A brief history of the Clean Air Partnership

In 1994, the American Lung Association, along with other key partners like Washington University and The East West Gateway Council of Governments, pulled together a unique metro area partnership. 

Together, the groups realized that the air pollution issues facing the St. Louis Metropolitan area were having significant impacts on public health, the economy, and even on buildings and crops. They also knew that the public deserved to know about these air issues and how their health was being impacted each and every day by air pollution.

The groups approached the local media, looking for a partner who would focus on air and health for our metro area.  KMOV, the local CBS affiliate, or simply Channel 4 to us locals, joined up happily and spent their own time and resources to produce and air a prime-time, hour-long show focused on air pollution and health.  With this great start, the Clean Air Partnership was born. From there, The Partnership worked with a contractor to come up with a model to predict air pollution (before the internet where such things are now readily available).  We then gave the model to KMOV and their then head meteorologist, Trish Brown, who used the model every day to forecast air quality. 

There have been many changes since then, and many improvements in air quality regulations, in our local air pollution levels and sources, and in public awareness about air and health.  I hope to use this blog to inform you about all these changes. I also hope you will comment and question and make me think.  To learn more about The Partnership, and our role in the fight for cleaner air, I invite you to take a look at our website, www.cleanair-stlouis.com. You’re also encouraged to find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @gatewaycleanair.

Susannah Fuchs is Senior Director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association of the Plains-Gulf Region and spokesperson for The Clean Air Partnership. The Clean Air Partnership aims to increase awareness of regional air quality issues and encourage activities to reduce air pollution emissions. The organization is also known for its daily air quality forecasting during the summer months. To learn more, visit www.cleanair-stlouis.com or call 314-645-5505x 1007.