Hard-to-Breathe Air: Pollution Alerts In The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — National and state officials have issued air quality alerts for the Hudson Valley and the NYC metro area. As it has been so far this summer, the pollutant making the air difficult for sensitive people to breathe Monday is ozone.

In Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester counties, the alert is in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The New York State Department of Health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young and those with pre existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease. Those with symptoms should consider consulting their personal physician.

Levels in outdoor air are predicted to be greater than an air quality index value of 100 for ozone. The AQI is an index for reporting daily air quality, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. It tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you. It was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale; the higher the AQI value, the greater the health concern. When levels of ozone and/or fine particles are expected to exceed an AQI value of 100, an Air Quality Health Advisory is issued alerting sensitive groups to take the necessary precautions.

These pollutants arise from sources such as cars, trucks and power plants, with fine particle levels also enhanced by forest fires and residential burning. To help reduce pollution levels, refrain from unnecessary driving and use public transportation if available.

Map: NY Department of Environmental Conservation