Dayton, OH – The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) will be celebrating National Air Quality Awareness Week, May 1-5, 2017, with daily posts on social media about the steps residents can take to reduce air pollution. This year’s theme, selected by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), is Be Air Aware. This focus is about the impact that air quality has on your health. “Everyone is affected in some way by the quality of the air,” stated MVRPC’s Executive Director, Brian O. Martin, AICP. “The social media posts will highlight simple actions you can take to help reduce air pollution. We will be tagging the actions with #BeAirAware on MVRPC’s Facebook and Twitter pages each day, so be sure to like and follow MVRPC to learn more,” he continued.

MVRPC partners with the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency (RAPCA) on air quality issues. RAPCA is responsible for monitoring and reporting air quality readings in Montgomery, Greene, Miami and Clark Counties. On days when air pollution levels are forecasted to be high, an Air Pollution Advisory (APA) is issued. It’s especially important on these days to modify your behavior to reduce air pollution. More information can be found at www.miamivalleyair.org.

Established in 1964, the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission promotes collaboration among communities, stakeholders, and residents to advance regional priorities. MVRPC is a forum and resource where the Board of Directors identifies priorities and develops public policy and collaborative strategies to improve quality of life throughout the Miami Valley Region. MVRPC performs various regional planning activities, including air quality, water quality, transportation, land use, research and GIS. As the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), MVRPC is responsible for transportation planning in Greene, Miami and Montgomery Counties and parts of northern Warren County. MVRPC's areawide water quality planning designation encompasses five (5) counties: Darke, Preble plus the three MPO counties.

Contact Laura A. Loges, MVRPC’s Director of Marketing and Public Affairs, at (937) 223-6323, or via e-mail at lloges@mvrpc.org for more information.

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