Comprehensive Air Pollution Story Is Journal Sentinel Banner

The big paper takes a major, page-one look at harmful soot (microscopic particulate matter) levels in Wisconsin's air this week.

Weather is play a role, for sure, but this won't be the only time a slow-moving system stalls over the area; without adequate transit and enough pollution abatement systems on smokestacks, the problems will continue, and that's simply not acceptable.

Clean Wisconsin proposed limitations on coal-generation power plants during such soot alerts.

That's a start; government and industry need to coordinate long-term fixes, or residents will look elsewhere when its moving time, and tourists will go somewhere else, too.

Can you imagine if this week's dirty air - - a repeat topic on this blog all week as the air quality alerts piled up -- - were to sit over the are during Summerfest?

Or I suppose we could all keep air masks handy.

That'd be a great selling point for the state.