Clean Air Council


Air Modeling and Citizen Science: Clean Air Council Releases Tool to Help Communities Fight Back and Protect Their Health

(MARCH 10, 2017) PHILADELPHIA, PA – In an effort to provide communities with tools to advocate for stronger air pollution laws and regulations, Clean Air Council released a white paper and made a presentation in Washington, D.C. at the National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program. Titled “Air Modeling as a Tool in Environmental Law and Policy: A Guide for Communities and Environmental Groups,” the white paper serves as a primer on the law and science of air modeling, the importance of air quality information in the permitting process for industrial facilities, and how citizens can use this information to protect their health. The paper also addresses legal remedies available to community groups and environmental organizations for addressing air pollution problems.

“The federal government is rolling back environmental protections and communities need effective tools to protect their health now more than ever,” said Joseph Otis Minott, Esq. the Executive Director and Chief Counsel of Clean Air Council. “A basic understanding of air modeling and how it is used in legal contexts can empower community leaders and environmental groups to participate more fully in the protection of air quality.”

“As technology advances, citizen science and crowdsourcing data represent part of the future of air modeling and monitoring,” said Christopher Ahlers, Esq., Clean Air Council Staff Attorney and co-author of the white paper. “Citizen science may extend not only to an individual wearing a sensor, but also to sophisticated modeling and monitoring by large universities.”

Air Modeling as a Tool in Environmental Law and Policy: A Guide for Communities and Environmental Groups is available for download at cleanair.org. Clean Air Council, a member-based environmental non-profit located in Pennsylvania, has successfully partnered with community organizations to provide education on air modeling.

Air Modeling as a Tool in Environmental Law and Policy: A Guide for Communities and Environmental Groups
Part I: Criteria Pollutants, National Ambient Air Quality Standards, State Implementation Plans, Attainment and Nonattainment Areas
Part II: Practical Uses of Air Modeling in Litigation and Regulatory Contexts

Contact:
Joseph Otis Minott, 215-567-4004, ext. 116, joe_minott@cleanair.org
Christopher D. Ahlers, 215-567-4004, ext. 125, cahlers@cleanair.org

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Clean Air Council is a member- supported, non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting everyone’s right to breathe clean air. The Council is headquartered in Philadelphia and works through public education, community advocacy, and government oversight to ensure enforcement of environmental laws. For more information, please visit www.cleanair.org.

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