PORTLAND, PA (Northampton County) – A recent study from Lehigh University has linked low birth weights in babies to a former coal-powered plant in Portland, Pa.
The study looked at live, single births in Warren, Sussex, Hunterdon and Morris counties between 1990 and 2006.
Researchers from Lehigh University studied 52,000 babies born in the four counties, in Northwest New Jersey, whose mothers lived as far as 20-30 miles downwind from the power plant.
Researchers said that mothers had a 6.5 percent increased chance of their babies having a low birth weight, defined as below 5.5 pounds.
The study also said there was a 17.12 percent increased chance of having babies with a very low birth weight, defined as below 3.3 pounds.
Researchers said the low birth rates were due to pollution coming from the plant. The plant stopped burning coal on June 1, 2014.
The Lehigh University report can be viewed HERE.
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By: Jay Edwards Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook
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