PALISADES — Cleaner air in New York led to a 67% decrease in pollution-related premature deaths within a 10-year period, according to a recent study by Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Institute researchers.

The key, according to the study, is a drop in fine particulate matter, the microscopic fallout from the pollution caused by industries, automobiles and power plants. Particulate matter has been tied to premature deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke.

Those decreases in particulates come from reduced sulfur and other emissions that were targeted by federal regulations like the Clean Air Act and limits on power plant and vehicle emissions.

"The research shows that there are health benefits associated with cutting emissions," said Arlene Fiore, an atmospheric chemist and co-author of the study. "So we could lose some of the benefits that have been gained so far."

The study looked at levels of fine particulate matter between 2002 and 2012 around New York State. The lead author was Xiaomeng Jin, a Columbia graduate student studying ocean and climate physics. The study was published July 31 in Environmental Research Letters.

The study measured fine particulates not only from the ground and air, but also used satellite data to gauge levels in the atmosphere around New York. "Xiaomeng (Jin) used various measures, which make the data more reliable to show air quality improvements," Fiore said.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has challenged climate scientists' assertions about the impact of human-created emissions and rolled back various pollution controls. In June, the Environmental Protection Agency weakened regulations designed to cut coal-fueled power production in the U.S.; New York, California and other states are currently fighting an administration plan to water down vehicle fuel efficiency standards.

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The study used national health statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Specifically, there were 8,410 deaths attributed to particulate matter in 2002, and 2,750 such deaths in 2012. That’s 5,660 fewer lives lost in 2012 compared with a decade earlier.

Although this study focused on New York, Fiore said the results can be extrapolated to other areas. Pollution, she said, "can be transported in atmosphere beyond state boundaries or even national boundaries."

Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy for the USA Today Network Northeast. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com. Twitter: @nancyrockland