What person, group or organization is being profiled, and why are they of interest to this project?
The Bureau of Air Quality in the Department of Environmental Protection for the state of Pennsylvania is the organization being profiled. Within the Bureau are several divisions: Air Resource Management, Air Quality Monitoring, Compliance and Enforcement, Source Testing and Monitoring, and Permits (http://www.era-environmental.com/en-US/resource/us-maps/pennsylvania.php). These divisions work together with a specific goal to maintain control over the air quality of the state of Pennsylvania, through monitoring and studying air quality, along with permitting organizations and establishing programs to enhance air quality. What have they done – through research, or a public health program or education forum, for example-- that illustrates how they have worked to improve air pollution governance and environmental public health?
The Bureau of Air Quality of the DEP works to:
Propose regulations and implementation plans for the state.
Adopted California’s more strict vehicle emission standards and greenhouse gas provisions
Cars sold or registered in PA model year 2008 or newer, with less than 7,500 miles need certification for emissions by the California Air Resources Board.
2004: School buses of many Pennsylvania schools were offered funds to make school buses more ecologically friendly, by retrofitting their diesel use (http://www.cleanbusesforkids.com/). 2008: The Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles Program: This make year (2008) and newer vehicles are “required to be certified for emissions by the California Air Resource Board (CARB), in order to be sold, leased, offered for sale or lease, imported, delivered, purchased, rented, acquired, received, titled or registered in Pennsylvania” (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/automobiles/21813/clean_vehicles_program/1829984)
2008: Pennsylvania Climate Change Act (Act 70 of 2008) requires DEP to report the potential impact of climate change on PA with:
"scientific predictions regarding changes in temperature and precipitation in Pennsylvania;
potential impact of climate change on human health, the economy and other sectors; and
economic opportunities created by potential need for alternative sources of energy and climate related technologies" (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/bureau_of_air_quality/14528/climate_change/2120895). 2009: Pennsylvania begins participation in the TRI State Data Exchange. “TRI facilities are required to report on releases of toxic chemicals into the air, water, and land. In addition, they need to report off-site transfers -- a transfer of wastes for chemical recycling, treatment, or disposal at a separate facility. Facilities may also report pollution prevention activities”. This information is used by the EPA. (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=553051&mode=2)
Does this person, group or organization claim to have a new or unique way of addressing environmental public health? Does this approach point to or suggest problems with other approaches?
Lots of community access to information about air pollution and environmental compliance allows the people of Pennsylvania to make educated decisions about organizations to support.
Monitoring of air quality informs the population about the air they are breathing; makes people aware of the problems in their state.
What data have they collected or used to support their approach to environmental public health? What visualizations of this data have been created?
Information on:
acid rain, transportation and air, indoor air pollution, toxic pollutants
From EPA, Great Lakes Information Network, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) ,Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association (MARAMA), Inc. information
drive and support the activity of the DEP’s Bureau of Air Quality. What research has the organization produce or drawon on in their initiatives – in the last year, and over the last decade?
Environment Facility Application Compliance Tracking System (eFACTS) database allows individuals to view information about authorizations, clients, sites and facilities
What kinds of technology and infrastructure do they rely on in the production of environmental health care?
Car emission equipment for vehicle inspection
Interactive sites to view air quality status
Sensor and monitoring technology for monitoring network stations
What social ecology does this person, group or organization work within, and how did it shaped their way of conceiving and engaging asthma?
This organization is from a governmental social ecology. This organization acts in order to comply to EPA regulations as well as to provide a safe living environment for the people of Pennsylvania. What events or data seem to have motivated their ways of thinking about and engaging environmental health?
National regulations and stricter restrictions of pollution emissions have motivated
Alarming statistics about the health impacts of environmental problems on Pennsylvania residents’ health may have driven the development of more environmental education and inspections/studies.
Data proving vehicle emissions dramatic effect on air quality and ozone depreciation encouraged the development of vehicle regulations and interest in alternative fuels.
What funding enables their work and possibly shapes their way of thinking about environmental health?
The Philadelphia government funds this agency’s action. Most activity is to keep in compliance to EPA regulations. The health and welfare of the Pennsylvania residents also impacts the actions of this organization. What in the history of this person, group or organization likely shaped the way they conceived or and engage environmental health?
In Pennsylvania, our climate has undergone a long-term warming of more than 1° C (1.8° F) over the past 110 years. Inspires their climate change governance.
