FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2010
MDEQ AIR MONITORING INFORMATION
(BILOXI, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are continuing to monitor air quality on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Sites in Waveland and Gulfport are monitoring in real time for Ozone and PM2.5 (fine particulate) data. In addition, EPA has installed Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) monitors at these locations, and the data is collected daily. Real time Ozone data is also being collected in Pascagoula and the particulate matter data is monitored at Pascagoula, but this data is not in real time. All levels observed so far are below normal levels for the area.
“MDEQ and other officials have received calls from the public about paraffin-type odors. We certainly take these calls and comments seriously. Odors could be caused by southerly winds bringing odors from the oil out in the Gulf. Our VOC data, in conjunction with EPA, shows that those levels, as well as all the air monitoring data, is below normal levels. Even if someone smells an odor, the air is still below levels of concern for human health. We will continue to monitor and will alert the public if anything changes,” said Trudy Fisher, MDEQ Executive Director.
Real time data from MDEQ, EPA, and the other Gulf states is available at: www.epa.gov/bpspill/air. MDEQ is also working with the Mississippi Air National Guard on some additional, instantaneous air monitoring that will portable across the Coast.
MDEQ and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources in cooperation with Governor Haley Barbour, other state and federal agencies, and BP are working to protect the vital natural resources of Mississippi’s Coast from any possible impact of the Gulf oil spill.
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Mr. Robbie Wilbur
Communications Director
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Post Office Box 2261
Jackson, Mississippi 39225
601/961-5277
601/421-5699 (c)
601/961-5715 (f)
robbie_wilbur@deq.state.ms.us |