What is it about?
Maryland implemented its state legislation in 2009, the Health Air Act, which reduced emissions of air pollutants from power plants by 90%. Its efforts on improving local air quality have been evaluated using data from EPA monitoring network, aircraft measurements, and satellite observations. Levels of short-lived air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) have been improved substantially, while this legislation has limited impacts on reduction of long-lived species such as PM2.5.
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Why is it important?
The different responses of air pollutants to the reduction of power plants' emissions reveal that the SO2 pollution is a local issue, while PM2.5 pollution is more regional. Therefore, the future legislation about air pollution should design individual control measure for specific air pollutant with different atmospheric lifetime.
Perspectives
This study for the first time identified impacts from a state legislation to air pollution. For a small state such as Maryland, its air quality issue can not be solved by its own efforts, but need collaboration with neighboring states especially for the regional PM2.5 pollution.
Dr. Hao He
University of Maryland at College Park
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Response of SO2and particulate air pollution to local and regional emission controls: A case study in Maryland, Earth s Future, April 2016, American Geophysical Union (AGU),
DOI: 10.1002/2015ef000330.
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