08 June 2011

New England Air Quality

An air quality alert has been issued for parts of New England today. This alert is being issued because ground level ozone concentrations within parts of the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards.

Because a number of people throughout the U.S. live in areas where air pollution can cause serious health problems and local air quality(which can change from day to day) can affect daily lives, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed the Air Quality Index (AQI) to make information available about the health effects of the five most common air pollutants (ground-level ozone, particle matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide) and how to avoid those effects.

For more information about the current and forecast air quality in New England, please visit:

EPA: New England Air Quality Index

EPA: Connecticut Air Quality

EPA: Maine Air Quality

EPA: Massachusetts Air Quality

EPA: New Hampshire Air Quality

EPA: Rhode Island Air Quality

EPA: Vermont Air Quality

State Air Quality Forecasts:

CT Dept. of Environmental Protection: Air Quality Index

ME Bureau of Air Quality: Air Quality Forecast

MA Dept. of Environmental Protection: Air & Climate - Now & Forecast

NH Dept. of Environmental Services: Air Quality Forecast

RI: Dept. of Environmental Management: Air Quality Forecast

VT Dept. of Environmental Conservation: Real-time Air-Quality Data

The U.S. EPA, NOAA, and National Park Service, as well as a number of tribal, state, and local agencies have developed the AIRNow Web site to provide easy access to national air quality information. This information includes real-time air pollution data in an understandable, visual format; information about the public health and environmental effects of air pollution; information about ways in which the public can protect their health and actions they can take to reduce pollution. The site offers daily AQI forecasts as well as real-time AQI conditions for over 300 cities across the US, and it provides links to more detailed state and local air quality websites.

AirNow

Background information:

EPA: Air Quality Index - A Guide to Air Quality and Your Health

EPA: Ground-level Ozone (Smog) Information

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection: Air

Maine Department of Environmental Protection: Bureau Of Air Quality

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection: Air & Climate

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services: Air Resources Division

Rhode Island Department Of Environmental Management: Office of Air Resources

Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation: Air Pollution Control Division

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