Air quality reports now available by e-mail

Air quality is a hot topic in Maricopa and the subject of concern on the part of many local residents. Several articles have been submitted to inmaricopa.com on the issue, including a recent letter to the mayor.

To focus on the environment and National Air Quality Awareness Week, Pinal County, in partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), now offers air quality forecasts sent directly to your e-mail account. All you need to do is sign up at www.enviroflash.info. You can choose to receive reports every day or select a certain minimum alert level.

The Air Quality Index is a standard established by the EPA to help people recognize and adjust activities to maintain optimal health. Air quality levels are color-coded from green (good) to maroon (hazardous) so it’s easy to see the levels of health concern associated with the day’s air quality. For example, on a day when the air quality is classified as red, or unhealthy, someone may choose to go to the gym and work out instead of jogging in the neighborhood.

“Air quality levels are measured by monitors located throughout the United States, including monitors in Pinal County,” Pinal County Air Quality Director Don Gabrielson said. We take those measurements and feed them into a formula developed by the EPA. Although the pollutants may be different, an unhealthy air quality day in Newark, New Jersey, poses the same level of health risk as an unhealthy air quality day in Pinal County – at least in theory.”

Gabrielson explained that although Pinal County has issues with both ozone and particulate matter, just as in the Phoenix area, the principal challenge in Pinal County involves particulate levels.

Pinal County has engaged stakeholders from a variety of industries and sectors of the economy – from cattlemen to industrial parks and from power plants to homebuilders – to work on improving the county’s air quality.

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