Particulate Matter

In a huge and perhaps unexpected win for the EPA, the Supreme Court on April 29 reversed an appellate court panel ruling that had rejected their attempt to regulate interstate air pollution caused by about 1,000 coal-fired power plants in 28 states.

May 1, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal - Politics and Policy

According to a new EIA report, the cost advantages of liquefied natural gas make it an attractive alternative to diesel fuel for major U.S. freight railroad companies. Hybrid diesel-electric locomotives on order for 5 states will power HSR routes.

April 16, 2014 - Progressive Railroading

Though smoking is on the decline in China, lung cancer rates are rising. Twenty-year olds have joined seniors as likely patients, attributed to the toxic clouds containing particulates that regularly envelope China's eastern cities.

December 29, 2013 - Los Angeles Times - World

Thanks to a Calif. law implemented in 2008 requiring ocean-going ships to switch from high-sulfur bunker fuel to cleaner fuels within 24 miles of the coast, Bay Area air quality significantly improved by reducing deadly particulate emissions.

October 9, 2013 - BAAQMD News Release

As China's hazardous environment becomes a "potent political issue", the central government has released a detailed plan that aims to clean up the country's abysmal air pollution.

September 18, 2013 - The New York Times

Call it the law of unintended consequences. Alerts of "bad air days" that ask motorists in the Wasatch Front to reduce driving had the opposite effect, prompting some residents to drive away from lowlands to the mountains where air may be healthier.

September 12, 2013 - The Salt Lake Tribune

An NAS study released July 08 shows that if you live in north of the Huai River in China, you can expect to live about 5.5 years less than those to the south. Air pollution, specifically particulate matter from burning coal, is the primary culprit.

July 18, 2013 - Guardian

New details from a landmark study on the leading causes of death worldwide presents a gloomy picture of the effect of air pollution on the health of China's residents. The toll is 25 million healthy years of life snatched from the population.

April 3, 2013 - The New York Times

In what could be viewed as a classic environmentalist vs. business showdown, the EPA tightened by 20% the annual standard for soot over the objection of industry and some in Congress who fear it will dampen economic growth.

December 17, 2012 - The Hill's Energy & Environment Blog

An economic study has been published showing that the costs of air pollution to the 20 million Californians living in the state’s (and nation’s) two most polluted regions, the LA basin and San Joaquin Valley, to be around $28 billion annually.

November 21, 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle