Greater Triangle Regional Council
1000 Trade Drive, Suite 24
RDU Airport, North Carolina 27623
840-7372, Extension 16
gtrc@researchtriangle.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2004

Greater Triangle Regional Council Releases Air Quality Report and Regional Strategies

Research Triangle Region, N.C. -- The Greater Triangle Regional Council Air Quality Task Force will release a report, "Air Quality in the Triangle," on MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2004, 2:45 PM at the RDU Center. The event, open to the public, will address the announcement to be made on April 15th by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that an 8 county Triangle region is designated non-attainment for ozone pollution. (all of Wake, Durham, Orange, all or partial areas of Chatham, Johnston, Person, Granville and Franklin). This designation will require the Triangle to meet EPA air quality standards. Secretary William Ross is scheduled to speak. The task force will also present an inventory of air quality initiatives in the Triangle and recommend strategies on ways our region can begin to improve air quality immediately, and on a long-term basis.

The Council formed an air quality task force in June of 2003 to promote and coordinate strategies to improve air quality and air pollution control. The task force aims to rally a broad range of local organizations to help the region meet the EPA standards.

"This report is an excellent tool to help the region clearly understand air pollution issues and how they affect health, quality of life and our economic bottom line," says Air Quality Task Force Co-Chair Jim Roberson, president of the Research Triangle Foundation. "We also want to take this opportunity to highlight the many air quality initiatives that are being successfully implemented in the region," said Roberson.The task force is co-chaired by Scott Gardner, manager for business and local government relations, Duke Power.

The Triangle is the only region in the state without an agreement with EPA to clean the air. There is no organization has had the sole responsibility to coordinate regional collaboration on air quality.

The GTRC task force of business, academic and public-sector representatives seeks to focus the region's resources on cleaning the air. It will promote and initiate regional involvement and participation in voluntary and mandatory air pollution control measures and share best practices in air quality management.
Joining Roberson, and Gardner, on the task force are:
• Crystal Bunch, Triangle Transit Authority
• Sheila Holman, planner, N.C. Division of Air Quality
• Sig Hutchinson, chair, Wake County Air Quality Task Force
• Dr. Harvey Jeffries, School of Public Health and Education, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Howard Johnson, president, Cary Chamber of Commerce
• Bill Lane, environmental attorney, Kilpatrick Stockton
• Bill Laxton, director, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Administration and Resources Management in Research Triangle Park
• Joe Milazzo, executive director, Regional Transportation Alliance
• Beau Mills, director of intergovernmental relations, N.C. Metropolitan Coalition League of Municipalities
• Aaron Nelson, President, Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce
• John O'Neil, chair, board of directors, American Lung Association
• Ben Taylor, chair, Greater Triangle Regional Council
• Chuck Wakild, director, Environmental Health and Safety Department, Progress Energy
• Pam Wall, executive director, GTRC
• Julie Woosley, executive director, SmartCommute

The GRTC is an independent membership organization that brings together regional leaders to examine issues that impact the Triangle's future; highlights and advances strategies to achieve success; and partners with others to implement change.

For more information on GTRC's air quality initiative, contact Executive Director Pam Wall at 840-7372, extension 16, or gtrc@researchtriangle.org.

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