Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
Marshall Cohen—researcher and producer, CNN
Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
AIR QUALITY
AIR QUALITY. The City of Dubuque in 2017 had come a long way in improving the quality of air. Between 2005 and 2009, the community had nearly exceeded federal standards for particulate matter in the air. With the possibility of the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) beginning regulatory measures, the city agreed to participate in a program of voluntary measures to improve air quality.
In 2010 the air-monitoring station in Potosi, Wisconsin began showing air pollution in Dubuque beginning to drop. That information was sent to the E.P.A. to validate the city's efforts. Particulate matter steadily declined from 2010 to 2016. Particulate matter is composed of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Dust, dirt, and smoke are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. Electron microscopes are needed to find small particles which, lodged in the lung, can cause respiratory damage. Total emissions fell 32% from 2008 to 2014. The largest reductions in air pollution comes from industries, electric utilities, and transportation. ALLIANT ENERGY in 2011 and the JOHN DEERE DUBUQUE WORKS in 2013 switched from coal to cleaner burning natural gas. In 2013 the city spent $67.8 million retrofitting its wastewater treatment plant. Vehicle emissions fell more than 20% between 2008 and 2014.
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Source:
Barton, Thomas. "City Breathes Easier," Telegraph Herald, November, 14, 2017, p. 1A