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Smartertimes 14 Nov 2001

A brief item in the metro section of today's New York Times reports on a study released by the Sierra Club. "A study released yesterday by the Sierra Club showed that New York City produces less smog per person than any other major city in the United States," the Times reports. "A principle reason: New York is the only state that spends more money on mass transit systems than on new roads, the report found . . . . Increasing levels of smog nationwide in the past decade have been linked to numerous respiratory problems, including pneumonia and asthma, the group said."

Never mind the misuse of the word "principle" (the Times should be sent to the principal.) Never mind even the fact that the Times writes about the Sierra Club study without seeking comment from or including a response from sources that may take a different view of spending on roads, such as the auto makers or the American Automobile Association.

What's really stunning here is the Times reference to "Increasing levels of smog nationwide in the past decade."

In fact, while there may be a few local exceptions, the nationwide levels of every major airborne pollutant measured by the Environmental Protection Agency have decreased in the past decade. The Sierra Club study the Times is talking about is available online at  http://www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/report01/summary.asp. That study cites in its footnotes an EPA study, which is also available online in PDF format at http://www.epa.gov/oar/aqtrnd99/PDF%20Files/Chapter1.pdf  . The EPA reports that from 1990 to 1999, the national air quality concentration of carbon monoxide was down 36 percent. Lead was down 60 percent. Nitrogen dioxide was down 10 percent. Ozone was down 4 percent. Particulate matter was down 18 percent. Sulfur dioxide was down 36 percent.

If you look at the period 1980 to 1999, the decline in airborne pollutants is even more dramatic. Carbon monoxide is down 57 percent over that period. Lead is down 94 percent. Nitrogen dioxide is down 25 percent. Ozone is down 20 percent. Sulfur dioxode is down 50 percent.

Given this data, it's misleading to speak of "increasing levels of smog nationwide in the past decade

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