Search results for

The Environmental Protection Agency tells officials in 31 states that new air-pollution controls are needed to control smog in counties containing more than 150 million people. The EPA, acting under court order, said 474 counties have air that fails federal standards or contributes to pollution in a neighboring area. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports.

The "Queen of Soul" spoke to Fresh Air's Terry Gross about life and music in 1999.

NPR's Nina Totenberg reports on today's arguments before the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the 1970 Clean Air Act. Opponents from industry and several state governments say Congress unconstitutionally delegated too much of its power to the executive branch. The measure requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish air quality standards that protect the public health, based on the latest science. Defenders of the law say Congress could never agree on standards, and is justified in assigning the job to the EPA.

In An Ocean of Air, author Gabrielle Walker plunges into the Earth's atmosphere, exposing its layers and colorful history. From Galileo to global warming and wind storms, Walker explains the role of this complex substance on Earth.

The Bush administration issues long-awaited revisions to clean-air regulations, allowing utilities, refineries and manufacturers to avoid having to install expensive new anti-pollution equipment when modernizing plants. NPR's John Nielsen reports.

Carol Burnett won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in October. The award ceremony will be broadcast on PBS Sunday, Nov. 24. Fresh Air's Terry Gross interviewed Burnett in 2003.

Nellie McKay made a splash in 2004 with her debut CD, Get Away From Me. McKay's latest, Obligatory Villagers, is a jazz- and cabaret-inflected outing with sassy lyrics on topics as diverse as feminism and zombies. McKay joins Terry Gross for a Fresh Air concert and conversation.

Fresh Air went national in 1987, and we're celebrating that 20th anniversary by revisiting some classic interviews. First up: Jerry Seinfeld, who sat down with Terry Gross before Seinfeld made him a star. Rebroadcast from Sept. 2, 1987.

After recording hits in the '50s and '60s, Cash's career cooled down. Then, a '94 collaboration with producer Rick Rubin transformed the former country star into an icon. Originally broadcast in 1997.

Fresh Air went national in 1987, and we're celebrating that 20th anniversary by revisiting some classic interviews. In this segment: Jackie Mason. His comic roots are planted firmly in the Borscht Belt, but he's conquered everything from HBO to Broadway. Rebroadcast from Sept. 29, 1987.