Category Archives: USA & Canada

How birds are used to monitor pollution

Common nesting birds may provide a convenient way to track environmental clean-up efforts. Nesting birds that feed on insects that hatch in lake or stream-bed sediments may make good biomonitors for pollution, says Thomas Custer of the US Geological Survey’s … Continue reading

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High price of breathing polluted air: Energy production and transportation in the cross hairs

In America in 2012, according to the American Lung Association (ALA), the good news is that the air in many parts of the country has gotten cleaner. Credit improvement to Clean Air Act standards. The not-so-good news, meanwhile, is that … Continue reading

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Local air pollution officials, State Parks clash over rule on Dunes dust

The San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District and the California State Parks Department are at an impasse over implementation of a new rule to curb excessive amounts of dust blowing off Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. Larry … Continue reading

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New Space Sensor As A Hosted Payload To Track Air Pollution Across North America

NASA has selected a proposal from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., to build the first space-based instrument to monitor major air pollutants across the North American continent hourly during daytime. The instrument, to be completed in 2017 at … Continue reading

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Air quality warnings persist in Fairbanks North Pole

Air quality warnings have accompanied a stretch of cold weather this week, but those advisories won’t necessarily count against a federal mandate to limit local pollution levels. Borough air quality technician Jim McCormick said early Wednesday afternoon that air quality … Continue reading

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No-burn season is just around the corner

The valley’s no-burn seasons starts Nov. 1. Before firing up a wood burning stove, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District asks residents to check at San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Depending on air quality forecasts, the … Continue reading

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Distant air pollution might bite NorCal farmers

Northern California farmers might have to replace their tractors and other diesel equipment in a few years, because of how bad the air pollution is in the San Joaquin Valley and Los Angles basin. The Butte County Air Quality Management … Continue reading

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Air of concern: Study seeks to identify sources of airborne nitrates

While efforts are under way to deal with nitrate pollution in groundwater in the Lower Yakima Valley, concern is now being raised about airborne nitrates that contribute to poor air quality, which, in turn, can impact human health. Elevated levels … Continue reading

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