[snopercod]

I live near the Blue Ridge parkway in WNC. As they have for millenia, the trees here emit terpenes and monoprenes, which combine with NO_x and sunlight to make ozone in the spring and especially the summer months.

The local politicians, of course, blame the haze on industry (even though we no longer have any) and George W. Bush.

[!1776!]

The local politicians, of course, blame the haze on industry (even though we no longer have any) and George W. Bush.

If you want a real treat, know that that "haze" is the subject of completely seperate federal regulations. In theory, that natural "haze" gets to stay (i.e., no need to cut down the trees) but all manmade haze must be eliminated under current federal regulations by 2064.

All. No exceptions.

In essence, it is a regulation to clean the air in the most pristine places in the nation. Granted, there is value to those places and the views, but the goal is to eliminate all manmade visibility problems. Period. Not health issues, visibility.