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== Southeast Newport News Atmospheric Pollution Survey, 1956 ==
== 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.<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 [[Coal dust complaints|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 un-combusted coal in one measurement period at the station located at 15th Street and Wickham Avenue.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">[[: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.</ref> City Manager J. C. Biggins reported to Newport News City Council that some stations were destroyed during the study period.<ref name=":0">[[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 04 Page 5.pdf|Council]], ''Daily Press'', December 4, 1956.</ref>
The study produced evidence that coal was prevalent in airborne particles, with as much as 45% of airborne dust being un-combusted coal in one measurement period at the station located at 15th Street and Wickham Avenue.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">[[: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.</ref> City Manager J. C. Biggins reported to Newport News City Council that some stations were destroyed during the study period.<ref name=":0">[[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 04 Page 5.pdf|Council]], ''Daily Press'', December 4, 1956.</ref>


These results compelled the then Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railroad Company to install equipment to create a water fog over the coal piles at the terminal to suppress dust.<ref name=":1" />
These results compelled the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railroad Company to install equipment to create a water fog over the coal piers to suppress dust.<ref name=":1" /> A second outcome was that City Manager J. C. Biggins presented a draft ordinance designed to control air pollution sources, including the coal terminals, to the Newport News City Council for approval.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 18 Page 3.pdf|Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan]], ''Daily Press'', December 18, 1956.</ref>
 
Outcome was fog curtain
 
Biggins provided draft ordinance designed to control the sources of air pollution, including from coal terminals.


== Documents ==
== Documents ==

Revision as of 02:53, 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 produced evidence that coal was prevalent in airborne particles, with as much as 45% of airborne dust being un-combusted coal in one measurement period at the station located at 15th Street and Wickham Avenue.[4][5] City Manager J. C. Biggins reported to Newport News City Council that some stations were destroyed during the study period.[4]

These results compelled the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railroad Company to install equipment to create a water fog over the coal piers to suppress dust.[5] A second outcome was that City Manager J. C. Biggins presented a draft ordinance designed to control air pollution sources, including the coal terminals, to the Newport News City Council for approval.[6]

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. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Council, Daily Press, December 4, 1956.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN, Daily Press, December 12, 1956.
  6. ↑ Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan, Daily Press, December 18, 1956.
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