Air Quality Reporting
Activists demand shutdown of Detroit hazardous waste facility with long violation history
US Ecology has received dozens of state violations for air quality noncompliance at the Frederick Street facility since 2014.
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Trump’s EPA targets Biden’s soot rule
Air monitors in Southwest Detroit, Dearborn and Downriver regularly show levels above the EPA’s new threshold, Planet Detroit reported last year.
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Trump exempts Zug Island’s EES Coke Battery from new pollution rules for 2 years
In May, Planet Detroit reported that EES Coke Battery was offered a two-year exemption by the Trump administration from deadlines to comply with air pollution standards.
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Polluters seize opportunity when EPA enforcement stalls during shutdowns
Though the current political showdown is nearing an end, new research shows that government shutdowns leave polluting legacies.
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The EPA let companies estimate their own pollution levels. The real numbers are far worse.
In a move that stunned environmentalists, the Trump administration halted an EPA initiative aimed at monitoring emissions from 20 industrial facilities.
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City must act against Aevitas oil treatment facility that caught fire: Detroit councilmember
A Detroit firefighter was injured during the response to the June 30 fire at Aevitas Specialty Services, which took about seven hours to bring under control.
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State regulators want EPA to ignore wildfire-smoke ozone spikes in Detroit
In a bid to maintain air quality compliance, Michigan’s environmental agency seeks to exclude four days of ozone data, attributing the spikes to Canadian wildfire smoke rather than local pollution.
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Day of the Dead altar at DIA spotlights air pollution’s human impact
The artists will discuss their work at a Nov. 2 panel discussion at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
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Ypsilanti City Council calls for halt to University of Michigan data center project
Ypsilanti council opposes University of Michigan data center with resolution that draws attention to potential environmental impacts and Los Alamos’ nuclear weapons work.
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Protestors call for closure of concrete plant in Detroit’s Cadillac Heights: ’24/7 noise’
Since a concrete plant owned by the Moroun family was built in Cadillac Heights in 2022, residents have complained of dust, blight and noise.
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Detroiters describe citywide struggle with truck traffic: ‘Our streets are sinking’
Children living within two blocks of I-75 have asthma rates 25% to 42% higher than those living further away from major roads, says Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation’s Rachel Marquez.
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Detroit cracks down on Southwest truck traffic with new restrictions: Activist ‘beyond thrilled’
The truck restrictions could be expanded beyond Southwest Detroit, where “the issue is most severe,” says city’s infrastructure chief.
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Government shutdown paralyzes EPA protection of air, water, land
A scientific study of pollution from about 200 coal-fired power plants during the 2018-2019 government shutdown found they “significantly increased their particulate matter emissions due to the EPA’s furlough.”
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EPA, EES Coke Battery are $135 million apart on Clean Air Act penalties as Zug Island pollution trial ends
The EPA is seeking a $140 million civil penalty against Zug Island’s EES Coke Battery, while the facility and its owner DTE Energy propose a $5 million penalty.
Keep readingDTE’s Zug Island operation switched fuel sources after damage to facility: Court testimony
EES Coke Battery on Zug Island switched to coke oven gas as its exclusive fuel source after damage to the facility was discovered around 2011 and 2012, according to federal court testimony.
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EES Coke Battery exec: Pollution controls cost more than Zug Island facility is worth
EES Coke Battery’s net worth is about $135 million to $155 million, executive vice president testifies Thursday.
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DTE Energy witness defends Detroit’s air quality in Zug Island trial testimony
Toxicologist Kathryn Kelly agrees with statement that Detroit’s air quality is “very good” in Wednesday testimony.
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Washtenaw communities fight data center developments: ‘Not soft touches’
Data center proposals in Washtenaw County force local officials to weigh in on massive developments that could bring significant local tax revenue — and transform rural landscapes.
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48217 resident testifies about life near Zug Island: ‘Your eyes burn’
Theresa Landrum, who’s lived in Detroit’s 48217 zip code her entire life, says her environmental activism is a “personal necessity” in Zug Island pollution trial testimony.
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DTE Energy lawyer asks judge to decide on utility’s liability for Zug Island air pollution
DTE’s motion comes during the bench trial of an EPA lawsuit over sulfur dioxide emissions from EES Coke Battery on Zug Island.
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Pollution controls would cut sulfur dioxide from Zug Island by 95%: EPA engineer
Until pollution controls are installed, a Zug Island facility will continue to emit about 3,000 tons of sulfur dioxide per year, an EPA environmental engineer says in court testimony.
Keep readingZug Island pollution causes premature deaths, Harvard epidemiologist says
A Harvard epidemiologist testifies on the social costs incurred by air pollution from Zug Island’s EES Coke Battery.
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Zug Island’s EES Coke Battery singlehandedly put air quality over federal limits: Expert testimony
An air quality expert testifies about a computer-generated model used to evaluate pollution from Zug Island.
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EPA seeks $140 million penalty against DTE Energy in Zug Island pollution trial
A trial witness says he’s “very comfortable” stating that DTE Energy can pay a nine-figure penalty to resolve an EPA lawsuit over Zug Island pollution.
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The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures how clean or polluted the air is and what health effects might be a concern. It ranges from 0 to 500, with higher numbers meaning worse air quality.
- 🟢 0–50: Good – Air quality is satisfactory.
- 🟡 51–100: Moderate – Sensitive individuals may notice effects.
- 🟠 101–150: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups – Children, older adults, and those with respiratory conditions should limit outdoor activity.
- 🔴 151–200: Unhealthy – Everyone may begin to experience effects.
- 🟣 201–300: Very Unhealthy – Avoid outdoor activity if possible.
- ⚫ 301–500: Hazardous – Health warnings of emergency conditions.
- Limit outdoor activity, especially exercise.
- Use an N95 mask outdoors if needed.
- Keep windows closed and use air purifiers indoors.
- Check local AQI forecasts daily.