North Dakota’s air quality earns straight A’s from American Lung Association

(5/01/08)

The American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” Annual Report for 2008, released on May 1, gave seven North Dakota counties “A” grades for lack of ozone, also known as smog, and five counties “A” grades for lack of particulates, also known as soot.

The counties, which are chosen because of major population centers or proximity to national parks and grasslands, include Billings, Burke, Burleigh, Cass, Dunn, McKenzie, Mercer and Oliver. The last two counties are home to five of the state’s seven power plants and the nation’s only lignite-to-natural-gas synfuels plant.

“North Dakotans breathe some of the cleanest air in the United States, in part because of emissions control technologies at the state’s seven coal-based power plants,” said Steve Van Dyke, communications director for Partners for Affordable Energy. “The lignite industry provides 28,000 jobs in North Dakota, $2.8 billion in total business activity, $100 million annually in state taxes and clean, affordable energy to more than two million people in the Upper Midwest while ensuring that mines and plants are compatible with the environment.”

Utilities in North Dakota have invested more than $800 million in technology to protect the environment and spend $60 million annually to operate it. Four power plants have announced plans to invest another $700 million in new technologies to further reduce emissions.

The American Lung Association is not alone in its assessment of North Dakota’s air quality. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also designated North Dakota as one of only 13 states to meet all of the nation’s strict federal ambient air quality standards.

To see the American Lung Association’s 2008 report, log on to: http://www.stateoftheair.org/.