The Environmental Protection Agency has set new air pollution standards under the federal Clean Air Act for cars and light/medium vehicle models from 2027 through 2032 and beyond.

Pennsylvania ranks 43rd among states for average exposure of the public to airborne soot of 2.5 microns or less, according to America's Health Rankings.

And the Pittsburgh and Weirton area is on the American Lung Association's list of cities with the most year-round particle pollution.

Cara Cook, director of programs at the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, said nurses are seeing firsthand the effects of tailpipe pollution on community health, as more people end up in hospitals and doctor's offices suffering from asthma and other diseases linked to breathing in dangerous air pollutants found in soot and smog.

"Research shows that traffic pollution is linked to premature death, lung cancer and asthma," Cook pointed out. "What we're seeing among nurses is that they're increasingly concerned about the transportation sector as a leading source of pollution."

According to the EPA, the new air-quality standards will prevent more than 7 billion tons of carbon from being emitted and save the country $13 billion in health care costs related to improved air quality. Experts said they expect the rule to be challenged in court by the fossil fuel industry.

Chris Harto, senior policy analyst for Consumer Reports, said the move is a historic step toward cleaning up the transportation sector, bringing the nation closer to the Biden administration's goal of a 60% reduction in emissions from new vehicles by 2030 and increasing quality of life for people living in areas with high levels of vehicle traffic.

"They will deliver over $1 trillion in consumer savings, eliminate billions of tons of climate pollution and save thousands of lives," Harto asserted.

The Biden administration said once fully implemented, the new standards will save the average driver an estimated $6,000 in reduced fuel and maintenance over the life of a vehicle.

Agencies are raising awareness about air quality across the country this week.

Led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality Awareness Week is highlighting the effects of poor air, with a special focus on wildfires and smoke today.

Travis Knudsen, public affairs manager for the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, said small particles known as PM 2.5 in wildfire smoke can cause itchy eyes, coughing and other short-term respiratory problems.

"If you are someone who already suffers from respiratory issues, like you have asthma, it makes those acute symptoms that much more challenging and potentially problematic from a health perspective," Knudsen explained.

Knudsen said PM 2.5 particles can penetrate deep into the lungs. He also noted the Northwest is seeing more wildfires and his agency attributes it to climate change.

Smoke from wildfire season is at its peak in the Northwest starting around midsummer and lasting through early fall. Knudsen advised people to check the air quality index during smoke season, and pointed out people might need to reschedule their outside activities -- such as running or working out -- based on the air quality.

"Maybe when our quality is bad we reconsider those outdoor activities and instead just stay inside with a HEPA air purifier running so we are not being exposed to that harmful pollution from wildfire smoke," Knudsen suggested.

On Tuesday, the focus is on asthma. May 7 is World Asthma Day.


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Most school and transit buses on the nation's roadways these days are still powered by diesel engines but in Wisconsin and elsewhere, there is hope about the push to switch to electric fleets.

The city of Racine has made headlines in recent years for leveraging federal funds to add more electric buses operated by its transit agency. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, school systems such as the Palmyra-Eagle district have used federal grants to buy a handful of buses fitted with such technology.

Susan Mudd, senior policy advocate for the Environmental Law and Policy Center, a Midwest-based advocacy group, said it is encouraging to see the activity, knowing benefits will come with it.

"The children or the riders on buses, including the drivers, will experience zero tailpipe emissions," Mudd pointed out. "Which they now do, because fumes, unfortunately, often get circulated into buses."

The new models also prevent harmful emissions from floating through neighborhoods, especially when buses are idled. Mudd noted it has a positive effect on human health, as well as mitigating climate change, with transportation making up nearly 30% of U.S. carbon emissions. But even with federal support, she acknowledged there are still upfront cost barriers in securing electric buses.

Mudd added implementing charging stations for larger electric bus fleets can be more intensive than infrastructure for passenger models.

"It definitely requires more equipment," Mudd said. "(It) may require transformer upgrades and that is more costly."

Organizations like hers are appealing to utilities to help make the infrastructure more accessible to schools and transit agencies. Once they get past the initial expenses, supporters said the efforts help schools and municipalities reduce their fuel costs.

In late 2022, Wisconsin received more than $25 million in federal support to replace 65 diesel school buses around the state with electric ones.

Groups concerned about air pollution and public health are asking the city councils of Long Beach and Los Angeles and their respective Harbor Commissions to pass major restrictions on air pollution from ships.

The "Ports for People" ordinance would require agencies to take steps to reduce pollution from cargo ships by 50% from 2019 levels by 2030, and to achieve 100% zero-emission shipping at the ports by 2040.

Dawny'all Heydari, climate campaign advocacy manager for the nonprofit Pacific Environment, said ships running on fuel oil and Liquefied Natural Gas need to be phased out.

"These fuels are filled with asthma and cancer-causing pollutants that are contaminating communities like my own in Long Beach with shorter life expectancy and childhood asthma," Heydari pointed out. "We're advocating for a transition to zero-emission fuels to power shipping."

This week, advocates gathered signatures in favor of the ordinance at Cal State Long Beach and presented them to the Long Beach Harbor Commission. They hope to spur the shipping industry to switch to greener alternatives, such as battery electrification, wind-assist propulsion and "green hydrogen" fuel cells.

Heydari noted Pacific Environment has had positive conversations with some members of the Long Beach City Council and hopes they will take bold action in the future.

"When California cities institute these kinds of regulations, it forces the industry to evolve because the industry is primarily concerned about its own profits," Heydari asserted. "It's not really primarily concerned about sustainability, nor public health."

A 2019 study from the City of Long Beach found the average life expectancy in West Long Beach next to the port is eight years shorter than the average in Los Angeles County.

A 2021 study by the California Air Resources Board found fuel pollution from pandemic-era cargo ship congestion at the San Pedro Ports caused an increase in particulate matter emissions equivalent to 100,000 semi tractor-trailers per day.