Read the story here.
Archive for January, 2007
MSNBC Reports: Road Pollution Hurts Kids’ Lungs, Hearts
January 27, 2007Air Quality Conditions For January 26, 27 2007
January 27, 2007GOOD conditions were observed for PM2.5 and Ozone in the Lehigh Valley today/this evening. In Berks County, GOOD conditions were observed for Ozone and GOOD and MODERATE conditions were observed for PM2.5.
View the Current PM2.5 Conditions Map for Lehigh Valley/Berks here. An animated 24 hour summary map also displays there.
Tomorrow’s forecast for the Greater Lehigh Valley is GOOD for Ozone and MODERATE for PM2.5.
Air Quality Conditions For January 25, 2007
January 25, 2007The following Air Quality conditions were observed at 12:00 PM EST in the Lehigh Valley:
PM2.5: MODERATE
| Moderate | 51-100 | Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. |
Ozone: GOOD
| Good | 0-50 | Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. |
GOOD conditions for PM2.5 and Ozone were observed in Berks County as of 12:45PM EST.
| Good | 0-50 | Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. |
Reminder: January Is Radon Action Month
January 24, 2007
From the EPA:
This January, communities across the nation will lead activities and host special events to increase awareness of the health effects of radon exposure and to promote radon testing, mitigation, and radon-resistant new construction. EPA invites you to join our outreach efforts to help prevent thousands of lung cancer deaths.
Throughout the year, EPA works with communities interested in increasing public understanding of radon. But January is a special time of year because EPA has designated it as National Radon Action Month.
Keep up to date on the latest National Radon Action Month news here and learn how to get involved. Find helpful tools and resources to support your radon activities. Also find out about radon awareness efforts across the country and share your own.
Learn more here.
Pennsylvania’s Radon Action Month page is here.
Governor Rendell Says Landfill Methane Collection, Reuse Again Earning Pennsylvania National Recognition
January 24, 2007| EPA Honors Pennsylvania’s Advanced Energy Initiatives for 2nd Consecutive Year |
HARRISBURG – For the second consecutive year, Governor Edward G. Rendell today said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized Pennsylvania for its national energy leadership in putting landfill gas to work, powering economic growth and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“Landfill-gas-to-energy projects showcase a few of the many ways Pennsylvania government and industry are responding to our call to build a clean energy future using fuels made in Pennsylvania,” Governor Rendell said. “The winning project was a partnership between local government, regional business and an electrical utility company that leveraged the commonwealth’s investment with millions of dollars of their own capital.
“This tribute is further proof that Pennsylvania has become a national leader in developing advanced energy projects and turning our environmental problems into economic opportunities.”
EPA selected a landfill-gas-to-energy project in Manor Township, Lancaster County, as one of four national Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) Projects of the Year. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was honored as one of the partners in the project, along with the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Turkey Hill Dairy and PPL Energy Services.
Last year, the Landfill Methane Outreach Program honored DEP as its “State Partner of the Year” and cited Governor Rendell’s many initiatives to encourage and support the use of landfill methane gas.
“Landfill gas projects harness a potentially serious environmental threat – emissions of methane gas that contribute to global warming – and turns it into a reliable source of energy that Pennsylvania businesses can use to stay competitive,” DEP Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty said. “Further, by diversifying Pennsylvania’s sources of fuel and the points of power generation, we are reducing our dependence on imported fuels and protecting ourselves from the effects of natural disasters and political upheavals elsewhere in the world.”
Methane gas captured from landfills in Pennsylvania can be transformed into a cost-effective fuel to generate electricity. Electricity produced from landfill gas feeds the electricity distribution grid that powers commonwealth homes and businesses and this diversity helps to enhance America’s energy independence and keeps overall energy costs low.
The award-winning Landfill Methane Outreach Program project captures methane gas from the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority’s Frey Farm and Creswell landfills and converts it to electricity and steam. The venture was funded in part by a $650,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, which is administered by DEP.
PPL Energy Services uses two engines fueled by the landfill gas to produce 3,200 kilowatts of electricity — enough to power about 4,000 homes. The electricity is exported into the regional distribution grid, reducing the demand for construction of new power plants and helping to meet standards established by Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, which requires a percentage of the electricity delivered to Pennsylvanians be generated from alternative and renewable resources.
