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Climate, Air Quality, and Weather Stories July 29, 2002 New England, Eastern Canada agree on climate goals A regional effort to address climate change in the Northeast is moving ahead with the latest meeting of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers. Thestar.com reports that the group agreed at a two-day conference on goals of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from the energy industry by 20 per cent by 2025, and increasing reductions achieved through conservation programs by 20 per cent. Maine agencies directed to buy low-emission vehicles The state of Maine plans to set a good example when it comes to low-emission transportation. According to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Governor Angus King Jr. has instructed state agencies to buy low-emission and hybrid vehicles when replacing its existing fleet - provided the cars are cost-effective. In addition, the state plans to phase out vehicles that are not necessary. You can read more about it in this Maine DEP news release. Connecticut company fined $281,000 for air pollution The EPA reports that a federal judge has ordered a Danbury, Conn. ball bearing manufacturer to pay a $281,000 penalty for Clean Air Act violations. The company was accused of violating emission standards for trichloroethylene (TCE), which is used in degreasers at the manufacturing plant. According to the EPA, one of the degreasers emitted more than 10 tons of TCE above allowable limits in 1998. More details are in this EPA news release. Ozone days up 10 percent from last summer nationwide Last summer, ozone levels exceeded federal health limits more than 4,600 times in 42 states and the District of Columbia - up 10 percent from the number of unsafe days in 2000. That's according to a recently released report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. The disheartening news is summarized in a Reuters story on the MSNBC Web site. The study is available in pdf format from the US PIRG Web site. Project monitors air quality in Great Lakes region Regional air quality monitoring of the sort underway in New England by AIRMAP is also in place in the Great Lakes region. A report in Environmental Science & Technology Magazine describes air quality monitoring around the Great Lakes aimed at answering several questions, among them: Do bans on certain pesticides work? How far does urban pollution travel? and How much do airborne pollutants contribute to contamination problems in the Great Lakes? The ES&T report is available in pdf format. Asian smog cloud threatens health, alters climate This past month scientists and environmentalists sounded an alarm about a massive cloud of pollution parked over South Asia. Judged to be about two miles thick, the smog has been blamed for altering the regionās climate and causing many thousands of deaths related to respiratory disease. The story is available on the CNN Web site. |
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