The EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have dedicated this week to air quality awareness.

This comes on the heels of a year in which Iowa exceeded federal air quality standards at a record clip due to stricter criteria. Iowa’s violations more than doubled between 2009 and 2010, as IEF reported in January and the Des Moines Register reported on Saturday.

Check the DNR website for an up-to-date air quality forecast.

And, for more information, see our recent coverage of local national and global air quality issues:

• Report: Quad Cities area ranks near last nationally in short-term particle pollution
• Law to prevent EPA from regulating greenhouse gases fails in Senate
• CGRER researchers develop air pollution prediction system for Santiago, Chile
• Environment Iowa: TVA settlement with EPA over air emissions a win for public health
• Climate change lawsuit in Supreme Court will likely fail
• On the Radio: Power plants put Iowans at risk for mercury poisoning
• Industrial Muscatine continues to struggle with air pollution, health affects