Free Air Quality Forecasts & Alerts Available From EPA

BOSTON — With warmer weather finally indicating that summer is almost here, and with Memorial Day weekend being the unofficial start of summer, the US Environmental Protection Agency wants to remind people to be prepared if there is poor air quality this summer by taking advantage of free air quality forecasts and alerts.

“Ground-level ozone and fine particle air pollution are significant public health threats in New England,” said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA’s New England Office. “Thanks to federal and state efforts, air quality has improved over the past decade. However, New Englanders still need to pay close attention to air quality warnings and limit strenuous outdoor activity on air quality alert days. Plus, we all can take individual actions to reduce the air pollution that contributes to this public health risk.”

Current air quality conditions and next day forecasts for New England are available each day at EPA’s website, www.epa.gov/ne/aqi. Visitors can also sign up at this address to receive Air Quality Alerts.

These alerts, provided free by EPA in cooperation with the New England states, automatically notify participants by email when high concentrations of ground-level ozone or fine particles are predicted in their area.