A byproduct of the award-winning project’s electricity generation process, steam, is piped to the adjacent Turkey Hill Dairy. Enough steam is provided to offset about 85 percent of the thermal energy the dairy uses in its operations, substantially reducing its boiler emissions and fuel-oil use.
Landfill gas was included as a preferred energy source in the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard created by Governor Rendell and the Legislature. The standard ensures that 18 percent of the state’s electrical power will come from alternative energy sources within 15 years. By including landfill gas in the standard, Pennsylvania gave electricity providers a strong incentive to invest in landfill gas projects.
Governor Rendell has focused efforts on capturing landfill gas to pipe it directly to serve businesses to keep jobs in Pennsylvania. Under the Governor’s direction, the state has provided strong financial support to encourage landfill gas reuse projects with the investment of more than $3.8 million in grant funding through the Pennsylvania’s Energy Harvest Grant Program, the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority and the Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants Program. These strategic investments have leveraged millions in private investment and created thousands of jobs.
Pennsylvania is home to 24 operational gas-to-energy projects. DEP estimates these projects generate more than 100 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 250,000 homes for a year. Additionally, the projects annually generate approximately 7,000 million standard cubic feet of landfill gas for industrial/commercial uses.
DEP has developed tools to help private businesses interested in developing or using landfill methane gas. The department’s bureaus of waste management and air quality have worked to streamline the permitting process for landfill gas generators and end users. By implementing a general permit process allowing producers to meet industry-wide practices, most permits are issued in 60 days or less. DEP also has assisted private business to harness the power of landfill methane gas by creating a database that allows developers to find promising landfill projects and end users to find sources of fuel.
In September, DEP and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation worked to make highway right-of-ways available for landfill gas pipeline projects, further encouraging and promoting the recovery and use of this emerging source of renewable energy.
For more information, visit DEP’s Web site at www.depweb.state.pa.us, Keyword “Landfill Methane Outreach Partnership.”
Pottstown Air Quality Improving, DEP Says
January 24, 2007From WFMZ.com:
“ State environmental officials want to know if a chemical found in the air in Pottstown is coming from Berks County. A report from the Department of Environmental Protection says levels of potentially harmful pollutants in the air over Pottstown have decreased significantly since 2002. Officials say they have no explanation for the drop off. The DEP is moving its monitoring equipment to the Reading Airport in March to determine if the pollutants are coming from Berks County. The report says winds were blowing east from Berks when officials monitored higher levels of pollutants in Pottstown.”
View the full story online, complete with video, at WMFZ.com.
Air Quality Conditions for January 23 and 24, 2007
January 24, 2007Today has been a MODERATE day for PM2.5 in the Lehigh Valley and Berks County and a GOOD day for Ozone.
| Good | 0-50 | Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. |
| Moderate | 51-100 | Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion |
Tomorrow’s PM2.5 forecast for our region is for MODERATE conditions.
| Moderate | 51-100 | Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion |
January 22 Update: PM2.5 Alert
January 23, 2007PM2.5 conditions were worse than expected today in the Lehigh Valley and Berks County. At 8PM, a PM2.5 level of 117 (UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS) was observed in Lehigh County, and at 8:25 PM, PM2.5 level of 151 (UNHEALTHY) was observed.
Air Quality Forecast for January 22, 2007
January 22, 2007Forecasts for Monday, January 22 for the Lehigh Valley and Berks County are GOOD for Ozone and MODERATE for PM2.5. Moderate PM2.5 conditions were observed in Berks County on Sunday.
| Good | 0-50 | Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. |
| Moderate | 51-100 | Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion |
Air Quality Conditions for January 21, 2007
January 21, 2007Today’s conditions and forecasts for PM2.5 and Ozone in the Lehigh Valley and Berks County are Good.
| Good | 0-50 | Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. |
However, tomorrow is being forecast as a MODERATE day for PM2.5 in the Lehigh Valley/Berks County.
| Moderate | 51-100 | Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion. |
