Good air quality protects the health and the environment of Iowans. Iowa’s air quality has significantly improved since 1990, with sulfur dioxide emissions down by 60 percent and nitrogen oxides decreasing by 43 percent. These positive developments have occurred even though the number of emission sources and industries has increased.
Forty years ago, 13 Iowa counties contained areas that could not meet national air quality standards. Today, only two counties are in nonattainment status, and they are working with the DNR to control emissions, reduce dust from roads, modify equipment and change operations. As a result, we can expect the downward trend in emissions to continue.
Find more on Iowa’s air quality trends at www.iowadnr.gov/airmonitoring.