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The Cleaner Air Partnership has released its inaugural Sacramento Region Air Quality Progress Report. This Report evaluates nine key indicators affecting the Sacramento Region's air quality and their impact on public health and economic prosperity. It provides a simplified look at the progress made in the Region and offers recommendations to help continue moving towards achieving the clean air standards.
How does dirty air impact our lives? Dirty air affects all of us. Clean air is a crucial component for a healthy and economically vibrant community. Sacramento Valley has an estimated 640 cardiopulmonary premature deaths each year associated with exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). If the Sacramento Region doesn't meet requirements associated with federal air standards we are at risk of losing federal transportation funds, and businesses could feel the impact of additional fees and regulations.
Why this report? Significant improvements have been made over the past 20 years in reducing air pollution because the government, public health and business communities have worked together. These efforts should be celebrated!
Doing nothing would have been catastrophic for the region's air quality. Rather than increasing by 49%, nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, a component of ozone, were reduced by 41% since 1990-despite a 40% increase in population. However, clean air standards continue to tighten in order to protect public health, making the task of meeting those standards even more challenging.
The 2011 Sacramento Region Air Quality Progress Report can be downloaded at www.cleanerairpartnership.org .
Posted: May 4, 2011 |
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