Tag Archive for: respiratory illness

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DEP declares Ozone Action Day for Aug. 25

DEP has declared an Air Quality Action Day due to OZONE pollution in the Susquehanna Valley, PA, for Wednesday, Aug 25

Tomorrow’s Forecast
Wednesday, Aug 25: 102 AQI Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Ozone
57 AQI Moderate Particle Pollution (2.5 microns)
Extended Forecast
Thursday, Aug 26: 98 AQI Moderate Ozone
57 AQI Moderate Particle Pollution (2.5 microns)

Current conditions: A ridge of high pressure building into Pennsylvania is bringing mostly sunny skies and hotter air into the area this Tuesday afternoon. Ozone levels are increasing, but remain in the good range. However, particle pollution (PM2.5) remains moderate in parts of the area. Deteriorating air quality is in store for the next couple of days with light winds, mostly sunny skies, and recirculating air. *** Wednesday’s forecast: An Air Quality Action Day is in effect for Wednesday!! Ozone formation during the late morning/afternoon will be robust, and 8-hour maximum concentrations are expected to reach into the code ORANGE range. PM2.5 levels will remain in the moderate range through the day as skies will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching into the middle 90s. *** Extended forecast: The heat is expected to continue Thursday, with sunshine for the most part, and again, code ORANGE ozone concentrations are possible. Chances for afternoon and evening thunderstorm activity may temper the heat and subsequent ozone formation Friday into Saturday, so only moderate ozone and PM2.5 concentrations may occur on these days. It might not be until early next week until we can get a bonafide cold front to pass through and cool things off just in time for the start of September. —McAuliffe

Residents and businesses within the ozone Air Quality Action Day area are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce air pollution by:

• Conserving electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature;
• Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips;
• Limiting engine idling; and
• Refueling cars and trucks after dusk.

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DEP extends air quality action day to July 21

Harrisburg, PA.  An Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter will be in effect once again in the Susquehanna Valley for Wednesday, July 21. A cold front pushing to the south and east will improve conditions and help to move the wildfire smoke out of the area, but this feature will not arrive until the afternoon to early evening hours. A slight chance for showers and possibly a few thunderstorms will occur in advance of the arrival of this front, but these will not be widespread enough to help to clean out the air prior to the frontal passage.

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CAB comments on State Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Jan. 14, 2021 —  The Clean Air Board submitted comments to the Environmental Quality Board on Pennsylvania’s proposed rules to join and implement the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.  In 2019, Governor Tom Wolf directed the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop a cap-and-invest program to control carbon pollution from power plants in Pennsylvania  CAB supports Pennsylvania the plan to join a regional emissions cap and trade program composed of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.  “It is critically important that Pennsylvania starts to meaningfully address its contribution to climate change,” CAB stated in its comments.

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DEP declares Air Quality Action Day of Dec. 21

A(n) Air Quality Action Day has been declared for Susquehanna Valley, PA, on Monday, Dec 21
Tomorrow’s Forecast
Monday, Dec 21: 103 AQI Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Particle Pollution (2.5 microns)

Extended Forecast
Tuesday, Dec 22: 40 AQI Good Particle Pollution (2.5 microns)
Current conditions: ***An Air Quality Action Day is in effect for Monday***. Calm to very light westerly winds, another strong morning inversion, and increasing weekday emissions from mobile and stationary sources will all act to create fine particulate concentrations in the code ORANGE range Monday. Fine particulate concentrations are expected to be at their highest during the morning hours. *
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Western Wildlifes – the effect on public health

View the recent CAB Zoom meeting where we discuss the air pollution caused by western wildfires and the readings at air quality monitors around major cities on the west coast.  https://cleanairboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Wildfires.mp4

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Wildfires can affect air hundreds of miles away

Wildfires can cause temporary large increases in outdoor airborne particles, and substantial increases in gaseous air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde.  Large wildfires can increase air pollution over thousands of square kilometers [or thousands of square miles].

https://iaqscience.lbl.gov/cc-wildfires#:~:text=Wildfires%20can%20cause%20temporary%20large,acetaldehyde%20%5B40%2D43%5D.

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PurpleAir Can Warn of Hazardous Air

I Live in California. How Do I Know It’s Safe to Go Outside?

A high-tech sensor network brought me closer to the natural cycles of my environment.

NY Times, Sept. 4, 2020.

By 

Contributing Opinion Writer

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Air Pollution and Coronavirus Death Rates

The New York Times, April 7, 2020 by Lisa Friedman

WASHINGTON — Coronavirus patients in areas that had high levels of air pollution before the pandemic are more likely to die from the infection than patients in cleaner parts of the country, according to a new nationwide study that offers the first clear link between long-term exposure to pollution and Covid-19 death rates.

Read more from NY Times

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NY Times: Now Is the Time to Take Care of Your Lungs. If you are one of the millions of Americans breathing polluted air, you may be at a greater risk of catching the coronavirus and of having a more severe infection.