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The document outlines how breathing or ingesting chemicals in coal ash can damage every major organ in the human body. It provides a detailed breakdown of how specific substances—including heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and mercury, as well as PM2.5 particles—contribute to cancers, reproductive issues, and neurological damage.

The document highlights how the lack of specific zoning definitions for last-mile warehouses in New York City allows developers to build facilities "as-of-right" in manufacturing and C8 districts without public input or environmental review. This has led to a concentration of warehouses in low-income, predominantly Black and Hispanic/Latinx neighborhoods, exacerbating air pollution from diesel trucks and increasing asthma rates. The Last Mile Coalition proposes a city-wide text amendment to require special permits, ensure setbacks from sensitive sites like schools and public housing, and mandate mitigation measures such as the use of electric vehicles or waterways.

The report details how coal ash, particularly fly ash, contains toxic metals and radioactive materials that pose severe health risks when inhaled as fugitive dust. It highlights the lack of federal regulations for dust control at landfills and ponds, noting that state-level requirements are often inadequate. The document provides case studies of impacted communities, including the Moapa River Indian Reservation and Uniontown, Alabama, and calls for a transition to renewable energy and the establishment of enforceable federal standards to mitigate these hazards.

The report details how coal ash, the second-largest industrial waste stream in the U.S., contains toxic heavy metals that leach into groundwater and surface water or become airborne as fugitive dust. It highlights the inadequacy of current state-level regulations and the failure of unlined disposal ponds, citing numerous 'damage cases' where communities have suffered from contaminated drinking water and ecological collapse. The authors advocate for a transition away from wet storage and unencapsulated reuse, calling for federal standards to protect susceptible populations, particularly children and low-income communities.

The document examines the transition from diesel-powered transit buses to hybrid-electric alternatives, highlighting significant reductions in emissions and fuel consumption. It details the technical differences between series and parallel hybrid configurations and analyzes the financial barriers to adoption, noting that while hybrid buses have a higher purchase price, federal grants and lower operational costs mitigate these expenses. By 2006, over 900 hybrid buses were in service across more than 40 North American transit agencies.

The guide outlines a 45-minute workshop designed to initiate local idle reduction programs in school districts. It argues that while school buses are safer and more efficient than private cars, diesel exhaust poses significant health risks, particularly to children. The curriculum focuses on debunking myths about idling, explaining the health impacts of particulate matter, and providing implementation strategies such as policy enforcement and the use of auxiliary heaters.

The document examines how U.S. government-led research, simulation tools, and public-private partnerships between 1981 and 2011 drove significant improvements in diesel engine efficiency and emissions. It highlights the economic benefits of these investments, noting that less than $1 billion in funding generated over $70 billion in economic returns, while reducing heavy-duty truck emissions and increasing fuel economy.

The research paper examines how urban forests influence air quality and public health. It highlights that trees improve air quality by directly removing gaseous pollutants and particulate matter, and indirectly by reducing urban heat island effects and building energy demand. However, it notes that trees can also emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and pollen, and may trap pollutants near emission sources like roadways if not designed correctly. The paper concludes that while the overall effect is positive, local forest design is critical to maximize health benefits.

The document provides technical instructions for using the IBC tab in LEAP settings to manage health impact calculations and particulate matter scaling. It details how to create Key Assumption Branches to switch between different versions of the Global Burden of Disease relative risk functions (2010, 2015, 2019), two different PM scaling methods (including one based on van Donkelaar, 2016), and IIASA ECLIPSE background emission scenarios (versions 5 or 6).

The document outlines the requirements for using the Integrated Benefit Calculator (IBC) with LEAP, specifying that it supports 161 countries and requires national or multi-national scale areas. It details the necessary pollutant accounting—including CO2, methane, and various short-lived climate pollutants—and the specific data structure (Tree branches) required for the tool to function. Once configured, IBC allows users to analyze premature mortality, crop losses, and temperature changes based on geographic sources and pollutant contributions.

The document outlines the consultation process for the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) program of Estonia's Transport and Mobility Development Plan 2021–2030. It details specific requests from the Environmental Board, Ministry of the Environment, and other bodies to include assessments of climate change impacts (floods and storms), air pollution (PM10 and PM2.5), and the cumulative effects of transport projects. The program was updated to include the Estonian Maritime Strategy, Natura 2000 assessment procedures, and the 'blue network' in its scope, while clarifying that the development plan remains a high-level strategic document rather than a detailed action plan.

The document details two environmental justice studies. The first analyzed PM2.5 emissions from natural gas and coal-fired power plants in the Northeast US between 2011 and 2015. The second used GIS buffer analysis to determine if low-income households and people of color live closer to PFAS-contaminated facilities than white or higher-income households in the US and Michigan. Findings for PFAS contamination show that in Michigan, 48.72% of households within five miles of a contaminated site are low-income, compared to 14.51% statewide. Nationally, people of color represent 34.59% of the population within three miles of PFAS sites, compared to 27.03% of the general US population.

The San Joaquin Valley faces severe air quality issues, with Bakersfield and Merced identified as the most ozone-polluted cities in the US in 2003. The region failed to meet federal health standards for fine particulate matter by 2004, with agriculture and heavy transport identified as primary emission sources.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) has established a list of 1,508 Priority Outreach Districts across the United States to prioritize free, deep technical assistance for school bus electrification. These districts are selected based on criteria related to income, race, air pollution levels, and tribal status to address systemic inequities in air pollution exposure. WRI provides these districts with tailored support covering road-mapping, procurement, and utility coordination, while offering generalized guidance to other districts.