By Leah Shephard/for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration.

On several days this summer, Ohioans awoke to their homes and neighborhoods shrouded in haze from the smoke of wildfires burning in Nova Scotia, Canada. Experts say it's unclear whether air quality issues will continue into the fall.

The wildfires, which started in May, have since sent much of the eastern United States indoors because of air quality advisories. Bad air quality could cause health problems for vulnerable groups if it persists, experts say.

Sam Rubens, administrator of the Akron Regional Air Quality Management District of Summit County Public Health, said it depends on air flow patterns.

"The smoke stuff, from the fires in Canada," he said. "If they go out, which they're not out right now, they're still burning away, it's all based on the wind. If the wind patterns set up, then the smoke is going to come."

Rubens compared the way the smoke flows to a campfire; the smoke follows the wind.

"The smoke is going somewhere," he said. "And it's going to be affecting someone."

"Air quality in general can affect everybody, even people who have healthy lungs," said Dr. Angela Marko, a pediatric pulmonologist at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. "But the main concern is for those who have underlying respiratory conditions. So, for instance, things like asthma or other chronic lung diseases."

Marko said the reason for this is that many people with these conditions already have sensitive airways and lungs, and exposure to bad air quality can trigger their disease processes. She said this can manifest in shortness of breath and asthma flare-ups.

Marko said that while the very young and very old are most affected by bad air quality, everyone is at risk from continuous exposure.

"Over time, we know that air pollution in general. . . is not great for respiratory health in general as we age, if we're continually exposed to it," she said. "And so it can put you at risk into adulthood just for having other respiratory conditions."

Marko said this can manifest in COPD, a chronic lung disease that causes obstructed airways in the lungs, and other lung conditions as an individual ages.

While Northeast Ohio has only had six unhealthy or hazardous air quality days in 20 years, Rubens said three of those have been this summer.

He said that "particulate matter," or the particles in the air that make air quality unhealthy or hazardous, is the main concern of the Summit County health department.

"The reason that we have particulate matter, or ozone, as a pollutant of concern is because there's a level at which you're okay," Rubens said. "That if you breathe in a certain level, it's not going to have a health effect."

He said, though, that those with respiratory problems, chronic ailments and children are at higher risk when breathing in pollutants. That means the threshold is lower for the amount of dangerous air these individuals can breathe in.

Rubens urged Ohioans to stay aware of bad air-quality days as the wildfires still rage.

"Just be aware of what the air quality index is showing," he said.

Woody Woodward, executive director of the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, said the impact has been "minimal" on the Ohio Parks and Recreation. He said that what concerns him most is the effect wildfires and other natural disasters may have on the environment as a whole.

"It's fairly well known that Parks and Recreation has been on the front line in terms of protecting our environment, creating clean, safe spaces for people to recreate but also really working hard to protect our natural resources," Woodward said.

He said prevention is key.

"First and foremost we want to be on the front lines in terms of preventing things from getting worse and also kind of continuing to educate the public about the dangers of climate change and kind of the path that we've headed down," Woodward said. "But also working hard to protect natural resources as we do that."


This collaboration is produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.


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Under the federal Clean Air Act, Kentucky is required to keep haze air pollution under control in Mammoth Cave National Park.

Critics said the state's current plan falls short. Coal-fired power plants are the driving cause of air pollution impairing visibility in the Commonwealth, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.

Ashley Wilmes, executive director of the Kentucky Resources Council, said the state's current Draft Regional Haze State Implementation Plan only considers two facilities as significant pollution emitters, despite evidence there are more.

"There has to be a detailed analysis of additional major polluters in Kentucky that are contributing to this haze," Wilmes asserted. "They did not do this analysis for other major coal plants, including Ghent and Mill Creek, Trimble Station and others."

The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet hears virtual public comments on the plan tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET.

Ulla Reeves, clean air program director for the National Parks Conservation Association, said several major polluters in the region are contributing to poor air quality.

"We see in Kentucky that Mammoth Cave is actually one of the most polluted national parks in the entire country," Reeves pointed out. "It is surrounded by polluting facilities."

Bryon Gary, program attorney for the council, said advocates are asking the state to include additional pollutants and facilities, and address environmental justice impacts to surrounding communities. He added residents' input will be considered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

"The public will have the opportunity to give those comments," Gary noted. "Then at some later point, the Energy Environment Cabinet will develop a written response to comments that will be submitted to EPA, along with their final state implementation plan."

Exposure to the air pollution particles triggering haze can cause breathing problems, lung cancer, heart attacks and low birth weight in newborn babies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

California air-quality regulators today are expected to adopt new fees for big polluters and rules to encourage large buildings to switch equipment from gas to zero-emission electric models.

Fifteen clean-air advocacy groups are rallying in front of the Southern California Air Quality Management Board in Diamond Bar today, urging passage of the new rules.

Kimberly Orbe, senior conservation program manager for the Sierra Club's Angeles chapter, said the transition would cover gas-fired water heaters, boilers and process heaters.

"Fossil fuel appliances are responsible for 10% of the emissions from stationary sources in our region," she said, "so that's really huge."

Opponents of the change include SoCalGas and industry groups representing dry cleaners and restauranteurs.

When burned, natural gas emits harmful smog-forming air pollution and greenhouse gases that fuel climate change. The So Cal Air Quality Management District's new pollution fee program would require large industrial polluters to pay to support regional clean-air efforts. The Sierra Club estimates this could raise about $25 million a year.

According to the American Lung Association, the Los Angeles/Long Beach area has the most high-ozone days of any metropolitan area in the country. Orbe said that's why advocacy groups have been pressing for stronger air-quality standards for years.

"Our region is burdened by an overwhelming amount of pollution - from oil drilling, from refineries, from the ports, from the warehouses, freeways," she said. "So, we want to make sure that we're passing strong rules to ensure that we continue to clean up our air, year after year."

The board is also expected to set a hearing date to consider new rules requiring zero-emissions technologies in the rail yards to combat diesel pollution from trains.

Leaders in Michigan are marking the historic new clean car standards, finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The final rule, Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles, was announced in March.

Michigan leaders are celebrating the move as a positive step in the fight against climate change.

State Rep. Jasper Martus, D-Flushing, said many people think of climate change and creating good jobs as two separate issues, but he said he believes the two go hand-in-hand.

"When we pursue policies that combat climate change, such as investing in electric vehicles, having higher standards for the vehicles that are produced here in Michigan and the United States," said Martus, "we can do it in such a way that creates good paying jobs."

The new standards will phase in over model years 2027 through 2032.

Martus said in addition to creating new jobs, the transition to electric vehicles will also decrease pain at the pump resulting from sky high gas prices.

He added he believes it's time for companies that make EVs to make their pitch to the public.

"We're not to the point now where everything is going to be electric vehicles overnight," said Martus. "We're not even at the point where everything could be a hybrid overnight. But we're beginning that process of these companies making electric vehicles need to make the pitch."

Martus added that as EV makers pitch their product, consumers will eventually see the prices of the vehicles come down - making them just as competitive, if not more so, than traditional vehicles.




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