Local air monitoring
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]
Norfolk Southern PM10 Monitoring Data, August 1, 2015–July 31, 2016
[text]
Voices Network: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing
The VOICES Network: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing has measured PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 across Southeast Newport News and Lambert's Point since October 2024. The monitors are maintained by the Repair Lab as part of the Coal Dust Kills campaign.
Documents
- Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector, Daily Press, April 4, 1954
- Study of Air Pollution Set to Start Soon, Daily Press, September 21, 1956
- 10 Dust Collection Stations, Daily Press, October 4, 1956
- Council, Daily Press, November 27, 1956
- Council, Daily Press, December 4, 1956
- C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN, Daily Press, December 12, 1956
- Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan, Daily Press, December 18, 1956
- Annual PM10 Monitoring Data Report for Norfolk Southern’s Coal Pier – Lambert's Point, Norfolk, Virginia, October 11, 2016
- Public Health Implications of PM10 Concentrations Collected near Lambert’s Point Coal Terminal, July 19, 2017
References
- ↑ Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector, Daily Press, April 4, 1954.
- ↑ Study of Air Pollution Set to Start Soon, Daily Press, September 21, 1956.
- ↑ 10 Dust Collection Stations, Daily Press, October 4, 1956.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Council, Daily Press, December 4, 1956.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN, Daily Press, December 12, 1956.
- ↑ Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan, Daily Press, December 18, 1956.