A Bloomberg administration effort to get New York's most polluting buildings to convert to cleaner heating fuels has provided remarkable results, a new study reports.
"Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said on Thursday that his administration’s efforts at reducing air pollution had resulted in New York City’s having the best air quality in more than 50 years," reports Kate Taylor. A dramatic reduction in sulfur dioxide and soot pollution levels have taken place over the last half-decade.
"Since pollution exacerbates lung and cardiovascular disease, the mayor said, the city estimates that the reduction in pollution is preventing 800 deaths and 2,000 emergency room visits and hospitalizations each year."
New York isn't the only city celebrating improved air quality. "For the first time since 2009, and only the second time in the last 16 years, Washington, D.C. had zero code red days for unhealthy air quality in the summer of 2013," writes Jason Samenow in The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang blog. "This reprieve from suffocating air represents another data point fitting into a a recent trend towards cleaner air."
FULL STORY: New York’s Air Is Cleanest in 50 Years, Survey Finds
Study: Building Pollution Contributing to Poor Air Quality in NYC
Pollutants from methane, propane, and fuel oil are on the rise, leading to a growing public health crisis.
California Has 8 of the 10 Most Polluted Cities in the U.S.
Despite ever-stricter air-quality regulations and dropping emissions, the American Lung Association once again finds the state to have some of the worst air in the nation.
New York City's Most Serious Pollution Continues to Plague its Residents
Imagine living high above Manhattan but unable to open your windows because of soot-laden smoke from surrounding buildings. Toxic emissions from burning dirty heating oil continues despite a 2011 law requiring conversion to a cleaner fuel.
How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning
An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.
Research Affirms Safety of ‘Idaho Stop’
Allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs does not negatively impact safety and can help people on bikes more effectively navigate roadways.
Denver Pauses Multifamily Development in Westside Neighborhoods Amidst Gentrification Concerns
City officials say the pause on permits for redevelopment projects aims to stop the displacement of long-term residents.
The Ripple Effects of Remote Work
The number of Americans who work from home rose sharply during the pandemic and remains high, posing important questions about the future of transportation and housing.
Shuttered Baltimore Hotel Will Become Affordable Housing
The project will create 303 new workforce housing units in a former downtown hotel.
Fighting Forest Pests With AI: A Hemlock Success Story
Fairfax County utilized GeoAI and ArcGIS technology to efficiently map and protect its hemlock trees from the invasive woolly adelgid, ensuring targeted pest management and preservation of its evergreen canopy.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Placer County
Skagit Transit
Berkeley County
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland