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Press Releases Funding Measure Would Aid Studies of Air Pollution Jerry Miller Union Leader July 30, 2002 UNH praised for being "a leader in this area." PORTSMOUTH - A bill now in the Senate includes $12 million in funding for Northeast air quality studies. Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., joined University of New Hampshire President Ann Weaver Hart yesterday to announce the proposed funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Gregg is the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees the U.S. Department of Commerce, of which NOAA is a part. The announcement was made at the Port of New Hampshire's Market Street Terminal, alongside the NOAA vessel Ronald H. Brown, named in honor of the late U.S. commerce secretary. The air quality study involves the Climate Change Research Institute at the UNH campus in Durham. The study has been going on for two weeks and will wend in mid-August. It is part of a larger study, known as the AIRMAP project, this is also funded by NOAA. That initiative helps gather air pollution data from three sites around New Hampshire. Citing air quality research being done in New England, Gregg said: "The high number of days that New Hampshire had experienced unhealthy air quality this summer is a stark reminder that we need to learn as much as possible about where air pollutants affecting our state are generated and how they move across the area. The result of these studies will not only help scientists more accurately predict the severity of air quality in the future, but provide ways to reduce pollutants from the source." Gregg praised UNH for being "a leader in this area" as it "continues to gain recognition as a premier research organization." Hart said: "The studies this summer, combined with the region-wide field campaign planned for 2004, will enable scientists to unravel many of the complex factors affecting our region's air quality. This will be important not only for creating systematic air quality forecasts, but learning how to best improve New England air quality." UNH professor of atmospheric chemistry Robert Talbot who also serves as director of the Climate Change Research Institute, said the study will help NOAA develop and air quality forecasting system much like the current weather forecasting system. According to Talbot, the air quality study involves eight UNH faculty members and a dozen students, with as many as 100 people working in the field this week. Talbot said a much larger air quality field campaign is planned for summer 2004. |
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