In Recession, Aging Cars Pollute Region's Air, Study Finds

Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, July 4, 2009 The recession is contributing to higher levels of air pollution in the Washington area as new car sales plummet and older, dirtier vehicles remain on the road longer, according to a recent study by regional planners. The trend is expected to show up across the country as transportation planners use vehicle registration data collected after the economy soured to adjust local air quality forecasts required by federal law. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is believed to be the first planning agency to analyze that data. Vehicles on the road in the Washington area are an average of six months older than they were in 2005. The increase, from about 7.9 to 8.4 years, is enough to push the region perilously close to violating its limits for traffic-related... [read full story]                    

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