ABSTRACT
Good air quality is essential for public health. Federal planning for air quality began with the Clean Air Act of 1970, which focused on setting and enforcing risk-based standards and emissions limits for the six criteria pollutants: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxide, ozone, particulates, and sulfur dioxide. Children breathe even more air per pound of body weight and are more susceptible to air pollution. In addition, dirty air can increase the frequency and effects of asthma attacks, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer, and circulatory problems. Through the State Implementation Plan, the state is responsible for ensuring that metropolitan planning organizations adopt transportation plans that maintain attainment or move toward attainment of national air-quality standards. Metropolitan areas can pursue sustainable land-use policies that promote transit-oriented development, mix residential and commercial development, encourage pedestrian-oriented neotraditional development design, target infill development and redeveloping downtowns, and discourage the outward sprawl of suburbs.
