Oct 9, 2009 7:05 pm US/Eastern
EPA: 13 NJ Counties Among Worst Air Quality In US
Federal Officials Order Garden State To Clean Up Air, Reduce Dangerous Emissions Within 5 Years
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Something's in the air in New Jersey, and it's so bad that more than five million residents could face serious health problems.
Now, the feds are warning officials in 13 New Jersey counties to clean up their acts.
Thirteen counties in New Jersey, including Bergen, Hudson and Union, have some of the worst air qualities in the nation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The air is so bad, in fact, that it violates federal standards and officials say long-term exposure can aggravate asthma, trigger heart attacks and even result in death.
"It says 'Warning: our area is dangerous to human beings and is harmful for plants and animals as well,'" Jeff Tittel, of the Sierra Club, said.
Tittel says that what's shocking about the EPA report is that it blames the dangerous air quality on things we can control, like particles emitted from power plants, factories, trucks and cars. Tittel says the government isn't doing enough.
"[The report] should be an alarm and wakeup call to the people in New Jersey, and people around the country, that we're not doing enough when it comes to protecting our air and protecting our health," Tittel said.
Kearny resident Joe Teagno suffers from asthma, and he says the EPA findings come as no shock to him.
"I'm not surprised. I think it's bad in the summer, and kind of in the spring – whenever it gets hot," Teagno said. "In the winter, it's fine to me."
Still, federal officials are warning New Jersey that it had better clean up its dirty air in five years.
New Jersey is densely populated, and Tittel says it has more trucks per square mile and refineries close to where people live.
State Department of Environmental Protection officials say they're already retrofitting diesel burning garbage trucks and requiring coal-burning plants to install new filters.
Another source of particle emissions is smoke from fireplaces or burning stoves. New Jersey Officials say they're considering "no burn" days in the near future.
The New Jersey EPA says the state is also planning on proposing a reduction in sulfur content of home heating oil.
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