Tristate Ozone Alert

OZONE ALERT EFFECTIVE: Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8, 2007 If an Ozone Alert is forecast for Monday, July 9, an announcement will be made on Monday, July 9. The Evansville Environmental Protection Agency and the Vanderburgh County Health Department Ozone Office have issued an OZONE ALERT for Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8, 2007. It’s possible that ozone levels in Southwest Indiana may reach or exceed the U.S. EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 85 parts per billion (ppb) averaged over 8 hours. An OZONE ALERT means ozone is predicted to reach levels which are considered unhealthy for sensitive groups such as active children and adults, and people with respiratory diseases like asthma. These people should limit prolonged outdoor exertion especially between 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. when ozone levels are highest. In the afternoon, people with respiratory conditions, the elderly and children should try to stay indoors. Remember, NO BURNING is allowed during Ozone Alerts. Use of gas and charcoal grills is permitted, but we ask that you postpone grilling until air quality improves. Do your part to protect air quality and reduce ozone levels: · CONSERVE ENERGY – turn off lights, reduce air conditioner use, etc. · Limit your driving. · Postpone fueling your vehicle until after 6:00 p.m. Don’t ‘top-off’ your tank when filling up. · Park and go inside instead of using drive-through windows, especially if there are long lines. · Avoid unnecessary vehicle idling. · Consider using electric or manually operated lawn equipment. · If you use gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment, postpone the work until after 6:00 p.m. · Limit use of solvents, parts cleaning fluids and paint thinners. Replace lids when finished. · Postpone painting or use water-based paints instead of oil-based paints Real-time pollution levels, forecasts and more information can be found at: www.evansvillegov.org/epa and www.airnow.gov.