A November 2009 report by Physicians for Social Responsibility said the health consequences of coal "are multiple and have widespread and damaging impact."

Multnomah County Chairman Jeff Cogen said he ordered the study because he wants answers to basic questions.

According to Regna Merritt of Oregon Physicians of Social Responsibility, coal creates a substantial number of health risks, from the exposure to people working in coal mines, to the coal dust and diesel emitted along transportation routes, to the air pollution caused by burning the fossil fuel itself.

Chicago Physicians for Responsibility Executive Director Dr. Sarah Lovinger warned that the potential health implications for residents should not be overshadowed because of economic concerns.

Abby Wear, executive director of the New Mexico chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, said coal particulates are linked to cardiac and respiratory disease. "Coal is an assault on our health," Wear said.

PSR recruited 17 distinguished physicians to sign a letter to the World Bank urging it not to finance construction of a new coal-fired power plant in Kosovo.

PSR-affiliated physicians joined with distinguished colleagues from several nations to urge the World Bank to reconsider financing a lignite coal-fired power plant proposed to be built in Kosovo.

Oregon PSR is working to prevent the state of Oregon from promoting or facilitating any coal export infrastructure or related transportation in our state.

PSR President Dr. Andrew S. Kanter co-authored this piece on the global health impacts of coal.

Letter to the Editor from PSR's Dr. Martin Donohoe.

PSR sent the letter to the Hill and Administration yesterday afternoon on behalf of 140 public interest groups in the 14 Senate conferee states asking for a clean transportation bill, particularly one without a dangerous coal ash amendment.

An op-ed from PSR Florida's Dr. Lynn Ringenberg.

Maye Thompson of Oregon PSR explains the health effects of coal dust.

Watch video highlights from May 7, 2012 Rally Against Coal Exports featuring PSR's Dr. Andy Harris

Dr. Andy Harris of Oregon PSR on the health impacts of coal export.

Dr. Andy Harris of Oregon PSR on the health impacts of coal export.

The groups, which include the Arizona PSR, Clean Air Task Force, 350.org and the Sierra Club, called on TEP to switch solely to cleaner-burning natural gas at Sundt.

Eight PSR doctors, flying in to Washington from six states, will present the Obama Administration with a petition signed by 850 health professionals voicing their concern about the toxic dangers posed by unregulated coal ash disposal.

Physicians for Social Responsibility delivered to the Obama Administration today a petition signed by 840 medical doctors, health scientists, nurses, and other health professionals outlining the harm that exposure to toxic coal ash imposes on human health. Accompanying the letter are eight doctors from Florida, Iowa, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Georgia who will meet with their elected officials in Congress.

PSR is among the environmental and public health groups that filed a lawsuit this week to force the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to complete its rulemaking process and finalize public health safeguards against toxic coal ash.