Press Releases
04/29/2019
Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Announces National Air Quality Awareness Week, April 29 - May 3
The 2019 Ozone Forecasting Season Begins May 1
With summertime in only weeks away, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) encourages residents to help reduce air pollution as part of National Air Quality Awareness Week, which runs from April 29th to May 1st and coincides with the beginning of the 2019 ozone forecasting season in Connecticut.
Reducing energy use reduces air pollution because most of our ‘home grown’ air pollution comes from burning fuels. There are many small steps that implemented collectively make a difference in reducing localized air pollution.
With warmer weather on the way, high levels of ground level ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can pose health risks to the public. Unhealthy concentrations of ground level ozone may cause or exacerbate a variety of respiratory and health problems, including asthma attacks, difficulty breathing, chest pain, coughing, and throat irritation.
The impacts of unhealthy concentrations of air pollution can be more severe for sensitive groups such as children, older adults, people who are active outdoors, and people with existing respiratory disease and asthma. People in sensitive groups may experience adverse effects at even at lower ozone concentrations. When ozone levels are elevated, the public should avoid strenuous outdoor activities and consider remaining indoors.
Everyone in Connecticut can take some of the following steps to reduce their contribution to air pollution:
- Drive Clean – considered purchasing or leasing a plug-in electric vehicle. Learn more at www.driveelectricus.com;
- Drive Less – consider carpooling, vanpooling, using public transit or even telecommuting. Learn more at www.ctrides.com;
- Be Aware of Your Air -Understand the Air Quality Index and sign up to receive alerts so you will know when air quality is predicted to be unhealthy; and
- Make small changes to your routine on forecasted ‘bad air’ days:
- Refuel your vehicle after dusk and stop refueling when the nozzle clicks off;
- Avoid idling your vehicle unnecessarily;
- Delay lawn mowing or using other lawn and garden equipment until evening;
- Limit outdoor activity during the heat of the day; and
- Refrain from recreational wood burning.
Background Information
Ozone Standard Strengthened in 2015
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the national health based standard for ground level ozone (smog) from 75 ppb to a more stringent standard of 70 ppb in 2015 and DEEP is now implementing this standard in Connecticut. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA is required to review and re-evaluate six different air quality standards every five (5) years to determine if they effectively protect public health and the environment.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the national health based standard for ground level ozone (smog) from 75 ppb to a more stringent standard of 70 ppb in 2015 and DEEP is now implementing this standard in Connecticut. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA is required to review and re-evaluate six different air quality standards every five (5) years to determine if they effectively protect public health and the environment.
Connecticut reported 23 “bad air” days above the new standard during the 2018 ozone season.
Learn more about the implications associated with implementing the 2015 ozone standard by visiting DEEP’s AQI website.
Learn more about the implications associated with implementing the 2015 ozone standard by visiting DEEP’s AQI website.
Ground Level Ozone Formation and Transport
Ground level ozone occurs primarily during hot summer days. Strong summer sunshine reacts with “local” air pollutants, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), emitted from motor vehicles, power plants, industry, and household activities, and forms ozone. Cars and trucks, industrial facilities, electric utilities are responsible for most of Connecticut’s local air pollution. Unfortunately, not all of Connecticut’s air pollution is local. Ozone is also transported into Connecticut on prevailing winds from the southwest. This means that air pollution from cities along the Interstate-95 Corridor and power plants from the mid-west and mid-Atlantic areas also impacts air quality in Connecticut. Likewise, our local air pollution can also impact air quality elsewhere in New England.
Ground level ozone occurs primarily during hot summer days. Strong summer sunshine reacts with “local” air pollutants, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), emitted from motor vehicles, power plants, industry, and household activities, and forms ozone. Cars and trucks, industrial facilities, electric utilities are responsible for most of Connecticut’s local air pollution. Unfortunately, not all of Connecticut’s air pollution is local. Ozone is also transported into Connecticut on prevailing winds from the southwest. This means that air pollution from cities along the Interstate-95 Corridor and power plants from the mid-west and mid-Atlantic areas also impacts air quality in Connecticut. Likewise, our local air pollution can also impact air quality elsewhere in New England.
Forecasting Air Quality for Connecticut
Air pollution impacts public health, so it’s important for people to know when air quality is expected to be unhealthy. DEEP tracks and forecasts daily air quality levels across Connecticut for ozone from May 1 through September 30 each year and daily throughout the year for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). DEEP informs the public each day during the spring and summer of the predicted ozone levels via the State of Connecticut E-mail list serve, air quality forecasts on DEEP’s AQI Website and on Twitter.
Air pollution impacts public health, so it’s important for people to know when air quality is expected to be unhealthy. DEEP tracks and forecasts daily air quality levels across Connecticut for ozone from May 1 through September 30 each year and daily throughout the year for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). DEEP informs the public each day during the spring and summer of the predicted ozone levels via the State of Connecticut E-mail list serve, air quality forecasts on DEEP’s AQI Website and on Twitter.
DEEP encourages childcare providers, summer camps and elder care/senior centers to subscribe to the AQI forecast. Subscribing to the AQI is fast and easy and will provide you with important information each day about Connecticut’s air quality throughout the spring and summer. The AQI link provides facts and information regarding ground level ozone, and its health effects.
Stay connected and access the daily AQI forecast
- Follow us on Twitter
- Sign up to get Air-Quality alerts through Enviroflash
- Visit DEEP’s AQI website or call 800-249-1234
- Go to EPA’s AIRNow website
- Most smart phone weather apps also provide the current air quality index value or you can download EPA’s AIRNOW mobile phone app.
- Twitter: @CTDEEPNews
- Facebook: DEEP on Facebook