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What is MARAMA?
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association, Inc. is a voluntary,
non-profit association of ten state and local air pollution control
agencies. MARAMA's mission is to strengthen the skills and capabilities
of member agencies and to help them work together to prevent and
reduce air pollution in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
MARAMA provides cost-effective approaches to
regional collaboration by pooling resources to develop and analyze
data, share ideas, and train staff to implement common requirements.
Members
The following State and Local governments are MARAMA members: Delaware,
the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Philadelphia and Allegheny
County, Pennsylvania. Members of MARAMA's Board of Directors are
listed below.
Leadership
MARAMA is governed by an Executive Board consisting of the ten Air
Directors from MARAMA member jurisdictions. The Board hires an Executive
Director to manage operations and serve as the non-voting Board
Secretary.
The Board is responsible for the financial health and policy direction
of the Association. Board members review training plans quarterly
and conduct an annual evaluation and strategic planning process
to guide operations. The Board approves budgets, allocates funds
for special projects, and seeks consensus on policy issues.
The Challenge
The Mid-Atlantic Region faces some of the most
difficult and severe air quality problems in the nation. Most of
our metropolitan areas experience unhealthy levels of ozone every
summer, adding to the stress heat and humidity cause for sensitive
populations. High concentrations of fine particles in the air contribute
to heart disease, lung problems, and early mortality. The toxic
nature of some pollutants require special attention.
These problems cannot be solved through local action alone. Metropolitan
areas spread across many states. Rural and suburban areas downwind
of cities are subject to some of the highest pollution. Coal burning
power plants and other large pollution sources send pollution across
state lines hundreds of miles downwind.
Regional collaboration results in a shared understanding of the
causes of air pollution and builds a consensus on the best approach
for resolving problems. Without regional collaboration, local controls
are not enough.
The Response
In addressing air pollution problems and issues
in the Mid-Atlantic Region, state and local agencies must strive
to preserve and protect public health and the environment, while
promoting a healthy regional economy.
As each state or local agency works to protect public health and
economic well being, MARAMA's regional partnership improves individual
results.
Issues of Concern
Ozone pollution on hot summer days affects downwind
rural areas as well as major cities. Ozone both causes breathing
problems and reduces crop yield. Fine particles of soot, dust, and
other materials reduce the lifetime of city dwellers and degrade
visibility. Air-borne nitrogen adversely affects precious estuaries,
including the Chesapeake Bay.
Future Needs
State and local agencies are facing a very severe
budget crisis, but MARAMA members must meet many deadlines for implementing
the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and Particulate
Matter. A new "one atmosphere" approach to coordinate control strategies
for ozone, particulate matter, and regional haze will increase demands
on technical resources. Integrated information concerning air quality
episodes must be presented to the public.
State and local agencies are being asked to do more monitoring of
air toxics, and it is expected that new air monitoring methods for
coarse particles will be phased in over the nest few years.
In addition, developing and implementing emissions controls for
air toxics will be increasingly important. Federal requirements
for new major sources are changing, requiring state and local responses.
States and local agencies must develop better emissions inventories.
Given this broad scope of new demands, the MARAMA Directors will
focus regional resources to help members. MARAMA will emphasize
training, data analysis, emissions inventory development, and public
education as well as helping members coordinating policies, plans,
and regulations.
Our Mission
MARAMA's mission is to strengthen the skills
and capabilities of member agencies and help them work together
to prevent and reduce air pollution impacts in the Mid-Atlantic
region.
Our Objectives
Training: Improve the technical knowledge
and skills of the staff and managers of Mid-Atlantic air pollution
control agencies.
Common Projects: Help member agencies
to develop and accomplish projects that have common benefit.
Cooperation: Increase communication,
understanding, and mutual support among member agencies.
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James Thompson
Acting Program Manager
Allegheny County Health Department
Air Quality Program
301 39th Street, Building #7
Pittsburgh, PA 15201-1891
phone: 412-578-8103
email: jthompsong @ achd.net
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Mr. Thomas Huynh
Director
Philadelphia
Air Management Services
Department of Public Health
321 University Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104
phone: 215-685-7584
email: thomas.huynh @ phila.gov
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Mr. Ali Mirzakhalili
Program Administrator
Air Quality Management Services
Division of Air & Waste Management
Delaware Dept.
of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
156 South State Street
Dover, DE 19901
phone: 302-739-9402
email: ali.mirzakhalili @ state.de.us
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Ms. Joyce E. Epps
MARAMA Past Chair
Director
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Air Quality
Rachel Carson State Office Building, 12th Floor
PO Box 8468
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468
phone: 717-787-9702
email: jeepps @ state.pa.us
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Mr. John A. Benedict
Director, Division of Air Quality
West Virginia Department of Environmental
Protection
7012 MacCorkle Ave, SE
Charleston, WV 25304
phone: 304-926-3647
email: jbenedict @ wvdep.org
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Mr. Tad Aburn
MARAMA Chair
Director
Maryland Department of the Environment
Air & Radiation Management Administration
1800 Washington Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21230
phone: 410-537-3255
email: gaburn @ mde.state.md.us
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Mr. Michael Dowd
Director, Air Division
Division of Air Program Coordination
Virginia Department
of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 1105
Richmond, VA 23218
phone: 804-698-4311
email: mdowd @ deq.virginia.gov
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Ms. Cecily Beall
MARAMA Treasurer
Program Manager
Air Quality Division, District Department
of the Environment
51 N Street, NE 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
phone: 202-535-2290
email: cecily.beall @ dc.gov
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Susan S.G. Wierman
Executive Director
email: swierman
Susan Stephenson
Senior Policy Analyst
email: sstephenson
Julie McDill
Environmental Engineer
email: jmcdill
Angela King
Environmental Planner
email: aking
Patrick Davis
Environmental Specialist
email: pdavis
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Alice R. Lutrey
Training Coordinator - Office Manager
email: alutrey
Joan Walstrum
Administrative Assistant
email: jwalstrum
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