Video:  Central Ala. community gets ‘F’ for air quality

Two reports released today don’t speak highly of Jefferson County’s air quality.  The first by the American Lung Association gives the county a failing grade for air pollution and high ozone levels.  A second report indicates, the poor and minorities have greater health risks due to where the bad air is concentrated. 

Jefferson County’s air pollution is concentrated in North Birmingham.  While critics of these reports say Birmingham’s air has come a long way - others believe it still has a long way to go.

North Birmingham - a bustling community – has its share of beauty and blight.  Just blocks from here - is this - an air quality monitoring station.  Both the state and the county test the air here for everything from arsenic to chloroform.  Several reports in the last couple of months indicate the air here is still polluted, a hazard to residents.

Conservation Alabama Executive Director, Adam Snyder said, “I think we have enough data, to tell us that we have to do something about this.“

Snyder agrees, Jefferson County’s air is improving - but because of the significant number of air polluting facilities in one area - it doesn’t bode well for this community.

Snyder said, “So right here in North Birmingham is a place where people are more adversely affected and we want to see the rules change in order to take that into account, the cumulative affect of air pollution.“

Alabama Power Spokesperson, Michael Sznajderman said, “Unfortunately this report doesn’t reflect the latest numbers.“
Sznajderman said the utility is doing it’s part to improve air quality including a one-point-six billion dollar infrastructure upgrade.

Sznajderman said, “We have coal fire plants around the Birmingham area and we do have emissions from those plants but we have been reducing those emissions for years.“

Residents and schools are caught in the middle.  Four schools and their children including North Birmingham elementary have greater health risks due to the pollution.  That’s where the Jefferson County Health Department comes in…

Jefferson County Health Department, Sam Bell said, “We do realize those that are exposed in close proximity to those monitoring sites are picking up bad air quality we’re obligated to help fix and alleviate that problem.“

According to the health department, for the first time in 25 years, the county did meet the federal government’s ozone standard.  But then the government raised it.  However the county predicts it won’t meet the fine particles standard, but hopes to come up with a plan to comply by 2012.