Orange Alert Today For Both Ozone and Particulates
WPLN Nashville Public Radio, 8.20.08

Middle Tennessee is under an unusual air quality alert today-conditions are poor both in terms of ozone levels and the amount of particle pollution in the air.

Particle pollution can come directly from fires or dust kicked into the air, or it can form when gasses from vehicles and industrial sites react. Ground-level ozone is the result of pollutants such as car emissions being trapped near the surface of the earth by hot air.

Of the two, ozone is more common in the midstate. Both pose a health risk when inhaled. That’s especially true for children, the elderly, and people with lung or heart problems.

Melissa Stevens directs the Clean Air Partnership of Middle Tennessee. She says people can take simple steps on alert days to help reduce the amount of pollution.

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Air Pollution Shown to Impact Even Healthy Outdoor Sports Enthusiasts
Environmental Resource Center, 7.28.08

Recent research presented to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) links air pollution episodes to adverse health effects for athletes and those who must work outdoors.

Scientists have found that outdoor exercise during high levels of smog or particulate matter may cause otherwise healthy individuals to experience lung function decrease, exacerbation of asthma, and even DNA damage. For those with preexisting respiratory or heart ailments, the danger is even greater.

"This report once again shows that an active person's zeal for fitness may sometimes do more harm than good when air quality is suffering," ARB Chairman Mary Nichols said. "People should be aware of air quality in their region and take precautions to protect their health when pollution spikes occur. For example, we are surprised and alarmed to find many people out exercising during the recent rash of wildfires that have blanketed much of the state in smoke."

Bus system does more to lure riders
The Tennessean, 7.21.08
By Janell Ross
Staff Writer

Communities around the country are posting record numbers for public transportation use, but local trend-watchers say it's about more than rising gas prices. In Nashville, bus use grew from about 8.5 million between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007, to about 9.4 million between July 1, 2007 and June 30.

The city's transit authority expects trips to hit 10 million this fiscal year.

But local transit officials say the reason bus use has grown nearly 11 percent in one year and reached levels unseen since the 1970s is a bit more complicated than the price of gas.

Newer buses, equipment on every bus that makes credit and debit card payments possible, an enhanced Web site, easier-to-read maps and a simplified fare system have helped increase the number of people using the bus, said Paul Ballard, Metro Transit Authority CEO.

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Runner testifies to being overcome by Smokies pollution
The Tennessean, 7.18.08
By Anne Paine
Staff Writer

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Will Harlan started on a “fun” run to promote clean air in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park one July day a few years ago, and it largely ended his competitive running career.

He blames pollution - to which TVA’s coal-burning plants are a major contributor - for what happened to him.

About halfway into his 72-mile run along the Appalachian Trail, he began to have chest pains and difficulty breathing.

“I was unable to inhale deeply. I didn’t really know what was going on,” said Harlan, a former teacher and executive editor of Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine.

He said he had run races requiring a fast pace that were longer distances with no such problems. As a professional ultra-runner, he had proposed this more casual run for the local clean-air group he’s associated with, called The Canary Coalition. It got a permit for the feat that he dubbed “the Great Smoky’s end-to-end run.”

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MTA ridership up 11% this fiscal year
Jump equates to 1 million extra trips
Nashville Post, 7.16.08
By Amy Griffith

Ridership on the Nashville Metro Transit Authority has reached 9.4 million trips in the last fiscal year, according to figures reported today. That represents an 11 percent increase – equivalent to about 1 million additional trips – over last year.

“We have built a bus system that is now providing more trips than at any other time in recent decades,” said MTA CEO Paul Ballard in a statement today. “We have made major strides in improving the quality of our services. This is indeed contributing to the increase in ridership each year.”

News of increased ridership comes on the heels of route and fare changes for MTA riders. Last month, the MTA increased its bus fare to $1.60 and five routes were cut July 1. The fare increase and route reductions were a result of soaring diesel fuel costs, which have left the department with an anticipated budget shortfall of about $3 million, officials say.

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Public Cautioned About Potential Hazards Of Air Quality
NewsChannel5, 6.18.08

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Nashville was under a code orange health advisory for air quality alert Wednesday.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation issued the advisory due to elevated ozone levels.