Changing EPA Regulations
Different social constructions that dictate the activity of Philadelphia residents
What does this person, group or organization seem to find methodologically challenging or concerning in dealing with environmental health?
Coming to terms with a plan to meet EPA’s federal requirements and implementation of statewide laws to enforce these federal requirements seem to be methodologically challenging to the Bureau of Air Quality in the Department of Environmental Protection for the state of Pennsylvania. What kinds of governance are (implicitly or explicitly) called for in the way they think about environmental health?
Better enforced regulations of emissions
Reduce/retrofit diesel use
Address climate change
Energy source modifications/alternatives
Better compliance of small businesses
More monitoring studies of the effect of industry on air quality
How can The Asthma Files enable or supplement this way of thinking about environmental health, and the work of this person, group or organization?
The Asthma Files could use the databases provided on the different areas’ air quality measurements to study the relationships between air pollution measurements and the health of the people of Philadelphia.
What person, group or organization is being profiled, and why are they of interest to this project?
The city of Philadelphia Department of Public Health Air Management Services work to ensure a healthy environment for the people of Philadelphia. They educate the public on health issues, implement laws, distribute permits, and respond to city health problems. What have they done – through research, or a public health program or education forum, for example-- that illustrates how they have worked to improve air pollution governance and environmental public health?
Give air quality improvement tips for civilians
Air Management Services (AMS): react to calls from the people of Philadelphia about concerning industrial/commercial facilities and diesel vehicles with possible dangerous emissions and enforce legal regulations for air quality (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AirAndNoise.html)
Established Air Monitoring Network and AMS Lab: Ambient air evaluations for air pollutants and toxins, sent to a national database used by EPA; different tests for different regions of Philadelphia (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AirMonitoringLab.html)
retrofitting diesel-run vehicles (fire trucks and school buses) by developing diesel oxidation catalysts (decrease pollution by 20-50%), Using biodiesel in city-owned vehicles, Working with Philadelphia National Airport to develop ground service that is solely electrical (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/Diesel.html)
Revisions and amendments to implementation plans and regulations
Alert the public of revisions and community-involved meetings
What timeline of events illustrates how this way of addressing environmental public health has developed?
1964: Started monitoring Philadelphia’s air in the AMS Lab (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AirMonitoringLab.html)
2003: Philadelphia Diesel Difference works toward diesel pollution reduction (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/Diesel.html)
2009: Development of system to report idling trucks (http://www.idlefreephilly.org/).
2015: Active in the Village Green Project (http://www2.epa.gov/air-research/village-green-project) Does this person, group or organization claim to have a new or unique way of addressing environmental public health? Does this approach point to or suggest problems with other approaches?
By adopting the Village Green Project, the city of Philadelphia is promoting citizen science. This is a unique way for people of a community to participate in scientific research and learn about a problem. Citizen science is technically ‘free labor’, creating affordable methods to produce studies. In addition, bringing the community into a scientific cause can educate the public and produce faster action towards bettering air quality. What data have they collected or used to support their approach to environmental public health? What visualizations of this data have been created?
Information on:
Carbon monoxide and other air pollutants
diesel fuel effluents
environmental justice
asbestos harm
air quality control in general
drive and support the activity of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health Air Management Services. What research has the organization produce or drawon on in their initiatives – in the last year, and over the last decade?
Online reports of idling trucks with map of locations
Air Quality Index from Air Monitoring Network; measurements of pollutant levels and key rating the danger for ranges of each pollutant
What kinds of technology and infrastructure do they rely on in the production of environmental health care?
Air pollutant monitors
Community air monitoring bench (Village Green Project)
Websites used to display the AQI, Village Green Project, and diesel idling data.
What social ecology does this person, group or organization work within, and how did it shaped their way of conceiving and engaging asthma?
This is a government organization. The city of Philadelphia has to comply with regulations presented by the state of Pennsylvania as well as the national standards set by the EPA. The Air Management Services sees air pollution as a problem for the environment and the people of Philadelphia. Action taken against air pollution within the city engage asthma and other air quality influenced illnesses. What events or data seem to have motivated their ways of thinking about and engaging environmental health?
