Take a Deep Breath Yakima, Ecology Wants to Hear From You!

The Washington State Department of Ecology wants to know how you feel about air quality in Yakima. On March 24 ecology officials are holding two ZOOM listening sessions to hear from Yakima residents and how air pollution has impacted lives.

Ecology officials are looking at ‘overburdened communities’ in the state

They say the listening sessions are part of Ecology’s work on the Improving Air Quality in Overburdened Communities Initiative a program that will address air quality concerns in "Washington communities that bear a disproportionate share of the negative impacts of air pollution." Where are those communities located in Washington State? Ecology officials aren't saying but they do say the first mission is to build an expanded air-quality monitoring network in ‘overburdened communities’ in the state.

Thursday plans to help the communities but where are they located?

Then in the future ecology plans to develop methods that address the air quality concerns in the impacted communities.
But the Department of Ecology must first determine which communities are 'overburdened' and that, they say "requires a rigorous criteria-based public process. As part of their work developing these criteria, Ecology is reaching out to hear from residents about their experiences around air quality and the impact it has had on their communities, health, and environment."

Two listening sessions are air quality are open to Yakima residents on Thursday

Ecology held several listening sessions in January so the sessions set for Thursday is a continuation of that outreach.
You can get involved in the ZOOM listening sessions;

12:00  p.m. March 24  https://waecy-wa-gov.zoom.us/j/88493207307?pwd=aC9rREJ3RU5yNktjQnJ2bndscnBkUT09&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#success

6:30 p.m. March 24 https://waecy-wa-gov.zoom.us/j/84218396382?pwd=dmIzVkhkTUZvNXpQY3BYb1Y5QzhVUT09%27&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#success