EPA Unveils Online Tools for Air Quality Information
On Nov.
19, EPA announced the development of two tools that let computer users
"see" air quality information on a virtual globe. Both tools are
available to the public.
"Google has changed the way people use the Internet. By combining
their innovative mapping tools with our air data, EPA and Google are
changing the way people use the Internet to protect their health," said
EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.
The first tool is part of the new "Air Emission Sources" Web site,
which is designed to make emissions data for six common pollutants easy
to find and understand. Based on the latest National Emissions
Inventory, the site uses charts and Google Earth files to answer a
user's questions. Users can look at overall emissions, emissions by
type of industry or emissions by largest polluter.
Want to know what industry emits the most sulfur dioxide in your
state? Select your state from a map, pick a pollutant, and the site
creates a chart showing you emissions by industry. Want to "see" which
refineries in your state emit the most sulfur dioxide? Use the "tilt"
feature in Google Earth to quickly find the largest emitter. Then click
on the balloon to get more details about emissions from that facility.
EPA also is providing Air Quality Index (AQI) information in the
Google Earth format. Use the AQI tool to quickly see air quality across
the country, then click on a specific location to see that city's AQI
forecast and current levels of ozone or particle pollution.
The AQI is EPA's color-coded tool to inform the public about daily
air pollution levels in their communities. EPA, in collaboration with
state and local governments, provides AQI forecasts and conditions for
more than 300 cities across the United States.
Go to the Air Emissions Sources Web site aty http://www.epa.gov/air/emissions.
View information in Google Earth format about which facilities emit any of six common pollutants at http://www.epa.gov/air/emissions/where.htm.
See AQI forecasts and current conditions at http://www.airnow.gov.
View air quality information in Google Earth format at http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=google_earth.main. EPA also is using the Google Earth platform to display Acid Rain Program data at http://epa.gov/airmarkets/progress/interactivemapping.html.