June 24, 2020 – The Clean Air Board testified at an Environmental Quality Board hearing on DEP’s proposed rules to reduce hydrocarbons and methane leaks from existing oil and gas operations. CAB asked that certain exemptions be removed from the proposed rules. Read CAB’s methane rule comments
Over the past several weeks, NASA satellite measurements have revealed significant reductions in air pollution over the major metropolitan areas of the Northeast United States. Similar reductions have been observed in other regions of the world. These recent improvements in air quality have come at a high cost, as communities grapple with widespread lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders as a result of the spread of COVID-19. Read more …
On May 15, 2020, the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania filed written comments opposing EPA’s proposed rule entitled “Strengthening Transparency in Science.” CAB expressed concern that the proposed rule will work to create barriers to the use of highly respected and valuable epidemiological studies in EPA’s decisions. Along with other consequences, under the proposed rule, large epidemiological studies like the effect of air pollution and correlation with public health in regard to respiratory, cardiac, and neurological impacts would be discounted, to the detriment of people living close to polluting sources.
The full comment statement can be found here.
See How the World’s Most Polluted Air Compares With Your City’s
by Nadja Popovich, Blacki Migliozzi, Karthik Patanjali, Anjali Singhvi and Jon HuangDec. 2, 2019
We visualized the damaging, tiny particles that wreak havoc on human health. From the Bay Area to New Delhi, see how the world’s worst pollution compares with your local air.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/02/climate/air-pollution-compare-ar-ul.html
June 1, 2018, Joe Cress The Sentinel
Sometimes the proudest achievement is the hardest one to measure in terms of its impact down the road.Such is the case with the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania and the lobbying effort it led a decade ago to implement anti-idling legislation.
That legislation put into place time limits on idling in the hope the new restrictions could reduce fine particulate emissions from diesel engine exhausts.
June 1, 2018 Joe Cress The Sentinel
The same data that helped local residents make informed choices could be important to helping regional experts map out trends in fine particulate emissions and health issues related to air quality. For over nine years, the Clean Air Partnership operated a BAM-1020 air quality monitor mounted on the rooftop of The Sentinel Building at 457 E. North St. in Carlisle.
As The Sentinel prepares to move to its new location at 327 B Street in Carlisle later this summer, the air monitor was recently disconnected and placed into storage pending the outcome of talks between The Sentinel, the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania and UPMC Pinnacle Carlisle to find a new home for the monitor. Read more …
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and its regional air quality partnerships have forecast a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ozone on June 16, 2018 for the Pittsburgh region (encompassing Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Indiana, Mercer, Washington, and Westmoreland counties). A Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ozone is also forecast on June 17 and 18 for the Pittsburgh region, southcentral counties (Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties) and the Lehigh Valley (Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties).
On air quality action days, young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s standardized air quality index uses colors to report daily air quality. Green signifies good; yellow means moderate; orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive people; and red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.
To help keep the air healthy, residents and business are encouraged to voluntarily restrict certain pollution-producing activities by:
• Refueling cars and trucks after dusk
• Setting air conditioner thermostats to a higher temperature
• Carpooling or using public transportation; and
• Combining errands to reduce trips.