The federal and state laws guide the direction of this city government’s activities. Generally the initiatives the Philadelphia government (in the area of air quality) line up with the initiatives of the DEP of Pennsylvania. Continued research on the impact of transportation vehicles What funding enables their work and possibly shapes their way of thinking about environmental health?
Government funding enables their work. Any action or change has to go through many regulations and may take years to put into action. This may shape their way of thinking about environmental health by enabling the Air Monitoring Services to choose initiatives that solve what seem to be long-term problems. What in the history of this person, group or organization likely shaped the way they conceived or and engage environmental health?
The adoption of the Village Green Project will most likely shape future action of the government of Philadelphia on engaging environmental health by interacting with the community. More community activity towards environmental action in government will push the Air Monitoring Services to become more vigorous in its duties. What does this person, group or organization seem to find methodologically challenging or concerning in dealing with environmental health?
Complying with the DEP and EPA regulations in addition to leading its own initiatives seems to be methodologically challenging for the Air Monitoring Services of Philadelphia. What kinds of governance are (implicitly or explicitly) called for in the way they think about environmental health?
Elimination of diesel as a fuel source
Cleaner fuel sources
Better enforced regulations for air pollutant emissions.
More community projects for air quality awareness
How can The Asthma Files enable or supplement this way of thinking about environmental health, and the work of this person, group or organization?
The Asthma Files could offer a citizen science project in order to study more impacts of asthma and other air pollution related health problems, or could make use of the data collected by the Village Green Project to study the community’s action toward environmental issues in Philadelphia’s politics with a new source of learning.
1992: Scientific Study: Increased Mortality in Philadelphia Associated with Daily Air Pollution Concentrations
Mortality data from 1973 to 1980 in the city of Philadelphia provided by the National Center for Health Statistics was studied in relationship to air quality measurements, TSP (Total Suspended Particulates) and SO2 in particular. The deaths analyzed did not include those classified as ‘accidents’. A regression was established, controlling factors like year, temperature, season, and humidity. Total mortality showed a noteworthy positive relationship with both TSP and SO2 average measurements of the current and prior days. “Total mortality was estimated to increase by 7% […] with each 100-micrograms/m3 increase in TSP, and 5% […] with each 100-micrograms/m3 increase in SO2” (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1546841). When the pollutants were studied concurrently compared to mortality, TSP proved to be the impactful contaminant. 100-micrograms/m3 increase in TSP produced a 10% increase in mortality rate of people over the age of 65; the mortality rate of people under this age increased by 3%. The younger population proved more resistant to the toxicity. The mortality of subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, and cardiovascular disease also was affected dramatically by increasing levels of TSP. This study potentially motivated air pollution governance not only in Philadelphia, but all across the country. There is a tested relationship between contaminants in the air and human health depreciation.
2010: GreenPlan Philadelphia: “Our Guide to Achieving Vibrant and Sustainable Urban Places”
An inter-agency management group established an advanced open space plan for Philadelphia. Based on established goals and working groups that studied stormwater, economic development, health, and the environment, each part of the plan is based off of a universal Sustainability Framework. GreenPlan analyzes the Environmental, Economic and Quality of Life impact of each proposed action. Trees, trails, renewable energy, external building elements, wetlands, meadows, pervious and cool surfaces, and urban agriculture are eight “green elements” (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/d_001331.pdf) that support the three intended impacts. Nearly 1 million trees are to be planted around the city; in 2028 30% of Philly regions should be covered by tree life. Some of the many benefits of these trees are to “reduce pollution, store carbon, reduce building energy usage by creating shade, increase property value, reduce stormwater runoff, and even reduce crime” (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/d_001331.pdf); in addition to adding trees, the plan includes the establishment of more trails and parks. Proposed are also areas that can be embellished with solar panels and green walls to reduce energy consumption and encourage sustainability. A plan such as this shows interest in environmental sustainability in the city of Philadelphia. If put into action as planned, the community, environment and economy of the Philadelphia would benefit. http://www.wrtdesign.com/projects/detail/greenplan-philadelphia/114
Earth Day, 2015: The Village Green Station comes to Independence National Historical Park.
