About Us

The Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania is located in Carlisle, PA.

The Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania is a faith-based citizens’ initiative dedicated to creating clean air to protect the health of our children, ourselves, and our neighbors.

View a timeline of the Clean Air Partnership

About the Clean Air Board

Alarmed by the deteriorating air quality in Central Pennsylvania caused by PM2.5 (soot), as noted in an August 2005 public letter signed by over 100 area physicians, a faith-based group of concerned citizens formed the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania (CAB). CAB is an organization dedicated to achieving clean air to protect our health and quality of life. They accomplish their mission by raising public awareness of air quality issues, advocating, promoting and coordinating policy and practices for clean air and monitoring air quality.

Clean Air Board : Send email to cleanairboard@gmail.com

Mission

Creating clean air to protect the health of our children, ourselves, and our neighbors.

We accomplish our mission by:

raising public awareness of air quality issues
advocating, promoting and coordinating policy and practices for clean air
monitoring air quality

Board of Directors

Thomas Au • President
Justina Wasicek, Esq. • Secretary
Craig Jurgensen, MD, treasurer
Tami Biddle, PhD
Marilyn Murphy
Rev. Jennifer McKenna
Frank Castrina, MD
Kathy Ferraro, MD
Steven Haase, PhD

Recent and Upcoming Events

September 7, 2024

International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies

The United Nations has recognized the importance of clean air and acknowledges that improving air quality can enhance climate change mitigation and that climate change mitigation efforts can improve air quality. Read more

October 24-26, 2022

Dickinson College is hosting a symposium Science-Based Choices for Climate Action. Over 3000 people from 52 countries have registered to watch and engage with the outstanding lineup of confirmed speakers. The speakers have extensive expertise in climate change science, risks, policy and action, and include authors of the latest reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

April 21, 2021

Air Pollution + COVID Means Double Trouble View the recorded presentation by Dr. Craig Jurgensen of the Clean Air Board of Central PA: https://www.facebook.com/events/2941249876143097/

APRIL 24, 2021, 11AM

Celebration at Earth Artisan & Outfitter from 11-4. https://www.facebook.com/events/492308161995092The Clean Air Board will be hosting an outdoor booth behind the Borough of Carlisle office. https://www.facebook.com/events/492308161995092

FEB 16, 2021, 7 PM

Dickinson College Clarke Forum: Air Pollution in Pennsylvania

To view the live presentation, go to:

http://clarke.dickinson.edu/

Air pollution levels in some parts of Pennsylvania are among the nation’s highest. In addition to other health implications, new research links increased levels of air pollution to higher COVID-19 death rates. To orient these concerns, this panel will include a review of key air pollution sources across Pennsylvania. Community members will reflect on localized air pollution considerations and potential opportunities for engagement.

DEC 16, 2020 WEDNESDAY

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Best Practices for Large Scale Development – Understanding the Law

View a video of this event: https://vimeo.com/495516645

A growing number of municipalities are looking for ways to reconcile local quality of life consistent with new large scale development, including redevelopment. In this program, speakers will address the current state of municipal land use law, the economics of large scale development, and best practices for mitigating environmental and social impacts of large development.

View model zoning provisions. Model Zoning Ordinance -CAB Widener CLE

Professor John Dernbach, Director, Environmental Law and Sustainability Center at Widener University Commonwealth Law School will moderate the discussion.

Panelists Include:

Donald W. Miles, Land Use and Zoning attorney, former municipal solicitor in Lehigh County. He will speak on the Municipalities Planning Code.

Jamie Keener, Chief Executive Officer of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation will speak of the economic and geographic factors that affect companies’ decisions to site warehousing projects.

Thomas Au, President, the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania, will speak on best practices that can mitigate environmental and social concerns for siting large development. He will introduce a Best Practices Model Ordinance.

sponsored by Widener Law Commonwealth’s Environmental Law and Sustainability Center

