Birmingham Air Quality Questioned
A new report says Birmingham is on track to rank among the nation’s smoggiest cities in 2011.
The Birmingham News reports that Environment America, a coalition of environmental advocacy organizations, examined smog statistics in several cities.
The group’s report looked at the number of days ozone pollution rose above the official level the Environmental Protection Agency considers unhealthy for children, the elderly and people with respiratory disease.
By Aug. 21, when the group’s comparison period ended, the Birmingham metro area had recorded 15 air quality alert days, including one red-alert day when smog reached levels considered harmful to the general public.
The group said the city ranked 14th in smog, the same rank given to Chicago, Houston, Knoxville, Louisville and Tulsa.
