title: Environmental injustice and air pollution in coal affected communities, Hunter Valley, Australia.
abstract: The authors describe environmental injustice from air pollution in the Upper Hunter, Australia, and analyse the inaction of state authorities in addressing residents' health concerns. Obstacles blocking a public-requested health study and air monitoring include: the interdependence of state government and corporations in reaping the economic benefits of coal production; lack of political will, regulatory inertia and procedural injustice; and study design and measurement issues. We analyse mining- and coal-related air pollution in a contested socio-political arena, where residents, civil society and local government groups struggle with corporations and state government over the burden of imposed health risk caused by air pollution.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, The University of Newcastle, Australia. Nick.Higginbotham@newcastle.edu.au
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Higginbotham
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Albrecht
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003032:Coal Mining; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003254:Consumer Advocacy; D004782:Environmental Health; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D009517:New South Wales; D011057:Politics; D012935:Social Justice; D013219:State Government