Keith Williams (2nd from left)

Keith Williams, a Penn State engineering graduate, and environmental manager for the Hercules Cement Co. in Northampton County received the R. Emmet Doherty Clean Air Award in a ceremony this week.

The Department of Environmental Protection, American Lung Association of Pennsylvania and Women’s Club of Allentown teamed up to present the 36th Annual R. Emmet Doherty Clean Air Award.

“Keith is committed to improving air quality in the Lehigh Valley and promoting the efforts of the Air Quality Partnership to inform residents about how they can reduce pollution,” DEP Northeast Regional Air Quality Manager Thomas DiLazaro said during the ceremony.

“His enthusiasm and hard work as chairman of the Air Quality Partnership of Lehigh Valley/Berks County over the past three years make him a worthy recipient of this year’s R. Emmet Doherty Clean Air Award,” DiLazaro said.

The award recognizes the efforts of a local business, organization or individual in improving air quality in the greater Lehigh Valley. First presented in 1970, the award is named in honor of R. Emmet Doherty, former director of the Lehigh Valley Pollution Control District who monitored air quality and championed air pollution reduction during his 19 years of service.

As chairman of the Lehigh Valley/Berks County Air Quality Partnership, Williams has continued the Ride Free on Ozone Action Days program with the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA). Bus rides on LANTA’s Lehigh and Northampton county routes are free when DEP air quality meteorologists forecast an Ozone Action Day.

Seven air quality action days were forecasted with eight days exceeding federal standards in the Lehigh Valley/Berks County region in 2005. There were three forecasted days with eight exceeding federal levels the year before.

DEP, the regional air quality partnership and LANTA sponsor the Ride Free program, which has been operating since 2001. In 2002, LANTA realized a 54 percent increase in its number of riders, as well as a significant reduction in ozone-producing automobile traffic.

Williams also coordinated Air Quality Nights at Reading Phillies games and a gas-can exchange program so that enabled more than 600 area residents to obtain free, low-vapor containers when they turned in their old gas cans.

Williams also is working with WFMZ-TV to develop a “Haze Cam,” which will highlight current levels of particulate pollution in the area and provide viewers with comparisons of good and bad air quality conditions. This feature would augment WFMZ’s daily ozone and particulate forecasts.

The Lehigh Valley/Berks County partnership is a coalition of individuals, businesses, governments and community groups that informs the public about the dangers of ground-level ozone and encourages residents to take voluntary actions to reduce their contributions to air pollution.

Ground-level ozone, a key component of smog, is formed when pollution from vehicles, industry, consumer products and power plants “bakes” in the hot, summer sun, making it difficult for some people to breathe. Particulate matter, which is airborne dust or small soot particles, can also cause health problems for children or the elderly with respiratory problems, as well as the general population.

The partnership disseminates information about “Ozone Action Days,” or days when the air is expected to be unhealthy to breathe. Using DEP meteorological data, the partnership predicts ozone levels and broadcasts any precautions that need to be taken.

In addition, the partnership and DEP are disseminating daily forecasts on air pollution caused by particulate matter, commonly called PM 2.5. Unlike ozone, particulate matter pollution can occur year-round. These particles can get deep into the lungs and cause significant health problems.

PM 2.5 has been determined to be most closely associated with health effects related to increased hospitals admissions and emergency room visits for heart and lung disease, increased respiratory symptoms and disease, and decreased lung function.

The particles come from a wide range of sources --- from power plants, industry, cars, trucks, buses, wood stoves and forest fires. Some particles are released when fuels are burned; others form in the atmosphere from reactions between gases released from power plants and factories.

For more information on ozone, visit the Air Quality Partnerships webpage.

6/23/2006