Twenty-six premature deaths are modeled to have occurred in a single year due to excess sulfur dioxide emissions by Zug Island’s EES Coke Battery, an epidemiologist testified in federal court Thursday. Chan School of Public Health, testified in the bench trial of the EPA’s Clean Air Act lawsuit against EES Coke Battery and DTE Energy. The government is seeking $140 million in penalties and corrective measures for excess sulfur dioxide pollution from EES Coke Battery and its effects. The social cost of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter pollution from EES Coke Battery from 2019-2022 totals $1 billion, Schwartz said. Premature deaths are still occurring, Schwartz said, and annual impacts will continue until proper controls are installed at EES Coke Battery, he said.