Along with Washington, D.C., Oklahoma City, Kansas City, and Hartford, the city of Philadelphia set up an air quality monitoring station in a public park. From a grant offered by the EPA, this station doubles as a park bench, made from recycled milk containers. The station is solar powered; sensors and monitors produce real-time measurements of particulate matter and ozone in the ambient air, in addition to levels of humidity, temperature and wind speed. The measurements are sent through a cellular modem to be checked for validity, and displayed on the Village Green Project website. This community addition draws attention to air quality control and its connections to local weather. Local students, professionals, and community groups can educate themselves about these connections and use the data to study air quality and local pollution, and their links to weather, climate change, and environmental health. This valuable addition to the Philadelphia will gather support and awareness for environmental issues, especially air quality control. Research done by citizens has and will produce changes in environmental policy. The new Village Green station is a potential leverage point to better air pollution governance in the city of Philadelphia. In a study of the first VGP bench, the levels of PM and ozone proved to closely resemble the measurements of these two pollutants at neighboring air monitoring stations. The EPA has developed a list of components of a Village Green Station for the potential construction of stations in different locations; more specific instructions are expected to follow. A small bench highlighting problems in the atmosphere may produce a change in locals’ thinking about their welfare and their city’s future. http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/90B6242598515F4685257E2E0066AD96 http://www2.epa.gov/air-research/village-green-project http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/7483800B786AE90C85257E2E00643121 http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-04/documents/village-green-project-fact-sheet.pdf
The Bureau of Air Quality in the Department of Environmental Protection for the state of Pennsylvania is the organization being profiled. Within the Bureau are several divisions: Air Resource Management, Air Quality Monitoring, Compliance and Enforcement, Source Testing and Monitoring, and Permits (http://www.era-environmental.com/en-US/resource/us-maps/pennsylvania.php). These divisions work together with a specific goal to maintain control over the air quality of the state of Pennsylvania, through monitoring and studying air quality, along with permitting organizations and establishing programs to enhance air quality.
What have they done – through research, or a public health program or education forum, for example-- that illustrates how they have worked to improve air pollution governance and environmental public health?
The Bureau of Air Quality of the DEP works to:
- Propose regulations and implementation plans for the state.
- Give permits to companies and individuals for air quality control (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/permits/21826)
- Give updates on action in the Pennsylvania Bulletin (http://www.pabulletin.com/index.asp)
- Guarantee “the Air Quality Program regulates more than 70,000 inspection points such as pollution control devices, boilers, fuels and paints at 3,650 facilites that produce air pollution in Pennsylvania” (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/regulations_and_clean_air_plans/21827/regulations/1850369)
- Offer alternatives to open burning of household waste: recycling, reduce (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/General%20Information/21814/Open%20Burning%20Information/1830010)
- Use Continuous emission monitoring (CEM): standardized electronic data reporting and reported data for direct compliance evaluations and penalty assessments” (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Continuous%20Emission%20Monitoring/21808) .
- Offer air quality grants
- Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant projects endorse renewable sources of fuel (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/alternative_fuels_incentive_grant/10492)
- Enforce Diesel revisions (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/automobiles/21813/diesel_emissions/1829985)
- School buses, etc.
- Cleaner diesel or biodiesel
- Replace engine
- Retrofit: add aftertreatment to filter harmful exhaust
- Apply Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles Program (PCV) (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/automobiles/21813/clean_vehicles_program/1829984)
- Adopted California’s more strict vehicle emission standards and greenhouse gas provisions
- Cars sold or registered in PA model year 2008 or newer, with less than 7,500 miles need certification for emissions by the California Air Resources Board.
- Manufacturers must comply to emission standards.
- Form state plans to implement national laws
- Statewide plan to enforce EPA’s Clean Power Plan to defend the economy and citizens (https://www.governor.pa.gov/clean-power-plan-presents-new-opportunities-for-pennsylvania-energy/)
- Provide gasoline with lower evaporability in the summer to reduce ozone pollution (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/automobiles/21813/gasoline_and_vapors/1829992)
- Apply Pennsylvania Atmospheric Deposition Monitoring Network
- Monitor acid rain and mercury present around the state.
- Monitor toxic pollutants throughout the state (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Toxic%20Pollutants/21824/Toxic%20Monitoring%20Sites%20in%20Pennsylvania/1830686)
- Enforce Air Quality Network: General air quality monitoring across the state
- Monitor air (Long term or short term) in areas of concern
- Marcellus Shale Air Monitoring: “determine any chronic or long-term risks to the public from individual or multiple shale gas sources” (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/toxic_pollutants/21824)
- Other shale drilling monitoring
- Coke production monitoring
- Study the impact of these processes on the levels of toxic pollutants in the air.
