St. Louis Air Quality by St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership

MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TEAMS UP WITH ST. LOUIS REGIONAL CLEAN AIR PARTNERSHIP FOR WINDOW CLING INITIATIVE

ST. LOUIS, MO, Sept. 25, 2006

Following in the footsteps of the Missouri Department of Transportation and 1st Choice Courier, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (the Department) has teamed up with the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership (The Partnership) to display clean air themed decals in the windows of its St. Louis area fleet vehicles.

Developed to encourage area fleet and courier drivers to care about clean air while they are on the road, the decals feature a list of steps drivers can take to reduce emissions while they are on the road, such as keeping their cars well-maintained, avoiding idling between stops, and not topping off their gas tanks when refueling. Participating drivers are encouraged to display the decals in their work-vehicle windows and keep the guidelines in mind as they refuel and make their stops. The overall initiative is aimed at improving the region’s air quality by reducing the ozone-causing emissions that are released from individual automobiles. While the St. Louis area experiences its worst ozone problems during the summer months, the Partnership is committed to encouraging these simple steps that can be taken year round so that it becomes automatic for participants to follow these emission reducing practices when they are most needed.

The Partnership has provided the Department with 120 decals that have been distributed to its fleet drivers in the St. Louis area. In the coming months, The Department plans to expand the distribution of the clings to drivers statewide.

“We are pleased to assist The Partnership in the regional clean air effort by participating in this unique initiative,” said Rebecca Birke, Public Information Specialist with the Department’s Air Pollution Control Program. “We know that the actions of individual drivers on the road can go a long way toward improving the region’s air quality, and our fleet drivers are committed to displaying the decals in their work vehicle windows and doing their part to reduce emissions while they are on the road.”

“The Partnership is thrilled that the Department has agreed to be a part of this initiative,” said Susannah Fuchs, Director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association and spokesperson for The Partnership. “The voluntary contributions of the organization’s drivers to display the decals will play a key role in improving the region’s air quality and the lung health of citizens across our area.”

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is one of more than 1,000 organizations throughout the St. Louis region who work with the Clean Air Partnership to share information with their employees about the harmful effects of ozone pollution and provide them with tips on the voluntary steps individuals and businesses can take to reduce emissions that lead to poor air quality. Thanks in part to the efforts of these clean air partners, the region’s air quality has improved dramatically in recent years, for the benefit of the entire region.

The St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership was formed in 1995, led by the American Lung Association of Missouri, St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, East-West Gateway Council of Governments, Washington University and others, to increase awareness of regional air quality issues and to encourage activities to reduce air pollution emissions. To learn more about The Partnership call the American Lung Association of Missouri at 1-800-LUNG-USA.

Press Release

MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TEAMS UP WITH ST. LOUIS REGIONAL CLEAN AIR PARTNERSHIP FOR WINDOW CLING INITIATIVE

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