Tailoring AIRNow to Fit Your Air Program

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Tailoring AIRNow to Fit Your Air Program
2008 National Air Quality Conference COMMUNICATING
AIR QUALITY
Laura J. DeGuire Air Quality Division Department
of Environmental Quality www.michigan.gov/deqair
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Michigan tailored AIRNow programs into MIair to
fit our states needs.
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MIair
is the tool that provides Michigan Air Data
Online in Real Time
MIair is Your air!
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2008 Air Quality Forecast Locations can reach up
to 98 of population
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• Eastern UP
• Traverse City
• Ludington
• Grand Rapids
• Benton Harbor
• Kalamazoo
• Lansing
• Houghton Lake
• Saginaw
• Flint
• Ann Arbor
• Detroit

Program Rolled Out in 2005
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• Forecast Cities
• Grand Rapids
• Detroit, MI
• Ann Arbor
• Flint
• Saginaw
• Lansing
• Kalamazoo
• Traverse City

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MIair
MIair provides real-time air quality information
via the internet. It incorporates the -
Air Quality Index - Action! Days -
Notifications - Monitoring Data -
Ozone Maps - PM2.5 Maps - Links
Do your share to clean the air because
MIair is Your air!
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Michigan Air Quality
MIair

• Air quality in Michigan is usually pretty good
  but not always where it needs to be to protect
  everyones health. Tighter new standards will be
  difficult to meet.

The DEQ uses the Air Quality Index ( ) tool
to communicate poor air quality when the air
isnt as clean as it should be.
The AQI provides a thumbnail of current air
health via the web. Its especially important for
sensitive groups i.e. children, asthmatics,
people with heart disease, people that
work/exercise strenuously outdoors.
MIair is Your air!
2008 National Air Quality Conference
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Locating A Good Tailor
MIair

• Old webpage difficult to manage due to in-house
  constraints
• MIair handled via AIRNowTech
• DEQ contracts with Sonoma Tech to operate
  MIair
• Confident that data looks the same for both
  State and EPA
• DEQ has minimal funds for webpage operation
  this is the best option at the best price.

MIair is Your air!
2008 National Air Quality Conference
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Air Quality Index Tab
The AQI is a snapshot of current air health
Select the Legend for more detail.
NOTE Michigans air usually falls in the
green or yellow range. Sometimes orange
values occur and less frequently, red values.
Maroon air quality levels have never been
recorded.
MIair is Your air!
2008 National Air Quality Conference
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AQI Caution Message Fits

• When people know the AQI forecast colors, they
  can make choices to reduce their exposure and to
  reduce air emissions. They can
• PROTECT HEALTH by reducing strenuous/prolonged
  exertion when poor air quality is expected.
• TAKE ACTION! to reduce air pollution levels by
  driving less, using energy efficient
  products, and by opting not to burn.

MIair is Your air!
2008 National Air Quality Conference
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Action! Days Tab

• Action! Days allow people to make choices that
  help clean the air protect health on days when
  pollution is expected to be elevated.
• TOP NAV
• About Action! Days - Information and links to
  local partners
• What Can I Do? - Specific Actions! that reduce
  pollution and protect health
• Receive Notices - Link to EnviroFlash
  notifications
• Forecast Discussion - detailed meteorological
  evaluation.
• CENTER WEBPAGE
• Current Action! Day - Current situation and dates
  of current years Action! Days
• Previous years - Action! Day information for
  years back to 1994.

Click on location to find which counties are
associated with a city location
MIair is Your air!
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Local Partner websites provide
information about local Action! Day air programs
MIair is Your air!
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Notification Tab
Sign-up to receive air quality /or UV radiation
forecasts
SUN SAFE BEHAVIORS link to Michigan Slip! Slop!
Slap! resources and downloads, Michigan Model
sun safety lessons and classroom
activities.
MIair is Your air!
2008 National Air Quality Conference
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EnviroFlash E-mails for Air
Quality /or UV Radiation
Example UV message 09/07/06 821 PM The UV Index Query for ZIP
Code 48823 The UV Index forecast for Sunday,
September 6, 2006 is 6 Look for Ultraviolet (UV)
Index descriptions on http//www.epa.gov/sunwise
/uvindex.html Exposure Index Category Number
Sun Protection Messages HIGH 6-7
Protection against sun damage is needed.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, use
sunscreen SPF 15 and wear a long-sleeved shirt
and pants when practical. Reduce your exposure
to the suns most intense UV radiation by
seeking shade during midday hours.
MIair is Your air!
2008 National Air Quality Conference
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Monitoring Data Tab
Air monitors in various locations across Michigan
report hourly values. Raw (not fully quality
assured) data is displayed in near real-time.
MIair is Your air!
2008 National Air Quality Conference
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AIRNow maps patterned for MIair maps on Ozone
PM2.5 Map Tabs
Select Animate to put the map in motion
Use the Legend to help interpret the map.
Click on a site name to see the hourly air
quality measurements.
MIair is Your air!
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Links Tab

• Links quickly connect you to other useful air
  internet pages
• About MIair website
• Michigan DEQ Air
• Local Partner Links
• Regional Resources
• EPA Links
• Tools

MIair is Your air!
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LINKS The webpage links to
national and regional air information
and other EPA links provide useful information,
air data, rules, and tools in many formats.
MIair is Your air!
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FUTURE ADJUSTMENTSas AIRNow improves, so will
MIair

• Potential improvements
• Add all the criteria pollutants to current AQI
  table for just one AQI pollutant number.
• Concentration order. i.e. Highest dot
  concentration in front of lesser values.
• Wind direction arrows?

Down the Road Wind direction speed maps like
in AIRNow Tech?
MIair is Your air!
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• THANK YOU

Visit us at www.michigan.gov/deqair and select
the MIair icon
MIair is Your air!
2008 National Air Quality Conference