The Blue Ridge Mountains are beautiful, and thanks to a decrease in air pollution, the view of the mountains is a little bit clearer.
At a March air quality conference, Mike Abraczinskas, director of the North Carolina Division of Air Quality, stated that Western North Carolina’s air quality has improved largely because of reductions in nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds, which are released from power plants and motor vehicles. The North Carolina Division of Air Quality reports that 100 million pounds of toxic air emissions have been removed from the atmosphere over the past 18 years due to tighter regulations.
Virginia’s air quality has improved as well, with the amount of chemicals in the air dropping 51 percent from 2004 to 2017, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
The National Parks Conservation Association, a nonprofit organization, released a report in May describing the extent of air pollution in the national parks. There are 417 national parks in the United States and, according to the report, 96 percent are damaged by at least one of the following results of air pollution: unhealthy air, pollution that harms sensitive species and habitats, haze that limits visibility, or climate change.
The Trump administration has proposed weakening multiple current federal air pollution standards. — By Jamie Tews
Related Articles
Latest News
More Stories
English Language Learning in Appalachia
Learning English is always difficult. But current aggressive approaches to immigration policy are creating more barriers for learners and the programs that serve them than ever before in Appalachia and beyond.
Landfill Drama
Many residents of Pike County, Kentucky, are breathing a sigh of relief since county commissioners finalized their decision to rescind a contract with an out-of-state waste management company.
Overdrive: Fossil Fuels in Appalachia
Electricity demand is on the rise. Here, we share snapshots of energy trends in the region and how methane gas, coal and data centers are affecting our communities — and how people are pushing back.
Less Support for Communities with Mine Problems
The Trump administration issued a regulation to weaken the Ten Day Notice process that helps community members call in federal enforcement when state regulators don’t do a good job policing environmental problems at coal mines
Chaos at the Tennessee Valley Authority, Cuts to Public Input
The past year has brought turmoil and uncertainty to the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation’s largest public power provider, and its more than 10 million customers across the Tennessee Valley.
Landmark Coal Ash Protections Under Attack
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is planning to eviscerate important, hard-won regulations on coal ash, a toxic waste left after burning coal for energy.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Leave a Comment