- Manage “credits” for permitted emissions between companies (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/permits/21826/emission_reduction_credit_files/1830653)
- Emission Reduction Credit Registry System
- Educate the public on air pollutants, their standards, what is being emitted in Pennsylvania and in the rest of the world (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pollutants/21825/the_principal_pollutants/1882834)
- Enforce Interstate Pollution Transport Reduction movement (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pollutants/21825/interstate_transport_of_pollution/1830674)
- to control ozone passage across state borders.
What timeline of events illustrates how this way of addressing environmental public health has developed?1981: Began the Pennsylvania Atmospheric Deposition Monitoring Network (monitor mercury & acid rain) (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Acid%20Rain/21820)
1997: Pennsylvania upgraded the Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Program (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/automobiles/21813/car_emissions/1829998)
1998: Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles Program was implemented, modeling off of California standards.
(http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/automobiles/21813/clean_vehicles_program/1829984)
2004: School buses of many Pennsylvania schools were offered funds to make school buses more ecologically friendly, by retrofitting their diesel use (http://www.cleanbusesforkids.com/).
2008: The Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles Program: This make year (2008) and newer vehicles are “required to be certified for emissions by the California Air Resource Board (CARB), in order to be sold, leased, offered for sale or lease, imported, delivered, purchased, rented, acquired, received, titled or registered in Pennsylvania” (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/automobiles/21813/clean_vehicles_program/1829984)
2008: Pennsylvania Climate Change Act (Act 70 of 2008) requires DEP to report the potential impact of climate change on PA with:
"scientific predictions regarding changes in temperature and precipitation in Pennsylvania;
potential impact of climate change on human health, the economy and other sectors; and
economic opportunities created by potential need for alternative sources of energy and climate related technologies" (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/bureau_of_air_quality/14528/climate_change/2120895).
2009: Pennsylvania begins participation in the TRI State Data Exchange. “TRI facilities are required to report on releases of toxic chemicals into the air, water, and land. In addition, they need to report off-site transfers -- a transfer of wastes for chemical recycling, treatment, or disposal at a separate facility. Facilities may also report pollution prevention activities”. This information is used by the EPA. (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=553051&mode=2)
2014: Drafted a state plan to comply with the Clean Power Plan to protect the economy and people of Pennsylvania (https://www.governor.pa.gov/clean-power-plan-presents-new-opportunities-for-pennsylvania-energy/)
2014: Gave out Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program awards (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/alternative_fuels_incentive_grant/10492)
2015: New Annual Ambient Air Monitoring Network Plan (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/bureau_of_air_quality/14528)
Does this person, group or organization claim to have a new or unique way of addressing environmental public health? Does this approach point to or suggest problems with other approaches?
- Lots of community access to information about air pollution and environmental compliance allows the people of Pennsylvania to make educated decisions about organizations to support.
- Monitoring of air quality informs the population about the air they are breathing; makes people aware of the problems in their state.
What data have they collected or used to support their approach to environmental public health? What visualizations of this data have been created?Information on:
- acid rain, transportation and air, indoor air pollution, toxic pollutants
- From EPA, Great Lakes Information Network, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) ,Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association (MARAMA), Inc. information
- Allergies and high concentration of ragweed pollen in PA (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pollen/21816)
- climate change, diesel
- Specific Pennsylvania statistics:
- “The personal automobile is the single greatest polluter, as air emissions from millions of vehicles on the road contribute about one-third of Pennsylvania's pollution problem” (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Automobiles/21813/Diesel%20Truck%20Smoke%20Testing/1829989)
- “Visibility in Pennsylvania, without pollution, would ordinarily be 90 miles. Currently, it is only 14-24 miles. The pollutants creating haze can also be detrimental to the health of Pennsylvanians” (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pollutants/21825/haze/1829982)
drive and support the activity of the DEP’s Bureau of Air Quality.What research has the organization produce or drawon on in their initiatives – in the last year, and over the last decade?
