Village Green: Cleaning the Air With Smart Land Use

by Kaid at NRDC

Last week marked the 40th anniversary of the federal Clean Air Act, providing an appropriate occasion to revisit the effects of sprawl and smart growth on air quality.

As noted in a report on public health and smart growth prepared by Lawrence Frank, Sarah Kavage and Todd Litman, the increased automobile trips and miles driven under sprawling land use patterns are "associated with higher levels of several air pollutants that have adverse respiratory health impacts.  These harmful pollutants include fine particulates, toxins, carbon monoxide, NOx [nitrogen oxides] and VOCs [volatile organic compounds."  (NOx and VOCs are precursors to ozone smog.)

continued at Daily Kos....

Burning Coal + Hot Days = Unhealthy Air Warnings

by Bruce Nilles

Yesterday and today are code orange unhealthy air alert days in the Washington, DC, region where I live. The 95+ degree temperatures and excessive ground-level ozone create extremely unhealthy air – especially for kids, senior citizens, and people with pre-existing breathing conditions.

These aren't the first days this summer where we've had these warnings, and I know that the Washington, DC, region is not alone in its unhealthy air warnings. Temperatures are soaring across the U.S. - and while one major source of air pollution is vehicles, the other major cause is burning coal for energy.

continued at Daily Kos...

Air Pollution 105 - Particulates

by ashowboat

This diary is the fifth installment in a short series about air pollution.  Links to the previous diaries are listed below:
-Air Pollution 101 - Basics and the Clean Air Act
-Air Pollution 102 - All about Ozone
-Air Pollution 103 - Reactive Organic Compounds
-Air Pollution 104 - Oxides of Nitrogen

Today's diary is all about airborne particulates.

continued at Daily Kos....

Air Pollution 104 - Oxides of Nitrogen

by ashowboat

This is the fourth in a series of diaries about air pollution.

First in the series was about general air pollution facts and how the Clean Air Act works.  It can be found here

Second in the series was all about ozone and photochemical smog and can be found here

And third in the series was all about reactive organic compounds and can be found here

Today's diary is all about oxides of nitrogen.

continued at Daily Kos....

Air Pollution 103 - Reactive Organic Compounds

by ashowboat

This is the third is a series on air pollution. The first installment that discussed general air pollution and the Clean Air Act (CAA) is here and the second installment that went into detail about photochemical smog or ozone is here.

Today's installment is about one of the precursors to photochemical smog, reactive organic compounds (ROC).

continued at Daily Kos....

Power politics: Utilities vs. coal ash regulation

by Sue Sturgis

After years of inaction, federal officials are mulling new regulations to confront the growing problem of coal ash. But energy companies have fought off regulation before, and they're fighting the new rules every step of the way.

continued at Daily Kos....

Special investigation: Coal's dirty secret

by Sue Sturgis

Coal ash is one of the country's biggest waste streams and is full of toxic substances, yet it remains virtually unregulated. Can Washington overcome the fierce opposition of energy interests to protect communities and the environment?

continued at Daily Kos....