"Hidden" costs of energy production and use

A new report from the National Research Council examines "hidden" costs of energy production and use -- such as the health impacts of air pollution -- that are not reflected in market prices of coal or oil. The quantifiable damages alone were an estimated $120 billion in the U.S. in 2005, a number that reflects primarily health damages caused by air pollution from electricity generation and motor vehicle transportation.  Press Release  (October 19, 2009)