IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

June 27, 2002

AIR QUALITY IMPROVES AFTER OZONE SMOG HITS EAST AND WEST IOWA

DES MOINES - Good to moderate air quality returned to Iowa as ozone smog hit
extreme sides of the state this week.

Harrison county and adjacent areas in extreme western Iowa experienced an
Air Quality Index of 104 on Tuesday for ozone smog, a level considered
unhealthy for sensitive groups engaged in prolonged outdoor exertion. The
Scott and Clinton county area hit 124 on Sunday and 100 on Monday.

"We should see the AQI in the 40s to low 50s across the state today, levels
in the green, or good category," said Brian Button, DNR air information
specialist. No health effects are associated with air quality in this range.

Ozone smog forms when emissions from vehicles, utilities and boilers and
fumes from paints, gasoline and chemicals "cook" or react in sunlight and
warm temperatures to form ground-level ozone, a colorless gas capable of
irritating lung tissue.

Levels 101 and higher are considered unhealthy for sensitive groups such as
asthmatics under the national Air Quality Index (AQI), which reports
pollution levels using a color-coded and numerical range for pollutants. The
higher the AQI, the poorer the air quality.

An AQI of 1 to 50 is green or good; 51 to 100 is yellow or moderate; 101 to
150 is orange or unhealthy for sensitive groups; 151 to 200 is red,
unhealthy for everyone. Rarely used in the nation are purple for very
unhealthy (201 to 300) and maroon for hazardous (301 to 500.)

In Iowa, the overwhelming majority of days fall into the good to moderate
categories and all of Iowa currently meets federal outdoor health standards,
although extreme eastern Iowa is pushing the standards.

In many U.S. communities, AQI values are mostly below 100, with values
greater than 100 occurring several times a year. Several metropolitan areas
in the United States have more severe air pollution problems, and the AQI in
these areas may often exceed 100. AQI values higher than 200 are infrequent
and AQI values above 300 are extremely rare.

Iowans can check air pollution levels at www.iowacleanair.com. "This website
allows Iowans prone to breathing difficulty to check air quality and see if
they should be exercising out-of-doors or doing prolonged, heavy work
outside," said Button. "Air in the orange category is potentially unhealthy
for some individuals."

For more information, contact Brian Button at (515) 281-7832, or by e-mail
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Earlier in the week, the DNR asked area residents to consider simple
voluntary actions to avoid the heat while preventing pollution. To give
sunlight less time to react with emissions and smog-forming fumes, citizens
can:

* Postpone lawn mowing, oil-based painting and auto refueling until late in
the day or evening,

* Postpone unnecessary driving until evening or consolidate errands to use
the car when pollution controls are warmed

* Avoid or postpone use of heavy-emitting two-stroke engines such as
gas-powered mowers, weed trimmers and chain saws until evening.

* To prevent particulate matter, avoid burning trash, debris and wastes.

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