Report Shows Twin Cities Getting Better Grades In Air Pollution
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A report released Wednesday by the American Lung Association shows the Twin Cities is making progress in fighting air pollution.
The report, called the "State of the Air" report, shows that the Minneapolis-St. Paul-St. Cloud region is ranked 42nd nationally among 235 metro areas across the nation. It's a slight improvement from last year, when the region was ranked the 36th most polluted in the country.
In a different analysis of 220 metro areas, the Twin Cities was ranked 116th most polluted, improving from 104th, and Rochester was ranked 140th.
The report looks at air quality data over a three-year span, with the latest analysis coming from 2009 to 2011. It shows Ramsey County had a slight improvement in overall air quality, while Anoka and Washington Counties suffered a slight drop in air quality.
Officials said the air quality is improving in the Twin Cities because of the increased use of E-85 in cars, biodiesel and electric vehicles, decreased use of coal for energy production and controls on emission sources.
The report shows Duluth and Rochester were among the country's cleanest cities for ozone pollution.