- Environment Facility Application Compliance Tracking System (eFACTS) database allows individuals to view information about authorizations, clients, sites and facilities
- Includes inspection and pollution prevention visits as well as inspection results data and violations. (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Business%20Topics/21807/Compliance/1829947)
- EJView (Environmental Justice View)
- Mapping tool that analyzes the relationship between demographic, health, environmental, and industrial data in a community. (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Business%20Topics/21807/Compliance/1829947)
- Air Quality Program evaluation from 2002-2007 by the DEP (http://files.dep.state.pa.us/Air/AirQuality/AQPortalFiles/Regulations%20and%20Clean%20Air%20Plans/attain/APCA%205-Year%20Report%20042209.pdf)
- Data from monitoring
- Acid Rain Monitoring (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Acid%20Rain/21820)
- Measurements of ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide
- Ratings of severity
- Updates hourly
- Toxic pollutants (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Toxic%20Pollutants/21824)
- Marcellus Shale Air Monitoring: “determine any chronic or long-term risks to the public from individual or multiple shale gas sources” (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/toxic_pollutants/21824)
- Other shale drilling monitoring
- Coke production
- Impact of these processes on the levels of toxic pollutants in the air.
- Ambient Air Quality reports of Pennsylvania (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Monitoring%20Topics/21818/Ambient%20Air%20Quality%20Report/1830566)
What kinds of technology and infrastructure do they rely on in the production of environmental health care?- Car emission equipment for vehicle inspection
- Interactive sites to view air quality status
- Sensor and monitoring technology for monitoring network stations
What social ecology does this person, group or organization work within, and how did it shaped their way of conceiving and engaging asthma?This organization is from a governmental social ecology. This organization acts in order to comply to EPA regulations as well as to provide a safe living environment for the people of Pennsylvania.
What events or data seem to have motivated their ways of thinking about and engaging environmental health?
- National regulations and stricter restrictions of pollution emissions have motivated
- Alarming statistics about the health impacts of environmental problems on Pennsylvania residents’ health may have driven the development of more environmental education and inspections/studies.
- Data proving vehicle emissions dramatic effect on air quality and ozone depreciation encouraged the development of vehicle regulations and interest in alternative fuels.
What funding enables their work and possibly shapes their way of thinking about environmental health?The Philadelphia government funds this agency’s action. Most activity is to keep in compliance to EPA regulations. The health and welfare of the Pennsylvania residents also impacts the actions of this organization.
What in the history of this person, group or organization likely shaped the way they conceived or and engage environmental health?
- In Pennsylvania, our climate has undergone a long-term warming of more than 1° C (1.8° F) over the past 110 years. Inspires their climate change governance.
- Changing EPA Regulations
- Different social constructions that dictate the activity of Philadelphia residents
What does this person, group or organization seem to find methodologically challenging or concerning in dealing with environmental health?Coming to terms with a plan to meet EPA’s federal requirements and implementation of statewide laws to enforce these federal requirements seem to be methodologically challenging to the Bureau of Air Quality in the Department of Environmental Protection for the state of Pennsylvania.
What kinds of governance are (implicitly or explicitly) called for in the way they think about environmental health?
- Better enforced regulations of emissions
- Reduce/retrofit diesel use
- Address climate change
- Energy source modifications/alternatives
- Better compliance of small businesses
- More monitoring studies of the effect of industry on air quality
- Fair representation from industry, the citizens, and the government in governmental decisions (http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/advisory_groups/21795)
How can The Asthma Files enable or supplement this way of thinking about environmental health, and the work of this person, group or organization?What person, group or organization is being profiled, and why are they of interest to this project?
The city of Philadelphia Department of Public Health Air Management Services work to ensure a healthy environment for the people of Philadelphia. They educate the public on health issues, implement laws, distribute permits, and respond to city health problems.
What have they done – through research, or a public health program or education forum, for example-- that illustrates how they have worked to improve air pollution governance and environmental public health?
- Give air quality improvement tips for civilians
- Air Management Services (AMS): react to calls from the people of Philadelphia about concerning industrial/commercial facilities and diesel vehicles with possible dangerous emissions and enforce legal regulations for air quality (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AirAndNoise.html)
- Philadelphia Asbestos Control Regulation: Asbestos Control unit does asbestos testing, removal, control, and permitting.(http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AsbestosControl.html)
- Established Air Monitoring Network and AMS Lab: Ambient air evaluations for air pollutants and toxins, sent to a national database used by EPA; different tests for different regions of Philadelphia (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AirMonitoringLab.html)
- Publish the AQI (Air Quality Index from the data)
- Participate in EPA’s Village Green Project: community air monitoring bench (http://www2.epa.gov/air-research/village-green-project)
- Permitting for installation and operation of equipment (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AirPermittingForms.html)
- Established The Air Pollution Control Board (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AirManageBoards.html)
- work with the Department of Public Health of Philadelphia to put into effect regulations that encourage air quality and limit pollutants.
