Air pollution kiosk in Badlands National Park

Reminder: today’s the last day to send in comments on North Dakota’s plan to clean up air pollution in national parks and wilderness areas in five states. In South Dakota, Badlands National Park and Wind Cave National Park are affected.

Air pollution is enough of a problem in Badlands National Park that there’s an information kiosk about it in the park (photo).

What’s North Dakota doing that creates air pollution in five states? Burning a lot of coal. The plan North Dakota wants to put in place would reduce some of the air pollution from its coal plants, but at its current rate of reducing pollution, would take far, far beyond 2064 to reach clean air.

2064 is a key year in the Clean Air Act rules that require the clean up plan. The plan is related to our nation’s laws that protect us from air pollution.

Nevertheless, North Dakota’s Director of the Division of Air Quality thinks the state’s plan would do enough. You can read his views in this article.

You can send comments on the plan today to
Terry O’Clair
Director, Division of Air Quality
North Dakota Department of Health
toclair@nd.gov

The North Dakota Department of Health requests that emailed comments also be sent to them in hardcopy: 918 East Divide Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58501.

As the kiosk in Badlands National Park says, “You can help to clear the air. Conserve electricity. Carpool. Recycle. And involve yourself in air quality issues.”