air pollution

Legal Agreement Could Cut Toxic Emissions in Cancer Alley

Legal Agreement Could Cut Toxic Emissions in Cancer Alley

A legal settlement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the town containing the census tract with the worst air pollution in the country could significantly reduce harmful emissions in the area known as “Cancer Alley.”  The proposed agreement was posted on the Federal Register Tuesday and would settle two lawsuits brought by members […]

Join our newsletter

The best of EcoWatch, right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

    Cutting Air Pollutants Could Save More Than 50,000 U.S. Lives Each Year, Study Says

    Cutting Air Pollutants Could Save More Than 50,000 U.S. Lives Each Year, Study Says

    About 53,200 premature deaths could be avoided in the U.S. each year if the fine particulate air pollution emissions produced by transportation, industrial activities, the generation of electricity, cooking and heating were eliminated, according to a new study, a press release from the University of Wisconsin-Madison said. Avoided deaths and healthcare costs from illnesses would […]

    16 States, Environmental Groups Sue U.S. Postal Service Over Climate-Polluting Mail Trucks

    16 States, Environmental Groups Sue U.S. Postal Service Over Climate-Polluting Mail Trucks

    Sixteen states, the District of Columbia, the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union and environmental groups Earthjustice — acting on behalf of the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity and Kansas-based nonprofit CleanAirNow — and the Natural Resources Defense Council have filed three lawsuits in two different federal courts claiming that the U.S. Postal Service […]

    Over 40% of People in U.S. Live in Areas With Poor Air Quality

    Over 40% of People in U.S. Live in Areas With Poor Air Quality

    A study from the American Lung Association has found that over 40% of Americans live in areas with poor air quality. For the 23rd annual State of the Air Report, the findings show that there are more people, over 137 million, in the U.S. exposed to harmful air pollution compared to previous years. Many Americans […]

    What Is the Greenest State in the Nation?

    What Is the Greenest State in the Nation?

    What is the greenest state in the nation?  Financial advising website WalletHub has released a new report ranking U.S. states based on how well they take care of their environment.  “We should all try to do our part to save the world for future generations,” WalletHub wrote. “In order to highlight the greenest states and […]

    Biden Lifts Summer Ban on Smog-Causing E15 Gas

    Biden Lifts Summer Ban on Smog-Causing E15 Gas

    President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would lift a summer-time ban on the sale of E15 gasoline in response to the hike in gas prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. E15 is a gasoline mix that uses 15 percent ethanol, according to a White House fact sheet. However, it is currently barred from use in the summer because it contributes to smog during warmer weather, The New York Times pointed out. 

    Energy Use by Wealthy Nations Could Be Slashed While Preserving Well-Being, Study Finds

    Energy Use by Wealthy Nations Could Be Slashed While Preserving Well-Being, Study Finds

    Wealthy nations could dramatically cut energy use without compromising their well-being, a new study from Stanford University published Tuesday in Ecosphere finds. Researchers measured energy consumption and well-being benchmarks across 140 countries and found 75 gigajoules (GJ) is the ‘magic number’ above which quality of life generally stops improving. “That suggests to me that we could nudge […]

    EPA Investigating Racism in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ Permitting Decisions

    EPA Investigating Racism in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ Permitting Decisions

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating whether the Louisiana state departments of Environmental Quality and Health illegally discriminated against black residents in permitting decisions regarding two chemical plants and a grain export terminal. Petitions to the EPA seeking an investigation allege the state departments failed to provide proper notice and comment opportunities to […]