Press Releases

Congressman Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded more than $70,000 to Pinellas County to support its work protecting air quality and the public's health. The $71,896 grant will support the County's Air Quality Division working to reduce pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and mercury.

"Reducing air pollution is key to protecting our environment and the health of our neighbors. It is vital that we all work together across the local, state, and federal levels to achieve these goals," said Congressman Crist. "This grant will help our community bolster its clean air efforts, making Pinellas County safer, healthier, and more secure."

"There's no safe level of exposure to smog and particulate pollution," said Jennifer Rubiello, state director of Environment Florida. "Unhealthy air leads to increased risk of premature death, asthma attacks and other adverse health impacts. That’s why Clean Air Act programs to defend and build upon improvements to air quality are critical to ensuring people in Pinellas County and throughout the country have clean, healthy air to breathe today and for future generations."

Background on the Clean Air Act and importance of reducing air pollution from the EPA:
For more than 40 years, the Clean Air Act has cut pollution as the U.S. economy has grown, lowering levels of six common pollutants – particulate matter, ozone, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide – as well as numerous toxic pollutants. The progress of the Act reflects efforts by state, local and tribal governments; EPA; private sector companies; environmental groups and others.

In a recent study in Environmental Research, EPA scientists looked at data from NASA satellites and EPA ground-based air monitors, confirming that heart disease and heart attacks are more likely for individuals living in places with higher air pollution. The study found that exposure to even small amounts of fine particle pollution over the course of one year could increase a person’s odds of a heart attack by up to 14 percent.

To learn more about EPA Air Quality programs, visit: https://www3.epa.gov/airquality/.