With Pennsylvania implementing new federal air quality guidelines that are more protective of public health, the Lehigh Valley/Berks County Air Quality Partnership is urging residents to help avoid air quality action days by using mass transit during the summer ozone season.

DEP Northeast Regional Director Michael Bedrin emphasized that using public or alternative transportation means cleaner air and more money saved for riders.

"Public transportation is a convenient, common sense approach to reducing the smog-forming air pollution that can make it difficult for some people to breathe," said Bedrin. "Also, with gasoline prices at record levels, opting for mass transit or carpooling makes economic sense, as well."

Bedrin's comments came on the heels of an event earlier today by the Lehigh Valley/Berks County Air Quality Partnership at the Lehigh/Northampton Transportation Authority's Allentown Transportation Center to open the 2008 ozone season.

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 goals of the Lehigh Valley/Berks County Air Quality Partnership are to increase the public's understanding on the impact of air pollution, provide alerts on days with high air pollution, provide health effects information and guidelines to prevent or reduce exposure, and encourage voluntary actions to reduce air pollution emissions, especially on ozone action days, or days when the air is expected to be unhealthy to breathe.

The partnership, in conjunction with local media such as WFMZ-TV, disseminates information when action days are forecast for the region. Using DEP meteorological data, the partnership informs people about the predicted ozone levels and any precautions that need to be taken.

In addition, the partnership and DEP are releasing daily forecasts on air pollution caused by particulate matter, commonly called PM 2.5.

DEP is again committing resources to offer the public free LANTA bus rides on ozone action weekdays. The department, in conjunction with the partnership and LANTA, have sponsored the Ride Free on Ozone Action Days program during the summer for the past seven years.

This year, there will most likely be more ozone action days declared because DEP has adopted the new ozone air quality index scale that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released in March. EPA's new ozone standard changes the 8-hour ozone standard from 85 parts per billion to 76 parts per billion.

Once available funds have been exhausted for the Ride Free program, the department will notify local residents and request that they continue to use LANTA's system or try alternative transportation, such as walking or cycling, during the rest of the summer ozone season.

The Lehigh Valley/Berks County Air Quality Partnership is a coalition of individuals, businesses, governments and community groups that educates the public about the dangers of ground-level ozone and particulate matter, and encourages people to take voluntary actions to reduce their contributions to air pollution.

"We appreciate the assistance and cooperation from the partnership, LANTA, WFMZ-TV and the residents of the Lehigh Valley in our combined efforts to improve the air quality and respiratory health in the region," said Bedrin.

The partnership has also developed a new blog for detailed activities and cross links to other air quality related sites or for more information visit the Lehigh Valley/Berks County Air Quality Partnership webpage.

NewsClip: Funding for Free LANTA Rides is Going Up in Smoke

5/30/2008