Evaluating an Introduction

In groups of three or four, use the Writer’s Checklist at the end of Chapter 13 to analyze the following introduction taken from a report published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Be prepared to share your analysis with the class. (Source: The Particle Pollution Report: Current Understanding of Air Quality and Emissions Through 2003, retrieved March 6, 2006, from www.epa.gov/airtrends/aqtrnd04/pmreport03/pmintro_2405.pdf#page=1.)

INTRODUCTION

From the black puff of smoke from an old diesel bus to the haze that obscures the view in our national parks, particle pollution affects us all. This complex pollutant is present year-round, both in our cities and in the countryside, and it can cause health problems for millions of Americans.

EPA’s national air quality standards for particle pollution are designed to protect public health and the environment. As this report shows, we are seeing progress: levels of particle pollution are decreasing on a national scale. Yet millions of people still live in areas of the country where particle pollution levels exceed national air quality standards. This harmful pollution affects not only people, but also visibility, ecosystems, and man-made materials.

EPA considers fine particle pollution its most pressing air quality problem, and the Agency is taking a number of steps that will reduce particle emissions and formation. These efforts range from EPA’s Acid Rain program and regulations reducing emissions from fuels and diesel engines, to implementation of the Agency’s first fine particle standards and a proposed rule to reduce particle-forming emissions from power plants.

In this report, EPA

In addition, text boxes in this report present information on more specialized areas of interest, such as the PM Supersite project, episodic events, satellite monitoring, and the relationship of particle pollution to other air pollutants.