For Release: Wednesday, August 2, 2023
DEC to Hold Community Meetings to Share Progress of Statewide Community Air Monitoring Initiative
Opportunities for Public Input and Review of Work Underway in Buffalo/Niagara Falls/Tonawanda, Rochester, Syracuse, the Capital Region, Mount Vernon/Yonkers/New Rochelle, Brooklyn, Queens, and Hempstead/New Cassel/Roosevelt/Uniondale/Westbury
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced eight meetings to provide progress updates for communities participating in the statewide Community Air Monitoring Initiative launched in 2022. The meetings will provide information to help DEC target strategies to reduce air pollution in these communities, including the greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change, to help achieve the goals of the State's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (leaves DEC website). This next round of meetings will continue DEC's efforts to gather community input in targeting emission sources and future strategies to reduce air pollution.
At these meetings, DEC staff will provide an overview of the initiative and present a preliminary overview of the third quarter of local air monitoring results. Information presented will include how and where the air monitoring is conducted and how DEC will compile and analyze the data to identify potential contributors of emissions for each pollutant being monitored. Preliminary data collection is underway, and results will be provided once additional information is compiled.
DEC will also provide an update on the progress of establishing community advisory committees to engage with local stakeholders throughout this initiative. DEC will continue to hold regular meetings over the next year to update the community on the progress of the air monitoring and to provide a forum for input. Staff from DEC's Division of Air Resources and Office of Environmental Justice will be available to answer questions.
Buffalo/Niagara Falls/Tonawanda
- When: Wednesday, Aug. 9, at 5:30 p.m.
- Link to join meeting (leaves DEC website)
- Meeting Number: 1616 92 6835
- Meeting Password: cWQqRHp4t86
- Call In Number to join by phone only: 518-549-0500
Syracuse
- When: Thursday, Aug. 10, at 6 p.m.
- Link to join meeting (leaves DEC website)
- Meeting Number: 1617 31 0395
- Meeting Password: air315
- Call In Number to join by phone only: 518-549-0500
Mount Vernon/Yonkers/New Rochelle
- When: Tuesday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m.
- Link to join meeting (leaves DEC website)
- Meeting Number: 161 301 9923
- Meeting Password: CommunityAir3
- Call In Number to join by phone only: 518-549-0500
Rochester
- When: Thursday, Aug. 24, at 3:30 p.m.
- Link to join meeting (leaves DEC website)
- Meeting Number: 161 594 2055
- Meeting Password: rocCam3
- Call In Number to join by phone only: 518-549-0500
Queens
- When: Monday, Aug. 28, at 3 p.m.
- Link to join meeting (leaves DEC website)
- Meeting Number: 1615 94 4719
- Meeting Password: kYcP5mkkC23
- Call In Number to join by phone only: 518-549-0500
Brooklyn
- When: Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 3 p.m.
- Link to join meeting (leaves DEC website)
- Meeting Number: 1619 83 6869
- Meeting Password: 73paMk9G64C
- Call In Number to join by phone only: 518-549-0500
Capital Region
- When: Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m.
- Link to join meeting (leaves DEC website)
- Meeting Number: 161 715 5348
- Meeting Password: CommunityAir4
- Call In Number to join by phone only: 518-549-0500
Hempstead/New Cassel/Roosevelt/Uniondale/Westbury
- When: Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 6 p.m.
- Link to join meeting (leaves DEC website)
- Meeting Number: 1619 12 4227
- Meeting Password: hP9tjDCeY46
- Call In Number to join by phone only: 518-549-0500
Update meetings on the fourth quarter of monitoring data for all 10 communities involved in this initiative are being planned for later this year. For more information about the Community Air Monitoring Initiative, visit the DEC website.
Interpreter services shall be made available to deaf persons, and translator services shall be made available to persons with limited English proficiency, at no charge for either service, upon written request. Requests should be received 10 calendar days before each meeting, but DEC will make every effort to fulfill requests received closer to the meeting date. Requests can be directed to the NYSDEC Office of Communication Services, either by mail to NYSDEC, Office of Communication Services, 625 Broadway, Albany, New York 12233-4500, by telephone (518) 402-8044, or by e-mail to language@dec.ny.gov.
