the Superfund program in terms of its effects on infant health. This research will implement several research designs to mitigate the influence of omitted variables. First, the analysis will exploit idiosyncratic differences in the timing of Superfund clean-ups to compare pre and post cleanup health outcomes, while nonparametrically adjusting for time-trends. The variation in timing of the clean-ups allows for an event-study style analysis that compares the years immediately preceding and following clean-ups. Second, the project will exploit knowledge of the selection rule that determined the first 400 hazardous waste sites out of 690 that were initially slated for Superfund clean ups. The selection rule was a nonlinear function of a continuous and noisy measure of risk, which allows for the implementation of a quasi- experimental regression discontinuity design. Third, it is possible to use the confidential vital statistics data we will obtain to identify births to the same women before and after clean-ups. The ability to identify siblings allows us to control for fixed maternal characteristics (e.g., genetic confounders), which may be especially important if clean-ups induce migration. The mother identifiers will also be used to assess directly whether the clean-ups lead individuals to migrate to the areas surrounding the formerly polluted sites. The analysis will be conducted with the most comprehensive data ever assembled on Superfund sites and infant health. The Superfund data file contains detailed information on every Superfund site, including their longitude, latitude, and the date the clean-up was completed. Importantly, the project will also compile an electronic database of the chemicals and their concentrations found at all Superfund sites, as well as the pathways through which the chemicals might affect infant health (air, soil, water). The Superfund data will be matched to millions of individual-level state vital statistics records on infant health (e.g., gestation, birth weight, congenital abnormalities, and APGAR scores) and mortality. The data will come from six states (CA, FL, MI, NJ, PA, TX) representing almost 40 percent of U.S. births, and covering diverse geographic regions and populations. We will use the address data in the confidential versions of the vital statistics data to determine the distance between each mother's residence and the nearest Superfund site in 1/4 mile increments. Overall, this project aims to assess the consequences of exposure to the nation's hazardous waste sites for infant health. Preliminary results for Pennsylvania indicate that we will have the power to detect small changes in infant health outcomes. The results will be extremely relevant for the on-going debate about the extent to which cleanup of hazardous waste should be motivated by dangers to infant health. OTHER PROJECT INFORMATION - Project Narrative This project will provide new statistical evidence on the impacts of exposure to pollution from hazardous waste sites on infant health. The analysis is based on comparisons of infant health in the areas surrounding hazardous waste sites before and after the sites were cleaned up under the Superfund program. It will be conducted with the most comprehensive data ever assembled on Superfund sites and infant health. ? ? ? ?
| Currie, Janet; Greenstone, Michael; Moretti, Enrico (2011) SUPERFUND CLEANUPS AND INFANT HEALTH. Am Econ Rev 101:435-441 |
| Ludwig, David S; Currie, Janet (2010) The association between pregnancy weight gain and birthweight: a within-family comparison. Lancet 376:984-90 |
| Currie, Janet; Schmieder, Johannes F (2009) Fetal Exposures to Toxic Releases and Infant Health. Am Econ Rev 99:177-183 |
| Currie, Janet; Neidell, Matthew; Schmieder, Johannes F (2009) Air pollution and infant health: Lessons from New Jersey. J Health Econ 28:688-703 |