- Direct Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health on air quality problems, put into place regulations that encourage air quality and control pollutants (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/PublicMeetings.html)
- Report minutes and meeting times to public
- Collect Emission Inventory for industrial and commercial organizations (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AirManageEmission.html)
- Philadelphia Diesel Difference (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/Diesel.html)
- retrofitting diesel-run vehicles (fire trucks and school buses) by developing diesel oxidation catalysts (decrease pollution by 20-50%), Using biodiesel in city-owned vehicles, Working with Philadelphia National Airport to develop ground service that is solely electrical (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/Diesel.html)
- Revisions and amendments to implementation plans and regulations
- Alert the public of revisions and community-involved meetings
What timeline of events illustrates how this way of addressing environmental public health has developed?1964: Started monitoring Philadelphia’s air in the AMS Lab (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/AirMonitoringLab.html)
2003: Philadelphia Diesel Difference works toward diesel pollution reduction (http://www.phila.gov/health/airmanagement/Diesel.html)
2009: Development of system to report idling trucks (http://www.idlefreephilly.org/).
2015: Active in the Village Green Project (http://www2.epa.gov/air-research/village-green-project)
Does this person, group or organization claim to have a new or unique way of addressing environmental public health? Does this approach point to or suggest problems with other approaches?
By adopting the Village Green Project, the city of Philadelphia is promoting citizen science. This is a unique way for people of a community to participate in scientific research and learn about a problem. Citizen science is technically ‘free labor’, creating affordable methods to produce studies. In addition, bringing the community into a scientific cause can educate the public and produce faster action towards bettering air quality.
What data have they collected or used to support their approach to environmental public health? What visualizations of this data have been created?
Information on:
- Carbon monoxide and other air pollutants
- diesel fuel effluents
- environmental justice
- asbestos harm
- air quality control in general
drive and support the activity of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health Air Management Services.What research has the organization produce or drawon on in their initiatives – in the last year, and over the last decade?
- Online reports of idling trucks with map of locations
- Air Quality Index from Air Monitoring Network; measurements of pollutant levels and key rating the danger for ranges of each pollutant
What kinds of technology and infrastructure do they rely on in the production of environmental health care?- Air pollutant monitors
- Community air monitoring bench (Village Green Project)
- Websites used to display the AQI, Village Green Project, and diesel idling data.
What social ecology does this person, group or organization work within, and how did it shaped their way of conceiving and engaging asthma?This is a government organization. The city of Philadelphia has to comply with regulations presented by the state of Pennsylvania as well as the national standards set by the EPA. The Air Management Services sees air pollution as a problem for the environment and the people of Philadelphia. Action taken against air pollution within the city engage asthma and other air quality influenced illnesses.
What events or data seem to have motivated their ways of thinking about and engaging environmental health?
The federal and state laws guide the direction of this city government’s activities. Generally the initiatives the Philadelphia government (in the area of air quality) line up with the initiatives of the DEP of Pennsylvania. Continued research on the impact of transportation vehicles
What funding enables their work and possibly shapes their way of thinking about environmental health?
Government funding enables their work. Any action or change has to go through many regulations and may take years to put into action. This may shape their way of thinking about environmental health by enabling the Air Monitoring Services to choose initiatives that solve what seem to be long-term problems.
What in the history of this person, group or organization likely shaped the way they conceived or and engage environmental health?
The adoption of the Village Green Project will most likely shape future action of the government of Philadelphia on engaging environmental health by interacting with the community. More community activity towards environmental action in government will push the Air Monitoring Services to become more vigorous in its duties.
What does this person, group or organization seem to find methodologically challenging or concerning in dealing with environmental health?
Complying with the DEP and EPA regulations in addition to leading its own initiatives seems to be methodologically challenging for the Air Monitoring Services of Philadelphia.
What kinds of governance are (implicitly or explicitly) called for in the way they think about environmental health?
- Elimination of diesel as a fuel source
- Cleaner fuel sources
- Better enforced regulations for air pollutant emissions.
