After West Virginia House lawmakers advanced a bill to ban residents from using citizen air monitoring data in lawsuits, community groups said they are concerned the legislation could make it more difficult to hold polluting industries accountable.

Dani Parent, organizing director for the West Virginia Citizen Action Group, said her organization helps interested residents install Purple Air Quality Monitors in their neighborhoods. She explained the monitors mostly measure particulate matter, and some track volatile organic compounds; useful information for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection in determining air quality.

"It allows us to look at patterns and see if maybe there is something worth investigating," Parent explained. "When that happens, we get a hold of the DEP and the DEP gets to make the judgment call."

House Bill 5018 would also prohibit state environmental regulators from issuing notices of violations or penalties based on data collected from community air monitors. Supporters of the bill argued local air monitors are not precise enough and only data collected by state agencies should be used in regulatory oversight.

Olivia Miller, program director for the Highlands Conservancy, said the state's current air-quality monitoring network only covers around a dozen of West Virginia's 55 counties, and lacks monitors in some of the most highly polluted areas. She added families and communities have the right to take action to protect themselves from air pollution.

"Our legislators should encourage the use of citizen air monitoring to supplement data gathered by government agencies," Miller contended. "Especially if it conforms with existing EPA standards."

Scientific research suggests a strong link between exposure to air pollution and lung cancer. A 2023 American Lung Association report ranked West Virginia the second-worst state in the nation for new lung cancer cases, at around 76 per 100,000 people. The national rate is almost 55 per 100,000 people.


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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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