clean air act

Air pollution still plagues nearly half of Americans. That does a number on our health

5:56pm April 23, 2025

Despite improvements in air quality in past decades, 156 million Americans still breathe in too much soot or ozone, says the annual State of the Air report from the American Lung Association.

President Biden speaks with Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne of Iowa, right, and Jack Mitchell, regional vice president of POET Bioprocessing during a visit to its plant in Menlo, Iowa, where he announced the EPA would ease restrictions on fuel containing E15 e

Biden will ease restrictions on higher-ethanol fuel as inflation hits a 40-year high

7:05pm April 12, 2022

by Eric McDaniel

E15 fuel is normally banned from sale in the warmer summer months because of concerns about air pollution. Biden said the U.S. will invest $100

Air pollution is a persistent problem in California's Central Valley. A new study finds that the places that were most polluted nearly 40 years ago generally remain the most polluted today.

Science

Air Quality Disparities Persist Despite Overall Gains

2:14pm July 30, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

A new study finds that the U.S. places with the most polluted air in the 1980s remain the most polluted today. Poor people and people of color are more likely to live in places with dirty air.

Wildfires caused high levels of air pollution in San Francisco in November 2018. Climate change is making wildfires and heat waves more likely, and driving more days of unhealthy air in many U.S. cities.

Science

Climate Change Undercuts Air Pollution Improvements

12:02am April 21, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

More Americans are breathing unhealthy air, even though overall air pollution has decreased in recent decades. In the tug-of-war between air regulations and climate change, global warming is winning.

Environmental Protection Agency administrator Andrew Wheeler speaks during a television interview in front of the West Wing of the White House, on Sept. 19, 2019. Wheeler has threatened to withdraw billions of dollars in federal highway money unless Calif

Trump Administration Escalates Battle Over Environmental Regulations With California

3:35pm September 24, 2019

by Jeff Brady

The Trump administration threatens to cut federal highway dollars for California over air pollution.

Bill Wehrum, the Environmental Protection Agencys top air policy official, said he is stepping down at the end of June.

Top Clean-Air Official Plans To Step Down From EPA Post Amid Ethics Probe

4:53pm June 26, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

Bill Wehrum, who last week scored a victory for coal industry supporters by rolling back Obama-era power plant emissions rules, is leaving his post at the end of the month.

Smog filled Utah's Salt Lake Valley in January 2017. Winter weather in the area often traps air pollution that is bad for public health.

EPA Science Panel Considering Guidelines That Upend Basic Air Pollution Science

9:06pm March 28, 2019

by Rebecca Hersher

Some panel members said they don't agree that breathing sooty air can cause premature death. The panel's draft recommendations to the EPA would change how it assesses the dangers of air pollution.