For Release: Monday, February 25, 2008

DEC to Hold Informational Meeting to Discuss Progress on the Tonawanda Community Air Quality Study

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Division of Air Resources will hold an informational public meeting about the Tonawanda Community Air Quality Study on Saturday, March 1, from 9:30 a.m. to approximately 11:00 a.m. at the Sheridan Parkside Community Center located at 169 Sheridan Parkside Drive in Tonawanda. At the meeting, DEC will present data that has been collected during the first six months of the study from four air quality monitoring stations situated in an industrialized area of Tonawanda. Anyone interested is welcome and encouraged to attend.

This meeting is the second informational public meeting to be held on the Tonawanda Community Air Quality Study by DEC. The purpose of the meetings is to provide an overview of the study's progress and to seek input and comments on the study from the public.
"The Tonawanda Community Air Quality Study will be a valuable tool in evaluating the impact of stationary and mobile source air emissions in the Tonawanda area," said Regional Director Abby Snyder. "This study is a unique effort by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DEC, and represents a strong collaborative effort between government and local community groups."

The Tonawanda Community Air Study is funded through a $300,000 grant from the EPA with additional funding and staff support provided by DEC. DEC initiated the study in response to concerns about elevated air concentrations of benzene in the area downwind of the industrial area bordered by River Road, I90 and I290. Industrial facilities located in the study area include gasoline distribution terminals, coke ovens, tire manufacturing, sponge manufacturing, and a coal-fired power plant. The area also contains significant truck and automobile traffic, which are also contributing factors that need to been evaluated when assessing air quality.

As part of the study, four air quality monitoring stations have been installed around the Tonawanda area. Air sampling at the stations began July 5, 2007, and will continue for approximately one year. The air sampling sites include a station on Grand Island Boulevard near the NOCO terminal, a station at the end of Brookside Terrace Drive, a station on Two Mile Creek Road at the Sheridan Park Water Tower, and an upwind station located at the Beaver Island State Park golf course. The air quality monitoring study is designed to collect data that will be used to evaluate air quality models and other risk assessment tools used by the DEC and EPA to predict community exposures to air pollutants. The information developed during this study will be shared with local government, state and local public health officials, community groups and business groups to continue discussions about the need for local air pollution reduction strategies for the community.

The upcoming meeting will also feature a discussion by Jackie James, Executive Director of the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York. Ms. James will discuss an Environmental Justice grant recently awarded to her group by DEC, which will be used to investigate the potential link between air pollutants and community health in the Tonawanda/Kenmore residential area. Research methods will include the use of personal air monitoring badges, bucket air samplers and a network of volunteers to track odors and acute health effects from suspected air emission sources. This project will support and widen the research scope of DEC's current Tonawanda Community Air Study. The Clean Air Coalition of Western New York is seeking volunteers that reside in ZIP codes 14217 or 14150 to assist with this project. To volunteer, please call Jackie James at (716) 873-5608 or email jackie@analyticalsolutionsinc.net.

For more information on the upcoming meeting or the Tonawanda Community Air Quality Study, please contact DEC's Region 9 Air Resources Division at (716) 851-7130.