Pennsylvania DEP Announces Air Quality Awareness Week

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania will join states across the nation in recognizing April 30 through May 4 as Air Quality Awareness Week, the Department of Environmental Protection announced today.

Throughout the week, air quality partnerships across the state will hold events teaching the public how to stay safe on air quality action days and how to cut down on air pollution.

"Air quality in all areas of Pennsylvania has improved significantly over the past few years," DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. "And with the promise of domestic natural gas playing a larger role as transportation fuel or to generate electricity for electric vehicles, we can make even more dramatic progress, especially in our urban areas.

"This week, we encourage all Pennsylvanians to learn more from their local air quality partnerships about the air we breathe and how we can bring about even cleaner air across the state."

Throughout the spring and summer months, DEP makes air quality forecasts for ozone and fine particulate matter. Air Quality Awareness week will mark the return of forecasting for the pollutants in Pennsylvania for 2012.

The forecasts, developed in conjunction with local air quality partnerships, use a color-based air quality index. Green signifies good; yellow means moderate; orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive people, such as the very young, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments; and red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.

These forecasts are provided in conjunction with the Air Quality Partnership of the Delaware Valley, the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, the Lehigh Valley/Berks Air Quality Partnership and the Susquehanna Valley Air Quality Partnership.

To sign up to receive air quality forecasts via email, visit www.enviroflash.info.

For more information about air quality or the local partnerships, visit www.dep.state.pa.us or call 717-787-9495.

Media contact: Kevin Sunday, 717-787-1323

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection