Jake Slobe | April 10, 2017

This week’s On The Radio segment discusses CLE4R, a collaborative project to improve air quality in the city of Dubuque and nearby communities.

Transcript: Clean Air in the River Valley, also known as CLE4R, has continued working to improve air quality in the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

This is the Iowa Environmental Focus.

The IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering project, founded in October of 2015, is a collaborative effort between the University of Iowa, the city of Dubuque, and surrounding communities. Air pollution featuring particulate matter that is smaller than 2.5 microns leads to unhealthy air during at least part of the year for much of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

Over the last two years, CLE4R has educated more than 1,000 Iowans about air quality. Notably, the project has made hand-held particulate pollution monitors available for checkout from the City of Dubuque and the Dubuque Community School District.

Dr. Charles Stanier, University of Iowa associate professor of chemical and biochemical engineering, is director of the program.

“Air quality is important in Iowa, especially air quality associated with fine particles or have that can get into the deep lung. When particles get into the deep lung they effect cardiovascular health and when air is clean people have better outcomes for cardiovascular diseases like emphysema and COPD as well as lower absenteeism and lower disability.”

CLE4R project representatives will be present at both the Dubuque STEM festival and the Iowa City STEAM festival the weekend of April 22nd.

For more information about the CLE4R project, visit iowaenvironmentalfocus.org.

From the UI Center for Global & Regional Environmental Research, I’m Betsy Stone.