Reno Faces Air Quality Challenges Amid Growing Development
Air quality in Reno is under scrutiny as the annual report by the American Lung Association highlights concerning findings. The city’s rapid development is identified as a significant factor contributing to the deteriorating air quality.
Melissa Ramos, a senior manager at the American Lung Association, explains that multiple sources contribute to the pollution in Reno. “It could be coming from dust, in construction, diesel exhaust from, diesel buses and heavy duty trucks. And then we also, of course, see it more commonly from wildfire smoke. And that’s very common in Reno,” she noted.
Northern Nevada Public Health is actively working to inform residents about air quality issues. The agency not only monitors the air quality but also issues advisories to keep the community informed, according to Ben McMullen, an air quality specialist at Northern Nevada Public Health. These advisories help the public understand when air quality levels are poor.
McMullen elaborates on the advisory system, “There are multiple stages of emergency episodes based on pollution levels usually issued due to PM 2.5, which is the primary component in wildfire smoke. Stage one being the lowest emergency episodes, stage four being the highest.”
Efforts to reach the Spanish-speaking community include providing advisories in Spanish. Yeraldin Deavila, a communication specialist with the agency, emphasized the importance of accessible information. “We try to provide information in Spanish on our majority of topics. The majority of our information is translated and sent to a list of Spanish-speaking media. We also publish it on our website. And in addition to that, we also posted on our dedicated Facebook page that’s in Spanish called NNPH En Espanol,” she explained.
Deavila underlines their responsibility to ensure the information is not only translated but also culturally relevant and clear. This approach helps the community make informed health decisions.
Addressing the pollution from diesel emissions, Ramos points to the necessity of cleaner alternatives. The Nevada Clean Energy Fund supports this transition by offering technical and financial resources for clean energy projects.
Several clean energy initiatives are in place, including incentives for homeowners and businesses. Earlier this year, Nevada passed two bills to enhance solar energy access. One bill supports the Nevada Clean Energy Fund’s efforts to clean up school buses, while the other focuses on expanding solar panel installation on affordable housing.
Ramos notes the significance of these bills, particularly for low-income neighborhoods disproportionately affected by air pollution. “So this is especially important because we know that low income neighborhoods are disproportionately impacted by air pollution. And so knowing that this bill is going to provide solar access to these communities is going to be a huge win, not only for those families, but also just air quality across the state,” she stated.
By providing incentives for landlords to install solar panels, these measures aim to improve air quality and offer cleaner energy solutions to communities that otherwise might not have access.
