EPA Air Quality index to be available year round, include particle pollution levels

by Kevin Joy

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency soon will test New London's air for pollution every day of the year, rather than only in the summer.

"We have unhealthy air year-round," said Andrew Spejewski, a spokesman for the New England office of the EPA. "We're not as bad as L.A., but Connecticut is still highly affected."

Spejewski blamed Connecticut's high levels of haze and soot on its large commuter population, its proximity to New York City and on the flow of emissions from power plants as far away as the Midwest. The New London-Groton region has been one of 300 areas the EPA tests daily during summer months. Now, it will be among 145 cities tested for particle pollution year-round.

The EPA generates a color-coded "air quality index," which is used mainly by meteorologists to forecast high ozone levels. But the elements of particle pollution-microscopic toxins from smoke and exhaust, combined with gaseous reactions in the atmosphere-pose a continuous hazard, according to the EPA.

A grain of table salt is 40 times bigger than one toxic particle found in contaminated air, and smog clouds are formed when high numbers of such particles exist in one location.

This summer, Connecticut reported 14 days with pollutant and ozone levels deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems.

Tracy Babbidge, assistant director of air planning for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, said the year-round checks would help raise public awareness about the issue.

"It's very important to be able to provide the public information to make the right choices about their daily activities," Babbidge said. "The best way to protect yourself is to reduce exposure when necessary."

Alison Davis, spokeswoman for the EPA's office of air quality planning and standards, said the new warnings would also benefit people - particularly children -- who exert themselves outdoors.

"Children take in more air per pound of body weight, and, let's face it, they're the ones more likely to be running around outside," Davis said. "And activities like running or gardening make you work harder and breathe deeper, so you pull in more air."

Davis said inhalation of hazardous particles has been linked to lung and heart disease.

But both ozone and particle pollution levels can vary throughout the year, and even vary from year to year, depending on temperature and weather patterns. Connecticut, for example, had nearly twice the amount of high-level ozone days last year as it did this year because of extreme humidity in 2002. Other factors, such as geographical conditions and concentration of industry, also affect air quality.

While the EPA expects the air quality index to become a staple in future weather forecasts on television and in newspapers-it's already been picked up by USA Today-the levels are not high enough to warrant broadcasting on a daily basis, said Bruce DePrest, chief meteorologist at WSFB-TV in Hartford.

"It's not really an issue this time of year," DePrest said, adding that winter winds from the Northwest blow particles out of the region. "But if it's a very still morning or a lot of people are burning fires, we might give an index update."

The air quality forecasts are posted daily on the EPA's website, www.epa.gov/airnow. In addition to forecasts for the New London-Groton area, the site contains air quality levels for Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, New Haven, Stafford and Torrington.