Birmingham area receives poor grades on air quality report
An annual report card on air quality found that Jefferson County has some of the worst air pollution in the southeast.
The American Lung Association’s 2023 State of the Air report used research from the Environmental Protection Agency to measure air quality by year-round particle pollution, short-term particle pollution and ozone quality.
Together, Birmingham, Hoover, and Talladega nationally ranked as the 18th worst area for year-round particle pollution and the 35th worst area for high ozone days.
Jefferson County received an F rating for its high ozone days. Even though the county has had fewer high ozone days since the 2000s, it still doesn’t have a passing grade from the ALA.
From 2005-2007, Jefferson County saw an annual weighted average number of 44.7 high ozone days, but saw 4.3 days in 2019-2021.
According to Ashley Lyerly, Senior Director of Advocacy at ALA, Jefferson County has seen steady improvement over the years.
“Having hotter temperatures is making it harder for us to clean up our ozone. And so I think having fewer unhealthy days is great, but still we’re falling behind the nation as it relates to our ozone,” Lyerly said.
Jefferson County received a B rating for 24 hour particle pollution, and a passing grade for annual particle pollution.
“So we’re not getting worse. But I still think we can do a lot as a county, as a state, as a city, as a nation,” Lyerly said.
Lyerly credited the nation’s air quality improvement to the Clean Air Act.
She said continued use of coal power plants and diesel engines are the main causes of local air pollution.
ALA is pushing the EPA to extend their emission standards to reduce pollution that results from the oil and gas industry.
She said individuals can reduce air pollution by moving away from the use of diesel and gasoline vehicles, conserving power and avoiding burning leaves, trash and wood.
Mark Zuckerberg defends Meta in court against monopoly claims
In Zuckerberg's second day of testifying in the federal antitrust trial, he defended Meta's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The U.S. government wants Meta to bust up the two companies.
Three wildly different artists crack the top 10 for the first time
Surprises nevertheless abound in the top 10, as a vinyl reissue lands cult singer-songwriter Ethel Cain on the Billboard 200 for the first time ever and two artists — Alex Warren and BigXthaPlug — experience their first-ever top 10 singles.
Trump moves to speed up asylum cases without court hearings
The memo could result in immigration judges deciding someone is not eligible for asylum without a hearing, and based solely on a lengthy and complex asylum request form.
Photos: Two years of war in Sudan
Images of Sudan, after two years of civil war have led to the world biggest humanitarian crisis.
Melinda French Gates on what billionaires with ‘absurd’ wealth owe back to society
In a new memoir, French Gates writes about the end of her marriage to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and her ongoing philanthropic work, directing funds and attention to women's health initiatives.
Trump plans order to cut funding for NPR and PBS
President Trump and GOP members of Congress have accused the public broadcasters of biased and "woke" programming. The president plans a rescission, which would give Congress 45 days to approve the directive or allow funding to be restored.
