DEP declares Orange Air Quality Action Day for Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022
DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Fine Particulate Matter for Thursday, January 13, 2022, in Multiple Areas of Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has declared a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter for Thursday, January 13, 2022, in the following areas of Pennsylvania:
• The Philadelphia Area, which includes the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia;
• The Lehigh Valley-Berks Area, which includes the counties of Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton; and
• The Susquehanna Valley Area, which includes the counties of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York.
A moderately strong temperature inversion Thursday morning with calm or very light wind will likely contribute to daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Code Orange range.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.
An Air Quality Action Day is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. On an Air Quality Action Day, 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.
Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:
• Reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use;
• Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials; and
• Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
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. 
