Clean Air Coalition forming

Representatives from local neighborhoods facing the most air pollution, along with medical professionals and environmental advocates, will come together as a single Clean Air Coalition next month.

Myra Reece, chief of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control's Bureau of Air Quality announced the group's formation Thursday at the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce.

She also shared some insight into Charleston's "F" rating for particulate matter by the American Lung Association, largely the impetus for the new group.

The lung association's State of the Air 2008 report gives Charleston a "C" for ozone pollution and an "F" for particulate matter, yet the area passes all national standards, according to Reece.

Because of that discrepancy, "people don't believe those monitors represent air quality in their community," she said.

The lung association weights DHEC's data and also includes unusually high readings that DHEC treats as anomalies, Reece said. Over a three-year time frame, 10 days fell into the category of being "unhealthy for sensitive groups," and that meant Charleston failed the group's report by default.

"It does cause a lot of questioning from community members," Reece said. "When they see an 'F,' they think it's bad (air quality) all the time."

Reece said the new Clean Air Coalition, one of four such groups across the state, will hold meetings to help address those concerns. Members will include representatives from the Coastal Conservation League, the Charleston Medical Society, the University of South Carolina's School of Public Health, the city of North Charleston, the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities and the Rosemont neighborhood.

In the meantime, DHEC will continue its air monitoring from five locations around the greater Charleston area, plus a special Neck area study tracking four sites between August and December.

In addition, the S.C. State Ports Authority will provide nearly two years of monitoring before, during and after terminal expansion at the former Navy base nearby.

Reece said the Union Heights neighborhood, positioned in a high-traffic area, consistently shows more pollution. That follows with statewide trends; Reece said the Upstate and central Midlands transportation corridors show the most pollution in the state.

Reach Allyson Bird at abird@postandcourier.com or 937-5594.