DEP SEEKS
INPUT ON STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING AIR QUALITY
(05/77) TRENTON -- Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today announced that DEP
will host a workshop this month to solicit ideas for further controlling
air contaminant emissions in New Jersey. The workshop will bring
together representatives from local businesses, industry, environmental
groups and the public to begin identifying and developing strategies
for improving air quality.
"While New Jersey has made great progress in reducing air
pollution from major industries, cars and trucks, federal standards
now require DEP to address continuing threats from ozone and fine
particulate pollution," said Commissioner Campbell. "We
are asking all interested members of the public to help us formulate
ideas for improving New Jersey's air quality before we propose
new regulations to further protect our air against pollution."
The workshop will be held on Wednesday, June 29 at the War Memorial
in Trenton and will address fine particulate pollution, haze and
ozone-three of the most serious pollution problems in New Jersey.
Commissioner Campbell will speak at the workshop.
Every year, exposure to fine particle pollution causes as many
as 1,200 premature deaths and an estimated 6,000 emergency room
visits. Ozone causes nearly 40,000 asthma attacks every year.
New Jersey must meet new federal health-based standards for these
pollutants by 2010.
Workshop participants will break into groups to discuss air pollution
sources, which include emissions from gasoline-powered cars and
trucks; non-automobile gasoline engines such as yard equipment
and boats; diesel engines; stationary combustion sources such
as boilers and heaters; homes and restaurants; and consumer products
and manufacturing processes.
Each workgroup will focus on identifying measures to achieve
emission reductions for their specific air pollution sources,
prioritizing effective control measures and locating additional
sources of data to enhance the state's emission inventory. The
workgroups will meet over a three to four month period and make
recommendations to DEP on strategies to help New Jersey meet federal
health-based air quality standards for ozone and fine particulate.
Commissioner Campbell would like to remind all New Jerseyans
to use the various services offered by DEP to keep residents informed
about air quality. Residents can call 1-800-782-0160 to receive
air quality forecasts twice a day. Forecasts also are available
online at www.nj.gov/dep/airmon.
For more information about the workshop, including registration
information, visit DEP's Web site at: www.nj.gov/dep/airworkshop.
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