Pollutants were expected to be in an unhealthy range for sensitive groups such as people with lung disease.

The TDEC recommended people to limit prolonged outdoor exertion, particularly senior citizens, children and athletes who exercise in the outdoors.

In April, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tightened air quality laws on ozone air pollution. More air quality alerts this are expected this year compared with 2007.

The Clean Air Partnership of Middle Tennessee said there are many steps people can take to reduce the severity of air quality alert days.

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Tennessee cities' heavy footprint
Our View
State must demonstrate will to clean up its carbon record
The Tennessean, 6.12.08

Tennesseans had to react to a recent study on the worst cities for carbon footprint with a collective "ugh." This state's major cities look filthy and backward in the report.Tennesseans had to react to a recent study on the worst cities for carbon footprint with a collective "ugh." This state's major cities look filthy and backward in the report.

The good news, however, is it doesn't take long to figure out exactly why Tennessee's major cities score so poorly on carbon emissions, and in many cases it is already known what has to be done to correct the problem. The issue now is to what degree this state and the rest of the country will have the will to do the right things on environmental issues.

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Tennessee 's four largest cities rank among the worst of the nation's carbon emitters, largely because of urban sprawl, cheap electricity and a major dependency on autos for transportation, according to a report released today from the Brookings Institution, a public policy think tank in Washington.

The Nashville area footprint ranked 6th worst on the list of the country's 100 largest metropolitan areas, largely because of its dependence on cars over mass transit and its slowness in adapting to alternative energy sources, analysts say. Also among the 25 worst cities are Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis.

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Amy Ferris was putting 500 miles a week on her van to commute from Lewisburg to her job at Ford Motor Credit in Franklin.

The drive was costing about $200 a month — and that was two years ago. But she loved her home and didn't want to move.

"I was racking up the miles, putting a lot of wear and tear on my car," Ferris said. "And of course, then there were the gas payments. Gas hadn't even hit $2 a gallon at that time."

She'd had enough. First, she bought a new, more economical car. Then she sent an e-mail to her co-workers: "Carpoolers wanted."

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Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit
The New York Times, 5.10.08
By Clifford Kraus

With the price of gas approaching $4 a gallon, more commuters are abandoning their cars and taking the train or bus instead.

Mass transit systems around the country are seeing standing-room-only crowds on bus lines where seats were once easy to come by. Parking lots at many bus and light rail stations are suddenly overflowing, with commuters in some towns risking a ticket or tow by parking on nearby grassy areas and in vacant lots.

“In almost every transit system I talk to, we're seeing very high rates of growth the last few months,” said William W. Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association.

“It's very clear that a significant portion of the increase in transit use is directly caused by people who are looking for alternatives to paying $3.50 a gallon for gas.”

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What's the fastest way to get from Donelson to downtown Nashville at peak traffic?

Several commuters — bicyclists, a bus rider, a train passenger and a driver — believe they know.

But there is only one way to settle the disagreement: race.

That's exactly what they will do 7 a.m. Tuesday in the Great Commuter Race of Nashville, said Shannon Hornsby, executive director of Walk/Bike Nashville.

"We are a rapidly growing city somewhere in between a small city and big city," Hornsby said. "This will show that Nashville has transportation choices."

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Davidson County air quality downgraded
The Nashville City Paper, 5.1.08
Staff reports

Tennessee got a mixed report card for outdoor air pollution from the American Lung Association today — where problems continued with ozone levels and particle pollution — and many counties, including Davidson, recorded worse air than last year.

The national American Lung Association State of the Air 2008 report finds that 125 million Americans live in areas with dangerous air pollution levels, and warned that the trends show air pollution levels stalling at levels that are still dangerous to millions.

Davidson County's grade dropped from a B to a C, although Rutherford County improved to a B from last year's C grade.

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Since 2003, the Middle Tennessee community has significantly ramped up its efforts to reduce the amount of ozone in the air, and the work has paid off.

In February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Middle Tennessee would be designated as one of 13 areas in the nation to have met federal ozone standards ahead of schedule. We were able to do this through public transportation infrastructure improvements such as the Music City Star, expanded vehicle emissions testing to cover small trucks and SUVs, synchronized traffic signals, expanded greenways and bicycle lanes, and the air quality alert and outreach program, among others.

