A new study released Thursday projects that a Trump administration proposal for propping up struggling coal and nuclear plants could lead to premature deaths from pollution.

Resources for the Future found that for every 2 to 4.5 coal mining jobs the plan protects, there would be 1 human death due to emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides over the next two years.

The group behind the study describes itself as an "independent, nonprofit research institution."

ADVERTISEMENT

The research is in response to the Trump administration discussing a plan for the Department of Energy (DOE) to take steps to prevent the closure of aging coal and nuclear plants in the U.S. in the next two years.

The plan, outlined in a memo first obtained by Bloomberg News in June, would see the administration use a Cold War era law to prop up the aging industries.

"Impending retirements of fuel-secure power facilities are leading to a rapid depletion of a critical part of our nation’s energy mix and impacting the resilience of our power grid,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg in June.

She added that President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE directed Energy Secretary Rick Perry Rick PerryEnergy secretary questions consensus that humans cause climate change OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats push resolution to battle climate change, sluggish economy and racial injustice | Senators reach compromise on greenhouse gas amendment stalling energy bill | Trump courts Florida voters with offshore drilling moratorium OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump signs major conservation bill into law | Senate votes to confirm Energy's No. 2 official | Trump Jr. expresses opposition to Pebble Mine project MORE “to prepare immediate steps to stop the loss of these resources and looks forward to his recommendations.”

Both coal and nuclear plants are considered “fuel-secure” due to the fact that they keep resources on site and don't rely on pipelines or grids that could be vulnerable to attack or weather events.

The study found that the policy would help coal miners by supporting 790 coal mine jobs each year.

However, it raised concerns about the effects on the environment of keeping the plants open. The study estimated that delaying the closure of struggling coal plants would cause an estimated 353 to 815 additional premature deaths in the United States in 2019-2020 due to emissions

It also said the plants would increase carbon dioxide emissions by 22 million short tons over the two-year period.