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 Contact:

  Kristin M. Harris

kharris@region9wv.org

(304) 263-1743 ext. 3602

 

Berkeley and Jefferson Counties Join National

Network of Air Quality Action Day Communities

Martinsburg , WV - When ground-level ozone pollution in the Eastern Panhandle becomes unhealthy this summer, citizens are urged to take action to improve air quality and protect their health.

When the region's color-coded air quality forecast equals a Code Orange, ground-level ozone concentrations for the following day are expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups and an Air Quality Action Day will be designated. At this time, citizens, businesses, and industry in the Counties of Berkeley and Jefferson are urged to take effective steps to help clean the air and protect human health. These actions include reducing unnecessary driving and engine idling, postponing yard work that requires gasoline-powered equipment, and avoiding strenuous outdoor activity.

Air Quality Action Day alerts will be distributed to the media through Eastern Panhandle Clean Air Connection. A public health advisory will be issued if and when ozone pollution does reach dangerous levels. These forecasts and advisories may also be found at www.cleanairconnection.org .

Air Quality Action Days may also be designated for Code Red air quality forecasts, which indicate ground-level ozone concentrations are predicted to be unhealthy in general. Such forecasts, however, are rare for this region.

Forecast categories and color codes for ground-level ozone are based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index (AQI), a tool to help citizens quickly assess local air quality. Daily forecasts for the Eastern Panhandle region correspond to those for Frederick County and the City of Winchester in Virginia as issued by Virginia 's Department of Environmental Quality.

The Action Days program is a nationally collaborative effort among governmental agencies, environmental groups, and area business leaders. The program has been adopted by hundreds of regions nationwide, as well as several communities in the Tri-State area and Washington , D.C. The Action Days program in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties is promoted by Eastern Panhandle Clean Air Connection, a public-private community partnership sponsored by the local governments of Berkeley and Jefferson Counties and the City of Martinsburg . The program is managed by the Region 9 Planning and Development Council. Its mission is to increase public awareness of air pollution through education and outreach, as well as encourage community participation in voluntary actions that will improve air quality in the Eastern Panhandle Region.

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