Live Blogging from LVEIC part 3

Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham is speaking.  Lehigh County is the third best county in the state (behind Lancaster and Berks) in farmland preservation.  Cunningham is encouraging local governments to take the lead in environmental innovation and preservation. 

Final Ozone Forecast for 2008

Today marks the last daily forecast for Ozone until the kick-off of the 2009 Ozone Action season.  Daily PM2.5 forecasts will continue.

Thursday, September 18, 2008:

Ozone (O3) – Code GREEN

Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code GREEN

 

Regional Maximum PM 2.5 Concentrations:

Tuesday September 16, 2008:

Ozone - GREEN (25 AQI or 30 ppb)

PM 2.5 – GREEN (28 AQI or 8.8 µg/m³)

 

***NOTE:  Thursday September 18th will be the last ozone season forecast.  Daily fine-particulate forecasts, however, will continue. ***

 

 

 

Short-Term Discussion:   Clouds have cleared out nicely across the region today,  and with a generous amount of sunshine,  temperatures have rebounded into the lower and middle 70s.  Overall air quality has been good. 

 

Expect just a few clouds tonight.  A weak cold front will come into the area from the Great Lakes later on tonight or Thursday morning,  but this lacks any moisture and will not produce any rain.  Low temperatures will bottom out close to 50.   Tomorrow,  north to northwest winds will increase behind the front.  This will keep ozone and fine particulate matter levels in the code GREEN   range. 

 

Tomorrow night, the sky will be mostly clear and winds will drop off, leading to a fairly chilly night.   Lows will drop down into the middle 40s.

 

 

Extended:   Any precipitation is going to be difficult to come by over the next several days.  High pressure will continue to control the weather across the state.  Friday will be the coolest day, with high temperatures only reaching into the middle 60s,  but then a bit of a warmup is in store for the weekend.  Air quality should remain good into Saturday, perhaps reaching lower code  YELLOW  levels by Sunday for particulates.

Live Blogging form the Lehigh Valley Environmental Innovations Conference part 2

Keith is now sharing about air quality issues and density in the Lehigh Valley compared to the rest of the state and nation.  He’s stressing the idea that we can be great stewards of our environment without having a parochial view.  Renewed interest in efficient, responsible mass transit over brownfield areas is an idea worth pursuing.  Upscale apartments built on brownfields overlooking Allentown’s parkways is another idea who’s time has come.

Keith is also sharing about the progress we’ve made in our region regarding Ozone Action days.

EPA Economist Receives Medal for Excellence in Federal Service

From EPA: 

Dr. Stephen O. Andersen was honored with a Career Achievement Medal for significant contributions in implementing the Montreal Protocol, an agreement that phases out 95 percent of the world’s ozone-depleting substances. 

Dr. Andersen has dedicated most of his career to working on ozone depletion, climate change and related issues. In 2007, he helped assemble a team of scientists to produce an article quantifying the benefits of a faster phase-out of ozone-depleting substances, including the phase-out’s impact on climate change. This effort helped move nine countries, including the United States, to strengthen the Montreal Protocol by accelerating the phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons by more than a decade. 

Dr. Andersen’s award comes from the Service to America program, which pays tribute to America’s federal workforce, highlighting those who have made significant contributions to the nation. 

Information about the awards program and additional information about Dr. Andersen’s contributions are available at:http://servicetoamericamedals.org/SAM/index.shtml  and  http://servicetoamericamedals.org/SAM/finalists08/cam/andersen.shtml 

Live Blogging from the second annual Lehigh Vallley Environmental Innovations Conference

Chris Cocca and Keith Williams are representing the Air Quality Partnership this morning at the Holiday Inn in Fogelsville.  Chris Kocher from the Wildlands Conservancy is sharing right now about the environmental history of the Lehigh Valley.  He stressed that gone are the days when environmental stewardship and economics could be seen as opposing forces.  Good business requires a good environment, and a good environment can be sustained by the efforts of smart, green business.   Development needs to happen where infrastructure already exists. 

Williams, our Partnership’s chairperson, will be speaking on our Air Quality score card and challenging us to better care for our air.

Bio Fuels Conference

Pictures and a recap of Saturday’s Bio Fuels for Communities and Schools Conference, sponsored in part by the Lehigh Valley-Berks Air Quality Partnership will be up soon.  This was a great conference organized by many talented and dedicated people from great organizations.  Keith Williams and Chris Cocca attended on behalf of the Partnership and are looking forward to working with many of the related speakers, leaders, and groups.

TODAY IS AN OZONE ACTION DAY

The Lehigh Valley/Berks Area Air Quality Forecast for:

 

Thursday, July 17, 2008: 

Ozone (O3) – Code ORANGE ***Air-Quality Action Day/Free Ride On LANTA***

Fine Particulates (PM 2.5) – Code YELLOW

 

Regional Maximum PM 2.5 Concentrations:

Tuesday, July 15, 2008:

Ozone (O3) – Code YELLOW (64 AQI or 64 ppb)

PM 2.5 – YELLOW (57 AQI or 18.7 µg/m³)

 

 

Short-Term Discussion:  Stagnant conditions continue over a large portion of the Mid-Atlantic region as a ridge of high pressure remains overhead.  Ozone concentrations have jumped into the upper moderate range over the last hour or so, while fine-particulate levels remain in the low moderate range.  With very little air-flow expected over the next several days (with the exception of any overnight low-level jets) air-quality readings could become quite poor.

 

Mainly clear with some areas of fog or haze forming by morning and low temperatures in the low to mid 60s.  Mostly sunny, hazy, hot and humid for Thursday with temperatures expected to reach the low to mid 90s.  The combination of sunny skies and very light winds will allow ozone concentrations in some parts of the forecast area to reach the code ORANGE (unhealthy for sensitive groups) range.  Fine-particulate levels should remain in the code YELLOW (moderate) range.  LANTA will provide free bus rides on Thursday July 17th in Lehigh and Northampton counties.  This service will be provided for one additional Air-Quality Action Day this summer.

 

Extended:  Hazy, hot and humid conditions will continue into this weekend.  Increasing humidity levels will eventually lead to the chance of thunderstorms by Friday.  A weak cool front will eventually cross the region this weekend but at this time it appears that it will slowly grind to a halt then dissipate providing little relief from the heat and humidity.  Poor air quality readings are possible into this weekend though clouds and showers should temper levels just a bit.

 

TIME: 10 Good Things about $4 Gas

here.

Air Quality in CA Improving

“Finally, harried denizens of the Bay Area can look forward to some respite from drafts of smoky air that have kept them home-bound over the last week.

Air quality management officials let out that particulate matter in the air was in the way of containment, and the unhealthy air warnings issued over the last fortnight would most likely be lifted very soon.”

 

more here.

What Would It Take For You To Change Your Driving Habits

comment on the EPA’s blog here.