Air quality, meteorology: Though neither friends, nor foes, destined they are to be juxtaposed!

Like like magnetic forces that repel each other, air quality and meteorology would seem. We can see neither, yet, we know they’re there. Which makes describing their relationship – relationship, as in how they interact – difficult for one to put one’s finger on. But, is all of this even important? I believe it is absolutely! … Read more

Appellate court upholds life-saving, cross-state air-pollution rule

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today unanimously rejected a challenge to the most recent update of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which protects millions of Americans from dangerous air pollution that blows across state lines from upwind coal-fired power plants. Today’s decision means those protections will remain … Read more

Legal accord forces EPA action to further smog reductions in CA, TX communities, counties

The Environmental Protection Agency agreed today [Feb. 21, 2023] to meet deadlines for reducing smog in parts of California and Texas that have some of the nation’s worst air pollution. Today’s agreement followed a lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity and Center for Environmental Health challenging the EPA’s failure to ensure that San Diego County … Read more

Natural gas sure getting its share of attention, lately

These days, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t notice (witnessing first-hand, seeing or hearing, watching on television) something having to do with air pollution. It figures, doesn’t it?! Just this past Sun., Feb. 5, 2023, in fact, a related story was included in CBS’ “Sunday Morning” lineup. The segment mostly had … Read more

Consultancy to help European Commission in effort to cut air-pollution-related disease, death across the EU

The below Nov. 15, 2022 press release* is from Ricardo. Ricardo’s world-leading expertise in air quality policy, management and economics has guided the European Commission’s revision of the key European air quality legislation to protect human health and the environment. Ricardo, a global strategic environmental and engineering consulting company, has significantly contributed to the European … Read more

Manufacturing’s, energy’s, transport’s environmental records: They could be better

If you’re looking at today’s environmental landscape as a gauge, a measure, a yardstick and are contemplating whether or not it is where it needs to or should be, the answer is: no; the environment is not where it could or should be. That’s the reality. Environmental stewardship the name of the game It’s all … Read more

Are EVs California’s roadway-based transportation future?

Ever since the big-smog episodes of the mid-1900s – these encounters really opening our eyes to the harm to health that this type of pollution can cause – there has been much progress made in the areas of identifying the key ingredients that enable smog formation – like hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen and heat from … Read more

EPA finalizes strongest national clean-air standards to lower by 80+% soot, smog emissions in trucks, buses

The below Dec. 20, 2022 press release* is from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the strongest-ever national clean air standards to cut smog- and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks beginning with model year 2027. The new standards, which is the first update to clean air standards for … Read more

Policies, strategies, technology…and weather, too…all play a role in shaping Valley’s air quality

In a comment to the recent “Valley makes air-quality progress, but critical ozone, PM standards have yet to be met,” Dec. 14, 2022 Air Quality Matters posting, I wrote: “The progress and work must continue if the Valley is to meet the remaining federal National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 24-hour average and annual … Read more

Valley makes air-quality progress, but critical ozone, PM standards have yet to be met

San Joaquin Valley, California residents are breathing much easier thanks to the dedicated and hard work of the area’s many constituent interests who have not only taken the time already, but, in going forward, are committed to making a positive-air difference. The results we are seeing would not have been possible without this kind of … Read more