This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere," the DEC adds.įor all the news that the Hudson Valley is sharing make sure to follow Hudson Valley Post on Facebook, download the Hudson Valley Post Mobile App and sign up for the Hudson Valley Post Newsletter. Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary sources of ground-level ozone and are the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast. "Summer heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of photochemical smog. The pollutant of concern is ozone, according to the DEC. "People, especially young children, those who exercise outdoors, those involved in vigorous outdoor work and those who have respiratory disease (such as asthma) should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest." 299 Greenville Piedmont, 53, 270 Greenwood, 13132, 157 Greenwood Index-Journal, 53, 164 Griffenhagen and Associates, 24547, 25051 Grimk, Archibald. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern," the DEC stated. "DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100.