Air quality is getting better in Michigan, according to a new report from the American Lung Association. The association’s annual ‘State of the Air’ report says ozone and particle pollution rates have eased in Michigan during the past decade. Lansing and Saginaw have some of the cleanest air among U.S. cities.
Shelly Kiser is with the American Lung Association. She says the report’s not all good news.
"Obviously there is still a lot of work to be done…we still have a lot of bad pollution areas.”
Kiser says more than a dozen Michigan cities have serious problems with ozone and particle pollution. Detroit is among the top 20 U.S. cities for air pollution. Grand Rapids and Holland also rank high on the list of U.S. cities for ozone pollution.
Kiser says, despite the problems, the extent of air pollution is lessening, thanks in part to the federal Clean Air Act.
“Obviously we still have a lot of bad grades in Michigan, but there were a lot of improvements happening. The Clean Air Act is working.”
Kiser is worried that congressional efforts to weaken or defund the Environmental Protection Agency might negatively affect enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
