AIR QUALITY INDEX
Your forecast to breafite by
9-30-03
SAMPLE PITCH LETTER TEMPLATE
Expanded AQI Forecasting
Now a Way to Manage Your Health Year-Round
Dear - -Media Contact>:
The Environmental Protection Agency is dedicated to implementing ways to protect the
health of the American publ ic. Starting this fall, EPA will expand the Air Quality Index
forecasts - a move that will empower Americans to protect themselves from the harmful
effects of air pollution.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a scale that uses five colors to identify the level of air
pollution, who is most at risk and how people can protect themselves. Your AQI forecast
will be specific to  air quality.
For several years, the AQI has been a summer-time tool used to forecast daily ozone levels.
The expanded AQI will add particle pollution forecasts and will be available every day of the
year.
AQI forecasts are easy to get. They will appear in your local newspapers and in weather
reports . The accessibility of
these reports will make protecting yourself from ozone and particle pollution easier than ever
before. These reports will be provided to you by  in
addition to EPA.
Air pollution can affect anyone's health - especially the millions of Americans with heart or
lung disease. It's also a significant problem for older adults, and even children.
Statistics and information on  air quality is available at
www.epa.gov/airnow. All forecasts are given in real-time.
We will be glad to set up an interview with a local EPA spokesperson. Please feel free to
contact me at (###) ###-#### with any questions or for more information.
Thank you 

1
(Ok	United States
Environmental Protection
M % Agency

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