But we can't stop now. The EPA has since announced they will be updating the ozone standard for the first time in 10 years, putting our region at risk of not meeting the new, lower ozone limits. This means that even though our air quality has improved, the bar has been raised, and we will be seeing more "Air Alert" days than ever. With cars and trucks contributing more than 50 percent of ozone-causing air pollution, it is critical that we keep getting smarter about transportation.

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How would you feel if your family physician was a chain smoker, with a hacking cough and a cigarette hanging from his or her mouth while checking your breathing and reflexes?

What would you think when that doctor told you that you need more fresh air?

That is somewhat how it felt last month to receive the Environmental Protection Agency's report on how counties in Tennessee and nationwide rate would rate under a new federal ozone standard.

Ozone is created when sunlight reacts with emissions from vehicles, coal-fired plants and some types of manufacturing. Health officials say the resulting pollutant irritates lungs, can trigger asthma attacks and reduce lung capacity, and can contribute to heart attacks and premature death.

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State, local efforts needed to make goals
Guest Column for The Tennessean, 4.7.08
By Trip Pollard

The Environmental Protection Agency took a modest step forward this month in meeting its obligation to protect public health — it lowered the amount of ozone, a harmful pollutant, allowed in our air. By a fraction.

The EPA ignored the unanimous recommendation of its own panel of scientists and health advisers that a lower, more protective standard is needed.

EPA apparently buckled to interference by President Bush and industry lobbying. A politically based standard is illegal and sacrifices our health for the profits of special interests.

Ozone is the key component of smog; it can harm lungs, trigger asthma attacks, even increase the risk of heart disease and premature death. It is particularly harmful to children, senior citizens and people with breathing problems. Ozone also damages forests and crops. The costs of these health and environmental impacts are staggering.

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The amount of lung-irritating ozone in the air in Nashville and around the country will have to be reduced under a new federal standard announced Wednesday.

Industry groups argue that a tighter limit isn't necessary and will cost jobs and billions of dollars.

Scientists had advised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the change wouldn't go far enough to significantly reduce the heart and asthma attacks from breathing smoggy air and that an even lower level was needed.

About 345 counties nationwide, including several in Tennessee, would not be able to meet the new ozone standard today. They include Nash ville-area counties David son, Sumner, Wilson and Williamson.

They will all have years to achieve compliance.

Those that don't make the grade could be prevented from locating large new industries or other plants that emit nitrogen oxide and other ozone-creating compounds — or could require more pollution controls.

In the Nashville area, officials might have to prove that any new highway construction project would not add to the problem.

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Nashville area air is healthier
Counties' efforts reduce levels of ozone pollutant
The Tennessean, 2.20.08
By Anne Paine

Davidson and a handful of nearby counties are among 13 areas nationwide that have reduced air pollution enough to meet federal standards.

The joint planning effort, which included Sumner, Williamson, Rutherford and Wilson counties, over three years has resulted in improvements to mass transit, synchronized traffic lights and additions to greenways, bikeways and sidewalks.

While cause and effect is difficult to link, the amount of the lung-irritant ozone in the air has been reduced, officials say.

The primary objective has been to get people out of SUVs, cars and trucks, or at least convince them to drive less.

"We met all our milestones and got where we needed to be ahead of schedule," said Laura Artates, chairwoman of the nonprofit Clean Air Partnership of Middle Tennessee.

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Nashville area's hazy air seen growing unhealthy
The Tennessean, 7/31/08
By Anne Paine

Air pollution is growing today in the Nashville area, so much so that it's expected to hit a level that's unhealthy on Wednesday, officials warn.

Even the non-scientific can get an inkling of it. The air appears hazy, dulling the look in the distance of greenery on trees and lines of buildings.

The issue isn't ozone this week, but rather a build up of tiny particles that can lodge deep in a person's lung, according to Laura Artates, chair of the Clean Air Partnership of Middle Tennessee. The group, which includes representatives of state and local health departments, has issued an "orange" alert, which means "unhealthy for sensitive groups." The problem is a stagnant air mass that has settled over Middle Tennessee. "Everything coming out of people's tailpipes and everything else is just sitting in the air," Artates said.

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