Attend a Meeting

First Thursday of each month at 7:00pm

Second Presbyterian Church
528 Garland Drive
Carlisle, PA

View on Google Maps

Contact

Clean Air Board of Central PA

528 Garland Drive
Carlisle, PA 17013
717.234.7445
cleanairboard@gmail.com

Timeline

2019
1
June
CAB commented to DEP on its proposed Air Quality monitoring plan. Cumberland County is one of the counties in Pennsylvania that has projected air quality alerts for high levels of ozone. The plan lacks a monitor for ozone in Cumberland County. CAB will ask that DEP install an ozone monitor in Cumberland County.
2019
2
May
CAB plants trees along Cumberland Valley Rail Trail.
2019
3
April
CAB examines the role of trees in mitigating air pollution, selecting the best trees to improve air quality.
2018
4
April
CAB hosts speaker at Bosler Memorial Library on history of air pollution control in southern California.
2018
5
March
CAB board members explain how air pollutants affect children.
2017
6
May 11
The Cumberland Conservation Collaborative (CCC) hosted a community forum at the Penn Township Volunteer Fire Department’s Social Hall. The forum, entitled “Preserving Cumberland County’s Rural Landscape & Natural Resources,” focused on development pressures in rural Cumberland County and discussed ways to preserve open space and its agricultural character.
2017
7
February
Keeping Bees and Other Pollinators Safe. CAB heard from beekeepers and gardeners on how to maintain environmentally friendly gardens and lawns.
2016
8
April
CAB hosted a conference at Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg on Reconciling Development and Quality of Life in our communities. Various speakers addressed development pressures, zoning issues, mitigating measures and the authority of local municipal officials.
2016
9
February
CAB hosted a forum explaining the recently signed Paris Climate Accord at Dickinson College. Speakers addressed next steps and the U.S. role in implementing climate mitigation measures.
2015
10
November
CAB comments on EPA new rules to set more protective standards for ozone. These new standards are designed to improve public health, particularly for at- risk groups, like children with asthma. CAB actively participated in the EPA rule setting process, providing comments and testimony.
2015
11
September
CAB explains how Volkswagen cheated on diesel engine emissions tests and the consequences of its actions.
2014
12
June
CAB comments to the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board on DEP smog plan to reduce emissions from major industrial sources.
2014
13
April
CAB supports DEP efforts to reduce particulate emissions from wood burners.
2013
14
September
CAB examines the Environmental Protection Agency’s School Flag Program. Schools raise a colored flag each day that corresponds to the local air quality forecast.
2013
15
May
Carlisle Sentinel runs a three days series of articles about air pollution in the Cumberland Valley.
2013
16
February
IdleAir opens its clean air heating and cooling station at the Flying J in Carlisle, PA off I-81, Exit 52. The IdleAir system provides clean air and other amenities to truck cabs during driver rest periods.
2012
17
June
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed updates to its national air quality standards for harmful fine particle pollution, including soot (known as PM2.5). These microscopic particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and have been linked to a wide range of serious health effects, including premature death, heart attacks, and strokes, as well as acute bronchitis and aggravated asthma among children.
2012
18
March
CAB discusses the relationship between small particle pollution (PM2.5) and brain disorders.
2011
19
December
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set a rule to reduce emissions of toxic air pollutants from power plants. Specifically, these mercury and air toxics standards (MATS) for power plants will reduce emissions from new and existing coal- and oil-fired electric utility steam generating units.
2011
20
December
CAB awards Borough of Carlisle for adopting a road diet to reduce traffic congestion.
2011
21
March
CAB supports US EPA efforts to reduce mercury pollution from large power plants.
2010
22
June
CAB teaches a class at the Harrisburg Area Community College on the new restrictions on diesel engine idling and the health benefits from not idling.
2009
23
February 6
Diesel-Powered Motor Vehicle Idling Act became effective. CAB is working to produce handouts about the requirements of the act to distribute to school districts, bus companies, and trucking companies.
2008
24
October
Pennsylvania anti-idling state law (SB295) passed in the Senate and in the House. The bill was signed into law by the Governor Rendell. The law goes into effect on February 6, 2009.
2008
25
September
CAB announces the Clean Air Partnership. The Carlisle Regional Medical Center, the Sentinel newspaper, and the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania joined together to form the Clean Air Partnership to protect the health of residents living, working, studying and playing in Cumberland County by providing them with information that will allow them to make informed decisions. The partnership purchased a continuously-reading EPA certified air quality monitor. The monitor will transmit both the daily PM2.5 readings in The Sentinel newspaper and the hourly updated readings on their website (www.cumberlink.com).
2008
26
April
CAB gave testimony before the Pennsylvania House of Representative Transportation Committee at their hearings regarding Senate Bill 295 (anti-idling), with provisions similar to anti-idling regulations adopted by DEP.
2007
27
October
DEP presented the anti-idling regulation to the Environmental Quality Board (EQB). The EQB approved the proposal of this regulation subject to public hearings, comment and additional review.
2007
28
May
The Department moved forward with development of a proposed regulation considering the CAB’s suggested text.
2007
29
May
DEP recommends a statewide idling rule would eliminate some diesel emissions and contribute to progress towards meeting and maintaining air standards as well as have fuel benefits.
2007
30
April
CAB members participated on the panel of Dickinson College Clark Forum for Contemporary Issues program, “Local Air Quality: Past, Present & Future?”
2007
31
January
The Environmental Quality Board (EQB), a state board that review environmental regulations for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), voted unanimously to accept for study the CAB petition to determine if a regulation limiting commercial diesel-engine idling is needed to improve air quality in Pennsylvania.
2006
32
December
Published 15,000 Children’s Health Brochures for distribution in schools
2006
33
June
First symposium with CAB participating in a panel presentation with Jesse Keen of Keen Transport and area trucking company owners and warehouse owners encouraging them to enforce anti-idling on their properties.
2006
34
April
Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania formally incorporated as a nonprofit corporation.
2005
35
August
Area doctors place an ad in newspapers to raise awareness of poor air quality in our area.

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About Us

About the Clean Air Board

Mission

Board of Directors

Our Next Meeting

Recent and Upcoming Events

Support

Air Quality Index

Newsletter Signup

Attend a Meeting

Contact

Clean Air Board of Central PA

Timeline

2019

2019

2019

2018

2018

2017

2017

2016

2016

2015

2015

2014

2014

2013

2013

2013

2012

2012

2011

2011

2011

2010

2009

2008

2008

2008

2007

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2007

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2007

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2006

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2005