Colorado State University and the University of Colorado will receive nearly $800,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop better scientific models for air quality conditions under various pollution scenarios.

CSU will use its $400,000 grant to study how wildfire emissions and chemicals from household products contribute to the formation of fine particles, which can cause irritation, coughing and shortness of breath. They can also reduce lung function through long-term exposure and aggravate asthma.

CU will receive $396,135 to refine air quality models’ predictions of ozone by adding volatile chemical products, which EPA has found to cause headaches, nausea, and even liver or nervous system damage.

“Under President Trump, Americans are breathing the cleanest air ever recorded and we are committed to continuing this progress for decades to come,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This EPA-funded research will further our understanding of air quality and help us continue providing clean air for all Americans, regardless of their [ZIP] code.”

An EPA report found that various types of air pollutants, including ozone, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, have continued to decline for nearly three decades. Recently, air quality measurements have shown improvement after the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in stay-at-home orders issued in most of the country, cutting down on vehicle travel.

EPA awarded a total of nearly $6 million to nine institutions, including Columbia University and Harvard University, to improve computational modeling for chemicals on air quality.