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Some Summer Air Is Cleaner, EPA Says
New Pollution Controls Are Credited

By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 19, 2005; A11

Quotes:

New federal pollution controls have improved the summer air breathed by 100 million Americans, according to a study released yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Under rules that took effect last year, 21 eastern states and the District of Columbia must reduce regional nitrogen oxide emissions by 1 million tons between May 1 and Sept. 30. On hot, sunny days nitrogen oxides combine with pollutants called volatile organic compounds and form ozone smog, which has been linked to asthma and premature death.

Last year, nitrogen oxide emissions from power plants and other sources dropped by half compared with 2000, according to the EPA, and ozone concentrations fell 10 percent during that same period. Other sources of nitrogen oxide emissions include oil refineries, pulp and paper mills, and cement kilns.

EPA officials said it is too early to say whether 2005 will have fewer unhealthy air days than past hot summers, but preliminary findings indicate this summer has had less smog than 2002, which had a similar number of hot, dry days.

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