National Parks are doing their part by increasing efficiency in transportation, reducing energy use and waste, and managing smoke from prescribed fires.
Most air pollution that impacts park resources is emitted from sources outside of the parks. However, there are some sources of air pollution within parks including automobiles, fires, and construction projects. The National Park Service recognizes that individual park activities, decisions, and plans have impacts on air pollution. Therefore, cleaner air begins with park environmental leadership and commitment to limit our own emissions and to incorporate clean air practices into our management and culture.
To help meet this commitment, the NPS inventories park emissions in order to:
Determine the magnitude of in-park emissions relative to those from the surrounding area,
Determine baseline and progress emission reduction goals,
Identify strategies to reduce in-park emissions, and
Evaluate and ensure compliance with local, state, and federal air pollution regulations.
Emissions inventories are part of the NPS Climate Friendly Parks program:
