04/13/2020

Pollution Drops 30 Percent in Northeastern U.S. Amid Coronavirus Restrictions

NASA satellite images show a 30 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide in March

Air pollution over major metropolitan areas of the Northeastern United States has dropped significantly as the COVID-19 outbreak has prompted widespread stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the coronavirus. 

Satellite data from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center show levels of nitrogen dioxide air pollution fell by 30 percent in March when compared with the average concentration recorded in March from 2015 through 2019. 

NASA says last month shows the lowest monthly atmospheric nitrogen dioxide levels of any March since its Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) data record started in 2005. Nitrogen dioxide is primarily emitted from burning fossil fuels for transportation and electricity generation, and NASA says it can be used as an indicator of changes in human activity. 

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Hill.