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Science, Health and Technology
3:05 pm
Thu November 10, 2011

Under the Microscope: November 10, 2011

Credit Eric Durban / Harvest Pubic Media
Kansas farmer Jason Ochs still has to man his tractor to plant winter wheat. If an autonomous tractor were planting the wheat, Ochs would be free to attend to his corn and sorghum, and prepare for the winter freeze.
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This week on the show: a popular conservation program may fall victim to the 2012 Farm Bill. Plus, robot tractors.

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Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities
11:00 am
Thu November 10, 2011

Tonawanda Provides Lessons For Fighting Toxic Air

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Credit John W. Poole / NPR
Credit Natasha Soto / The Clean Air Coalition of Western NY
Those taking samples can attach either a camping pump or a small electric vacuum to the top to help collect the sample.
Credit NPR
Credit Natasha Soto / The Clean Air Coalition of Western NY
Using a bucket, a hose and pump, and a plastic bag, air samples are collected. The finished contraption can test for more than 70 gases and 20 sulfur compounds. The sample can then be sent to a state or independent laboratory for evaluation.
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By and Sandra Bartlett

Part 4 of a four-part series, Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities

Jeani Thomson has been pleading with New York state officials for more than 30 years to protect her neighborhood from the foul-smelling "blue fog" that settles in her yard. She has long suspected the source is an industrial facility about a mile from her house called Tonawanda Coke.

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Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities
4:00 am
Thu November 10, 2011

EPA Regulations Give Kilns Permission To Pollute

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Credit David Gilkey / NPR
The Ash Grove Cement Kiln, as seen from an aerial photograph, sits on the northern edge of Chanute, Kan.
Credit NPR
Credit David Gilkey / NPR
The Ash Grove Cement factory, which burns hazardous waste for fuel, is in compliance with EPA pollution standards.
Credit David Gilkey / NPR
A pedestrian crosses the main street in downtown Chanute, Kan.
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Part three of a four-part series, Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities.

The smokestack stands more than nine stories above the southeastern Kansas prairie and the small city of Chanute, and it's bright, white flashing lights are like a beacon in the night sky.

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Health & Wealth Update
3:18 pm
Wed November 9, 2011

Audrain Voters Plump for Public Health

Credit Garrett Bergquist / KBIA
Voters came out 60 percent in favor of the health center initiative.
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Missouri is ranked 50th among the states in funding for public health, spending about one third of the national average. Audrain County spends even less, just $7.90 per person. In this weekly Health & Wealth update, voters in Audrain went to the polls yesterday and approved a new property tax that will keep the county's struggling health department afloat. I spoke with reporter Garrett Bergquist, who has been driving around Audrain talking to voters.

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Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities
4:02 am
Mon November 7, 2011

Secret 'Watch List' Reveals Failure To Curb Toxic Air

Credit David Gilkey / NPR
The Continental Carbon plant sits on the southern outskirts of Ponca City, Okla. Until August, the plant was on an internal EPA "watch list," for violating rules of the Clean Air Act.
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Originally published on Thu November 10, 2011 1:02 pm

Part 1 of a four-part series, Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities

The system Congress set up 21 years ago to clean up toxic air pollution still leaves many communities exposed to risky concentrations of benzene, formaldehyde, mercury and many other hazardous chemicals.

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