MADISON, Wis. — Air Quality in Wisconsin is improving according to a recent Department of Natural Resources Study.

The Wisconsin DNR's 2020 Air Quality Trends Report showed a continued trend of a decline in air federally regulated air contaminants in Wisconsin. It showed that 95% of Wisconsin's population lives in areas with air quality standards accepted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

“The air we're actually breathing right now is the cleanest it's been in decades,” said Craig Czarnecki, outreach coordinator for the Wisconsin DNR Air Program.

Air quality for contaminants harmful to human health has been decreasing for decades, since the passage of the Clean Air Act 50 years ago.

“That's done a lot of great things across the country and of course here in Wisconsin as well for improving air quality,” Czarnecki said.

The DNR attributes the improvement of air quality largely to federal and state regulations.

Because of those regulations and a decade's long trend in improving air quality, Tracey Holloway, a professor with the University of Wisconsin Nelson Institute and in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.

“I think a lot of people don't realize that air pollution is really a success story in much of the United States,” Holloway said.

Holloway said improving air quality has a big impact on public health. She said the two biggest issues are respiratory disease and premature mortality.

The biggest issue for premature mortality is fine particulate matter or PM2.5. Cutting down on those contaminants is especially important during the Coronavirus Pandemic.

“Studies have shown that even a small increase in exposure to PM2.5 can lead to worse outcomes with COVID-19 exposure,” Holloway said.

Ground-level ozone is most associated with respiratory disease.

“For example, people may check into the emergency room with asthma attacks more frequently on days where we have high ozone,” Holloway said.

Much of Wisconsin's ozone pollution happens along the Lake Michigan coast. Ozone is chemically produced over the lake with help from pollution in large cities along the coast.

The American Lung Association ranks Sheboygan as the 22nd worst city in the U.S. For ozone pollution and Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha as the 24th. 

The DNR said that since 2001 the lakeshore area has improved for ozone levels by 25%. However, it's also the areas that are the five percent of the state still not up to EPA air quality standards.

“So that area is improving, but it's still an area of focus for the department and for other agencies as well,” Czarnecki said.

The DNR is highlighting several drops in pollutants shown from 2002 to 2017. Among them are A 63% drop in emissions of nitrogen oxides and a 58% drop in volatile organic compounds — the compounds that form ground-level ozone.

The DNR is also highlighting an 89% drop in sulfur dioxide, largely from reductions in the energy sector and a nearly 60% reduction in carbon monoxide emissions, largely from more efficient highway vehicles.

Holloway said while there is still a ways to go for air quality, Wisconsin and the U.S. Are on the right trajectory.

“The public health research is showing that as your air is getting cleaner and cleaner, people are getting healthier and healthier,” Holloway said.

However, she said there is still a long way to go to control carbon for climate change. Holloway said the federal standards target pollutants harmful to human health, not necessarily harmful to the climate. So it results with the end of pipe technologies designed to burn the same fuel, but pull out the health-damaging emissions.

“That's been really good for cleaning our air, but it may be a missed opportunity,” Holloway said. “Because if we do things to reduce carbon they also make our air cleaner, so we could be getting a win-win.”

The DNR encourages people to take steps where they can to help keep the air clean. They suggest people avoid burning leaf piles, use a shovel instead of a snowblower for light snowfall, and unplug electronics when not in use among other steps. They have more suggestions on their website.