DEP Issues Code Orange Air Quality Action Day Saturday, May 15 For Liberty-Clairton Area Of Allegheny County

On May 14, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter for Saturday, May 15, 2021, in the Liberty-Clairton Area of Allegheny County which includes Clairton City, Glassport Borough, Liberty Borough, Lincoln Borough, and Port Vue Borough.

A strong temperature inversion and light southwesterly wind Saturday morning are likely to contribute to a daily average concentration of fine particulate matter in the Code Orange range. 

The highest hourly average concentrations of fine particulate matter are most likely to occur between 4:00 AM and 9:00 AM.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.

An Air Quality Action Day is issued when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. 

On an Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day area are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce air pollution by:

-- Reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use;

-- Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash and other materials; and

--Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.

For more information, visit DEP’s Air Quality Partnership webpage; EPA’s AirNow webpage; the Allegheny County Health Department website, or the Southwestern Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership webpage.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter, sign up for DEP Connects events, sign up for DEP’s eNotice, visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

[Posted: May 14, 2021]  PA Environment Digest