air quality

Dozens of projects will receive millions to boost monitoring near industrial sites. The Biden administration wants to focus on environmental justice in communities impacted by decades of pollution.

A recent study claims local officials and environmental agencies downplayed hazardous air conditions during the Winston Weaver fertilizer plant fire — and more should have been done to alert the public.

The rising number of fires hamper decades of environmental efforts, and over 40% of Americans — more than 137 million people — live in places with poor air quality, a new report says.

Boosting ventilation and filtration not only lowers the risk of transmission, it's also linked to higher test scores and better health. But making upgrades is more complex than it sounds.

"We see a really clear association between how these maps were drawn in the '30s and the air pollution disparities today," says an author of a study on the effects of the discriminatory policy.

Air quality in Winston-Salem has been improving due to increased fire suppression efforts at the Winston Weaver fertilizer plant.

UPDATED 6:35 p.m.

Eastern states have been clouded in a smoky haze for days, and with the smoke comes poor air quality. People far away from the fires aren't ready for the breathing problems the smoke brings.