Environment

Kentucky politicians have been lining up to praise a judge’s decision earlier this week to overturn the new way the Environmental Protection Agency has been eval

A team of data analysts is recommending Louisville pursue public-private partnerships to help collect and organize data to help residents with asthma.

The team was paid for with a grant from technology company IBM’s Smarter Cities program. Members were in Louisville last month interviewing people and collecting data, and revealed preliminary recommendations today.

Team member Anne Fitzpatrick explained how the aggregation of multiple sources of data could help those who suffer from asthma.

The coal industry and officials from numerous states, including Kentucky, claimed victory yesterday after a federal judge ruled the Environmental Protection Agency’s new guidance on water pollution near surface mines overstepped the agency’s authority. But the judge’s decision still doesn’t add certainty to the industry’s permitting process.

A new smart phone app currently in development would allow Louisville residents to participate in cataloging the city’s trees—as well as create a wish lists of sorts for more trees in their neighborhoods.

The “Louisville Tree” app will eventually allow users to peruse interactive maps of the city, along with pinpoints marking the locations of different varieties of trees. There’s also a way to report dying or unsafe trees to the city.

Louisville's Air Pollution Control District says the potential exists for unsafe ozone levels today and tomorrow in the metro area.

The Air Quality Index is forecast to be 109 today, and 129 tomorrow. These levels are unhealthy for sensitive groups, including the elderly, the young and people with heart or lung conditions.

For hourly air quality updates, call 574-3319.

UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: Diane Bagby of Emergency Management says Code Red alerts went out twice this morning. But they only went to people living within one mile of the plant who were signed up to receive "general alerts," and not just weather. She says the first alert went out at 8:36 a.m. to 198 people, and the second follow up to 10:59 a.m. to 201 people, and it was just meant to alert people who might be close enough to hear sirens that there was no immediate danger.