Illinois EPA Releases Annual Air Quality Report For Calendar Year 2008

Today, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued its Air Quality Report for calendar year 2008.  The report reinforces the good news that this blog reported last month (see here and here) that the air quality in Illinois has gotten better.

The IEPA reports:

"In terms of the Air Quality Index (AQI) air quality during 2008 was either good or moderate 96 percent of the time throughout Illinois.  There were no days when air quality in some part of Illinois was considered Unhealthy (category Red).  This compares with one Unhealthy day in 2007.  There were 14 days (10 for PM2.5 and 4 for the new 8-hour ozone standard) when air quality in some part of Illinois was considered Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (category Orange).  This compares with 24 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups days reported in 2007. However, based on the new ozone and PM2.5 AQI adjustments implemented in 2008 there would have been 45 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups days in 2007.  Air quality trends for the criteria pollutants are continuing to show downward trends or stable trends well below the level of the standards.  Percentage changes over the ten year period 1999 – 2008 are as follows: Particulate Matter (PM10) 14 percent decrease, Particulate Matter (PM2.5) 20 percent decrease, Sulfur Dioxide 15 percent decrease, Nitrogen Dioxide 13 percent decrease, Carbon Monoxide 47 percent decrease, Lead 18 percent decrease, and Ozone 12 percent decrease."

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.