Steve Burns
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON – (WMAL) While D.C. has plenty of region-wide problems on its plate, air quality is not one of them, according to a new report from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. This summer marked the fourth straight year without a Code Red day, indicating air quality never reached a point of being dangerous to the general population.
“Things may be different in other parts of the country where they may have code reds,” Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Air Program Chief Jen Desimone told WMAL. “They may even see things like Code Purple, which is even higher. We are actually doing very well in comparison.”
The region did see 13 Code Orange days, indicating air quality dangerous for children and the elderly. But in a region that experienced over 50 days of temperatures above 90 degrees this summer, it’s an accomplishment, Desimone said.
“Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia have different types of programs to reduce those ground-level ozones,” she said. Those, combined with federal and local-level rules have made for a drastic change over 20 years, she said.
“We have very educated residents in this area,” she said. “A lot of them are doing things like teleworking, carpooling, refueling their vehicles after dark.”
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: National Parks Service)
