The day-of-week pattern for NOx emissions in Door County indicates the pollution is driven by recreationists

This pre-print article observes that Door County has an unusual air pollution pattern: https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2023/egusphere-2023-1974/egusphere-2023-1974.pdf#page=6

Typically, NOx emissions are worse on weekdays than weekends because of commuters and trucks. But in Door County, emissions didn’t have a weekday-weekend pattern. This is thought to be from there being more weekend activity in Door County.

This finding seems to run counter to the 1991 Lake Michigan Ozone Study, which found that pollution along the Lake Michigan shore blows in from Chicago: https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/34/3/1520-0450_1995_034_0670_rbmaoi_2_0_co_2.xml

Likewise, in 2015, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources told the EPA that the pollution reaching the monitor at Newport State Park was blowing in from metro areas: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-05/documents/wi_tsd_final.pdf.

The positive side to the DNR being wrong, or at least wrong to some degree about it, is that this indicates a greater local capability to reduce air pollution.

An example of how pollution can be reduced locally can be seen with the Town of Egg Harbor. The town has been considering contracting for trash pickup, which should result in less garbage being burnt: https://doorcountypulse.com/egg-harbor-pauses-on-town-garbage-pickup/