Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2005 2:28 PM To: AIR POLLUTION ALERT Subject: Air ADVISORY for southern half of Minnesota
February 24, 2005 The MPCA has issued an Air Pollution ADVISORY for Friday and Saturday, February 25 and 26, for the southern half of Minnesota. This includes the Twin Cities, St. Cloud and Rochester, but does not include Duluth or Brainerd. An ADVISORY means that the levels of air pollution are expected to be high enough to affect some individuals. Air Quality Index (AQI): the AQI forecast indicates that the AQI is expected to rise to 95 Friday and Saturday, and possibly rise above 100 (unhealthy for sensitive groups) in some areas. The pollutant of concern is FINE PARTICLES (soot). Health precautions: "Sensitive" groups include those with heart or lung disease (including asthma), adults over 50, and healthy adults and children engaged in vigorous exercise where they breathe deeply. These individuals should reduce or postpone both outdoor and indoor heavy exertion (play shorter games, walk instead of run, rotate players more frequently, etc.) People with heart conditions are especially vulnerable to fine particle pollution. Note: children can play outside for recess, but children who show symptoms of respiratory problems should be returned to a quieter activity. What you can do to keep from adding more particles to the air during this advisory: * carpool, ride the bus or otherwise reduce driving, and don't idle your vehicle engine * postpone using small gasoline or diesel engines for work or play * postpone fires in your fireplace and outdoors, and reduce use of wood stoves and boilers * use less electricity and hot water to reduce demand on power plants For hourly updates of Minnesota's AQI, visit: http://aqi.pca.state.mn.us/hourly/ Select the city closest to where you live. The Minnesota Department of Health offers a fact sheet about fine particle pollution and your health: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/air/pm.htm For a national overview of today's air quality, visit: http://www.epa.gov/airnow/index.html For additional information on reducing air pollution, visit Clean Air Minnesota (CAM) at: http://www.mn-ei.org/air/resources.html#FactSheets To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list, go to: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/air/aqi-subscribe.html Elizabeth Dickinson West Side ------------------------------------------------- JOIN the St. Paul Issues Forum TODAY: http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/ ------------------------------------------------- POST MESSAGES HERE: [email protected] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
