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Contact: Chris Houlette, 907-547-2233
There are possible elevated levels of air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, in Eagle, AK. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released information that the reports of poor air quality may be due to shale rock oil fires in the vicinity. The town is also impacted by smoke from wildfires, depending on wind direction. Some residents are reporting respiratory tract symptoms from the sulfur dioxide and possibly other pollutants. There is no air quality data thus far, but DEC should have more on the status of any projected monitoring. DEC may plan to take air quality measurements in Eagle in the future. In the absence of data, provided is a health message that helps mitigate the risk from air pollutants. This message targets susceptible populations such as asthmatics, the elderly, and children; those people should minimize strenuous activity on bad air pollution days and possibly stay indoors with windows and doors closed. Local and proximal health centers, are reporting they have not seen patients with complaints of air-quality related health effects in recent months. When DEC provides further data, this message will be modified, as needed. |
Last updated: June 1, 2015