- More community projects for air quality awareness
How can The Asthma Files enable or supplement this way of thinking about environmental health, and the work of this person, group or organization?The Asthma Files could offer a citizen science project in order to study more impacts of asthma and other air pollution related health problems, or could make use of the data collected by the Village Green Project to study the community’s action toward environmental issues in Philadelphia’s politics with a new source of learning.
1992: Scientific Study: Increased Mortality in Philadelphia Associated with Daily Air Pollution Concentrations
Mortality data from 1973 to 1980 in the city of Philadelphia provided by the National Center for Health Statistics was studied in relationship to air quality measurements, TSP (Total Suspended Particulates) and SO2 in particular. The deaths analyzed did not include those classified as ‘accidents’. A regression was established, controlling factors like year, temperature, season, and humidity. Total mortality showed a noteworthy positive relationship with both TSP and SO2 average measurements of the current and prior days. “Total mortality was estimated to increase by 7% […] with each 100-micrograms/m3 increase in TSP, and 5% […] with each 100-micrograms/m3 increase in SO2” (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1546841). When the pollutants were studied concurrently compared to mortality, TSP proved to be the impactful contaminant. 100-micrograms/m3 increase in TSP produced a 10% increase in mortality rate of people over the age of 65; the mortality rate of people under this age increased by 3%. The younger population proved more resistant to the toxicity. The mortality of subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, and cardiovascular disease also was affected dramatically by increasing levels of TSP. This study potentially motivated air pollution governance not only in Philadelphia, but all across the country. There is a tested relationship between contaminants in the air and human health depreciation.
2010: GreenPlan Philadelphia: “Our Guide to Achieving Vibrant and Sustainable Urban Places”
An inter-agency management group established an advanced open space plan for Philadelphia. Based on established goals and working groups that studied stormwater, economic development, health, and the environment, each part of the plan is based off of a universal Sustainability Framework. GreenPlan analyzes the Environmental, Economic and Quality of Life impact of each proposed action. Trees, trails, renewable energy, external building elements, wetlands, meadows, pervious and cool surfaces, and urban agriculture are eight “green elements” (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/d_001331.pdf) that support the three intended impacts. Nearly 1 million trees are to be planted around the city; in 2028 30% of Philly regions should be covered by tree life. Some of the many benefits of these trees are to “reduce pollution, store carbon, reduce building energy usage by creating shade, increase property value, reduce stormwater runoff, and even reduce crime” (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/d_001331.pdf); in addition to adding trees, the plan includes the establishment of more trails and parks. Proposed are also areas that can be embellished with solar panels and green walls to reduce energy consumption and encourage sustainability. A plan such as this shows interest in environmental sustainability in the city of Philadelphia. If put into action as planned, the community, environment and economy of the Philadelphia would benefit.
http://www.wrtdesign.com/projects/detail/greenplan-philadelphia/114
Earth Day, 2015: The Village Green Station comes to Independence National Historical Park.
Along with Washington, D.C., Oklahoma City, Kansas City, and Hartford, the city of Philadelphia set up an air quality monitoring station in a public park. From a grant offered by the EPA, this station doubles as a park bench, made from recycled milk containers. The station is solar powered; sensors and monitors produce real-time measurements of particulate matter and ozone in the ambient air, in addition to levels of humidity, temperature and wind speed. The measurements are sent through a cellular modem to be checked for validity, and displayed on the Village Green Project website. This community addition draws attention to air quality control and its connections to local weather. Local students, professionals, and community groups can educate themselves about these connections and use the data to study air quality and local pollution, and their links to weather, climate change, and environmental health. This valuable addition to the Philadelphia will gather support and awareness for environmental issues, especially air quality control. Research done by citizens has and will produce changes in environmental policy. The new Village Green station is a potential leverage point to better air pollution governance in the city of Philadelphia. In a study of the first VGP bench, the levels of PM and ozone proved to closely resemble the measurements of these two pollutants at neighboring air monitoring stations. The EPA has developed a list of components of a Village Green Station for the potential construction of stations in different locations; more specific instructions are expected to follow. A small bench highlighting problems in the atmosphere may produce a change in locals’ thinking about their welfare and their city’s future.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/90B6242598515F4685257E2E0066AD96
http://www2.epa.gov/air-research/village-green-project
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/7483800B786AE90C85257E2E00643121
http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-04/documents/village-green-project-fact-sheet.pdf