A coalition of organizations have come together to make sure that the
region is prepared if air quality becomes an issue this summer. The
NEW (Northeast Wisconsin) Air Coalition is comprised of
representatives from business, industry, education and government.

The coalition hopes their efforts will ensure that Fond du Lac County
maintains its current “attainment” status with the Department of
National Resources.

Attainment means the county has attained good air quality. If the
county were listed as “non-attainment zone” due to poor air quality
numbers, which is a possibility if the area experiences a hot and
humid summer,
regulations would be put into place that would have serious impact on
the area’s businesses and economy.

In Wisconsin, the 10 counties along Lake Michigan have been designated
non-attainment areas for ground-level ozone pollution. Residents,
businesses and industries in those counties
face measures such as stricter environmental controls on industrial
facilities, stricter permitting, vehicle inspection programs and
vehicle emission standards.

Non-attainment designation can have lasting effect. According to the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “Many companies will not locate new
facilities to, or even expand existing facilities in, nonattainment
areas.”

One important weapon in the crusade for healthy air in summer is the
Ozone Action Day. If meteorologists foresee weather conditions
favorable to high ozone levels, an Ozone Action Day will be called 24
hours in advance.

Large businesses and organizations are notified and modify their
behaviors, and organizations throughout the region get the word out to
the
public so they can alter their routines, as well.

Businesses and residents can sign up to receive Ozone Action Day
e-mail alerts at www.fdlhealthyair.com. Many businesses
designate several people in their organizations to receive the alerts,
assuring they will be able to take appropriate action throughout the
vacation season. At this site, you can also fi nd a number of ways
individuals, employers and local governments can help improve air
quality.

The coalition will issue a “Healthy Air, Healthy Us Tip of the Month”
that focuses on ozone and other pollutants. It will be sent to local
media and posted at www.fdlhealthyair.com.

Examples of long-term, lifestyle changes include driving less
(walking, biking, riding the bus or carpooling), avoiding idling your
vehicle, mowing and refueling in the evenings, and switching to
electric or manual garden tools.

The NEW Air Coalition is working to educate
businesses and residents on the value of adopting
simple changes that can be done to improve the
overall air quality.