Air Quality
Poor air quality from wildfire smoke poses health risks to everyone, with fine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.
The Jennings Creek wildfire on the New Jersey border has burned 5,000 acres and is far from contained.
The accident at the chemical plant spewed smoke that forced thousands to evacuate and the shuttering of schools and businesses.
Questions remain about what steps local and state regulators took to prevent an accident at the chemical plant, which has a track record of environmental violations.
A coalition of community groups led by the Georgia Conservation Voters Education Fund has organized a “Shutdown Biolab” campaign that will include a rally on Saturday.
Emergency room visits spiked, many are still advised to stay indoors at night, and businesses are losing customers.
Community activists and academic researchers have pleaded with city leaders for safety improvements along the busy road where 6-year-old John Parker died.
The company’s turbulent history leaves residents in the majority-Black Atlanta suburb of Conyers weary of its continued presence.
Public health officials insist the air, fouled by burning “chlorines, chloramine and chlorine compounds,” is safe to breathe but have released few details.
New York City summers are only getting hotter. Doctors, scientists, city planners and community advocates are looking to longer-lasting solutions to bring down the temperature and fight the public health threat of extreme heat.