Oak Ridge Lab Tackles Mobile Emissions at Their Source
Although eastern Tennessee is physically beautiful, the region has been designated a non-attainment area for ozone and particulate matter pollution by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Naturally, this designation has serious implications for residents' health and the region's economy.
To help address concerns about the Knoxville area's air quality, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), collaborating with the University of Tennessee, Knox County, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have undertaken a unique field research effort, the Watt Road Environmental Laboratory, to measure and map vehicle emissions near the convergence of two interstate highways. By applying good technology together with good science, the researchers hope to gain a better understanding of how transportation vehicles are contributing to the region's air quality problems.
The Watt Road Environmental Laboratory Initiative is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy's FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program.