April 30th, 2013

Air pollution continues to plague many large U.S. cities, where coal plants and tailpipe emissions poison the air with asthma-aggravating, cancer causing ozone and particle emissions. But the picture, and the air, is much clearer in Peoria, Springfield and a few dozen other mid-sized meccas, according to the American Lung Association’s annual report. See what the air rates where you live.

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June 1st, 2011

Pollution from natural gas drilling is a key factor in North Texas’ continuing smog pollution problems, but the skies could be much cleaner if natural gas drilling companies would take a few simple steps, according to a citizens’ clean air group.

The 9-county area around Dallas and Fort Worth has struggled to meet the EPA’s clean air standards set for the region, despite warnings to improve air quality dating to the early 1990s. Now, even though pollution from cars and trucks has been reduced through better tailpipe technology, the region still fails to meet basic clean air benchmarks. The reason, clean air advocates say, is the natural gas industry.

Hundreds of drilling operations in the region release tons of methane gas, a greenhouse gas 21 times as potent as carbon dioxide, as well as Volatile Organic Compounds, like benzene and formaldehyde, every day.

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April 28th, 2011

The American Lung Association has released its annual report on air quality, State of the Air 2011, which includes lists of the nation’s most polluted metropolitan areas. The report reveals that, despite improvements, just over half the nation—154.5 million people—live in areas with levels of ozone and/or particle pollution that are often dangerous to breathe.

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January 3rd, 2011

The American Lung Association has released its list of the 11 biggest “clean air” events of 2010. Eight events marked milestones that provide greater protection from dangerous air pollutants, while three represented delays that have life-threatening consequences. This year’s Lung Association list also commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, the historic law credited with helping protect Americans from breathing dirty, unhealthy air.

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May 13th, 2010

Nearly nine months in the making, the Kerry-Lieberman clean energy bill has been born, and is available for nursery viewings in the U.S. Senate. The little bundle, some 987 pages long, has been received with polite congratulations. But in all honesty, some of the viewers seem to be silently whispering: “God what an ugly baby!” And some are visibly put off.

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May 13th, 2010

From Green Right Now Reports

A flood of responses from energy companies, health organizations, environmental groups and other organizations has met the proposed American Power Act from John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.). The bill is seen as something of a compromise between the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), passed by the House last year, and the broad energy proposal that has been favored by President Obama.

Who hates it:

American Lung Association: “We at the American Lung Association were shocked to read language included in the draft American Power Act introduced today by Senators John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman that would unleash a dangerous process to attack life-saving rules on coal-fired power plants and threaten to permit much more air pollution around the nation. The outrageous proposal creates an open door through which millions of tons of life-threatening pollution could be allowed to flow. We oppose these provisions. The American Lung Association cannot support legislation that includes changes to the Clean Air Act that undermine the protection of public health. We urge the Senate to strip such unnecessary and objectionable language from any bill. Burning coal creates particle pollution and key components of ozone. These are lethal substances, recognized as such by repeated scientific review. Particle pollution and ozone aren’t the only pollutants targeted under the bill as proposed—just the most widespread. The draft bill invites attack on safeguards applying to a horde of other noxious emissions, known under the Clean Air Act as hazardous air pollutants, which include mercury, arsenic, lead and other toxics.”

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April 28th, 2010

Smog across Los Angeles (Photo: NASA)

From Green Right Now Reports

The American Lung Association State of the Air 2010 report released today ranks the metropolitan areas by the levels of ozone and particle pollution during 2006, 2007 and 2008. For particle pollution, the ALA ranks separately the areas with high year-round (annual average) levels and high short-term levels (24-hour) found in monitoring sites across the United States. Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is used to compile the rankings.

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April 28th, 2010

The American Lung Association State of the Air 2010 report ranks the metropolitan areas by the levels of ozone and particle pollution during 2006, 2007 and 2008. For particle pollution, the ALA ranks separately the areas with high year-round (annual average) levels and high short-term levels (24-hour) found in monitoring sites across the United States. Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is used to compile the rankings.

[Read more →]