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The article reports on the first national study of air pollutants from dairy cow, swine and poultry farms launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Researchers will measure emissions of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and other gases from livestock farms in nine states across the country. The agency will then create a model to enable individual operations to check whether they need a permit. However, some environmentalists opposes the study because for them it is not comprehensive and may underestimate emissions.

The article presents information related to the change in process of reviewing health standards for six of the most widespread and dangerous air pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The decision was announced by officials of EPA in the first week of December 2006. According to the officials the decision is designed to speed the notoriously slow process of revising these standards. National Ambient Air Quality Standards of EPA have enormous consequences, influencing the regulation of vehicles, industry, and agriculture in many ways. Barbara Boxer, Democratic Senator from California and new chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said that the changed review process is a dangerous turn.