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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2005

Contact: Karen Hershey
(609) 984-1795

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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