South Mountain Partnership, Shippensburg University: Warehousing And Particulate Matter Pollution Study In The Cumberland Valley

The South Mountain Partnership recently announced the completion of the “Warehousing and Particulate Matter Pollution in the Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania” report published by the Department of Geography-Earth Science and Center for Land Use and Sustainability at Shippensburg University. 

Lead researchers were Grace Coffman, Timothy W. Hawkins, and Kurt Fuellhart. 

"This study reveals PM pollution to be higher in the Cumberland Valley due to the warehouses, highways, truck traffic, and mountains that trap the pollution. Citizens and decision makers should consider both the positive economic impacts and the negative health and environmental impacts of warehouses," according to Timothy W. Hawkins, Professor, Department of Geography and Earth Science at Shippensburg.

Some of the findings in the report include--

-- 200 warehouses were identified in the Cumberland Valley. Of these, 66% were established before 2003. Average warehouse size increased from 9.71 acres in 2003 to 20.25 acres in 2022.

-- Truck traffic: Truck traffic increased by 20.8% on I-76 and 43.5% on I-81 between 2001 and 2023.

-- PM2.5 concentrations are highest at night, with a secondary peak during the morning commute. Seasonally, PM2.5 [particulate] concentrations are highest in summer, followed by winter, and lowest in spring and fall. Annual PM2.5 concentrations declined by 45-51% between 2001-2024, with the largest decrease occurring in summer.

-- Average PM2.5 concentrations are 14% higher inside the Cumberland Valley than outside, with a maximum difference of 31% in winter and minimum of 3% in summer. 

-- Reductions in PM2.5 concentrations over time are greater inside the Cumberland Valley than outside.

This project represents an important collaboration between student researchers and faculty expertise to bring needed data to the South Mountain Region through the South Mountain Research Corps.

This research was conducted with financial assistance from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources through the South Mountain Partnership. 

Additional financial assistance came from the Shippensburg University Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) fund.

Click Here for a copy of the report. Click Here for a copy of the online StoryMap.

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how you can get involved, visit the South Mountain Partnership website.  Sign up for regular updates from the Partnership (bottom of the webpage).

Find out more about Friends of South Mountain Partnership.  The Partnership serves Cumberland, Adams, Franklin, and York counties.

            Visit DCNR’s Conservation Landscape Initiatives webpage for more on similar programs around Pennsylvania.

[Posted: April 29, 2026]  PA Environment Digest