WASHINGTON (AP) -- A study by regional planners is linking the
recession to higher levels of air pollution.
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments analyzed
vehicle registration data taken after the economy plummeted to
adjust air quality forecasts, which are federally required.
A drop in new car sales means older vehicles with higher
emissions are being driven longer. The study found that vehicles on
Washington-area roads are an average of six months older than they
were in 2005.