Local air monitoring: Difference between revisions

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Th City of Newport News hired Froehling and Robertson Inc., a Richmond-based chemical engineering firm, to quantify the amount of coal in airborne particles. The study was in response to a coal dust-related complaint to the Newport News City Council by the Garden-Shores Civic League.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1954 04 12 Page 3.pdf|Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector]], ''Daily Press'', April 4, 1954.</ref><ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 09 21 Page 3.pdf|Study of Air Pollution Set to Start Soon]], ''Daily Press'', September 21, 1956.</ref> Froehling and Robertson Inc. installed ten dust collection stations in the Stuart Gardens-Christopher Shores area of Southeast Newport News. Each station consisted of two-foot square glass plates coated with a neutral paper and mounted on outdoor platforms. Every few days, technicians removed the paper coatings to analyze the settled particles in a laboratory for the presence of coal. Samples were collected for 30 days.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 10 04 Page 3.pdf|10 Dust Collection Stations]], ''Daily Press'', October 4, 1956.</ref>  
Th City of Newport News hired Froehling and Robertson Inc., a Richmond-based chemical engineering firm, to quantify the amount of coal in airborne particles. The study was in response to a coal dust-related complaint to the Newport News City Council by the Garden-Shores Civic League.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1954 04 12 Page 3.pdf|Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector]], ''Daily Press'', April 4, 1954.</ref><ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 09 21 Page 3.pdf|Study of Air Pollution Set to Start Soon]], ''Daily Press'', September 21, 1956.</ref> Froehling and Robertson Inc. installed ten dust collection stations in the Stuart Gardens-Christopher Shores area of Southeast Newport News. Each station consisted of two-foot square glass plates coated with a neutral paper and mounted on outdoor platforms. Every few days, technicians removed the paper coatings to analyze the settled particles in a laboratory for the presence of coal. Samples were collected for 30 days.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 10 04 Page 3.pdf|10 Dust Collection Stations]], ''Daily Press'', October 4, 1956.</ref>  


The study demonstrated that coal was prevalent in airborne particles, with as much as 45% of collected airborne being coal in one measurement period for the station located at 15th Street and Wickham Avenue. City Manager J. C. Biggins reported to Newport News City Council that some stations were destroyed during the study period.
The study demonstrated that coal was prevalent in airborne particles, with as much as 45% of collected airborne being coal in one measurement period for the station located at 15th Street and Wickham Avenue. City Manager J. C. Biggins reported to Newport News City Council that some stations were destroyed during the study period.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 04 Page 5.pdf|Council]], ''Daily Press'', December 4, 1956</ref>
 




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* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 11 27 Page 10.pdf|Council, ''Daily Press'', November 27, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 11 27 Page 10.pdf|Council, ''Daily Press'', November 27, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 04 Page 5.pdf|Council, ''Daily Press'', December 4, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 04 Page 5.pdf|Council, ''Daily Press'', December 4, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 12 Page 3.pdf|C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN, ''Daily Press'', December 12, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 18 Page 3.pdf|Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan, ''Daily Press'', December 18, 1956]]


* [[:File:NS-Lamberts Point PM10 Monitoring Q4-Annual data report DEQ.pdf|Annual PM<sub>10</sub> Monitoring Data Report for Norfolk Southern’s Coal Pier – Lambert's Point, Norfolk, Virginia, October 11, 2016]]
* [[:File:NS-Lamberts Point PM10 Monitoring Q4-Annual data report DEQ.pdf|Annual PM<sub>10</sub> Monitoring Data Report for Norfolk Southern’s Coal Pier – Lambert's Point, Norfolk, Virginia, October 11, 2016]]

Revision as of 02:38, 5 June 2025

Southeast Newport News Atmospheric Pollution Survey, 1956

Th City of Newport News hired Froehling and Robertson Inc., a Richmond-based chemical engineering firm, to quantify the amount of coal in airborne particles. The study was in response to a coal dust-related complaint to the Newport News City Council by the Garden-Shores Civic League.[1][2] Froehling and Robertson Inc. installed ten dust collection stations in the Stuart Gardens-Christopher Shores area of Southeast Newport News. Each station consisted of two-foot square glass plates coated with a neutral paper and mounted on outdoor platforms. Every few days, technicians removed the paper coatings to analyze the settled particles in a laboratory for the presence of coal. Samples were collected for 30 days.[3]

The study demonstrated that coal was prevalent in airborne particles, with as much as 45% of collected airborne being coal in one measurement period for the station located at 15th Street and Wickham Avenue. City Manager J. C. Biggins reported to Newport News City Council that some stations were destroyed during the study period.[4]


Council reject passing an ordinance against "offenders," according to a letter from Biggins to Blanchard (President of the Garden-Shores Civic League) because it "might have a detrimental effect on the economic and industrial life of this city."

Outcome was fog curtain

Biggins provided draft ordinance designed to control the sources of air pollution, including from coal terminals.

Documents

References

  1. Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector, Daily Press, April 4, 1954.
  2. Study of Air Pollution Set to Start Soon, Daily Press, September 21, 1956.
  3. 10 Dust Collection Stations, Daily Press, October 4, 1956.
  4. Council, Daily Press, December 4, 1956