Commissioner Austin N. Heller on Air Pollution

Part 1

WNYC reporter gives a good description of the current situation beginning on Thanksgiving Day.

Deputy Mayor Robert Price gives latest information on air pollution crisis and introduces Commissioner Heller.

Part 2

Air Pollution Commissioner Heller reads statement: Recommendations and reasons for steps to be taken. We are in the first alert stage. We have full cooperation of Con Ed regarding use of natural gas. LILCO is using as much natural gas as possible. City incinerators are down. Citizens should stop use of apartment house incinerators and indoor temp be reduced to 60 in apartment houses reduce sulfur dioxide into the air and people should use cars only if necessary. When I hear weather conditions have changed people can go back to regular use. Trucks and delivery vehicles should be curtailed.

Q & A from the news media.
Are alert enough to do the job. Yes.
Criticism of operation to make changes last night. Commissioner says he was in touch with all relevant people and additional precautionary steps not needed.
Will Mayor Lindsay be coming back early from Bermuda vacation?
We don't know. but in constant touch.
This is the first alert and Mayor has been following it. Discussion of the interstate pact. State issuance of first alert.

Commissioner Heller explains that they have been following weather bureau reports and status of the inversion. Some improvement coming this afternoon.
Good chance we will be back into the inversion at 6 this evening. Various state officials have been consulted and decision was made for the first alert. Regional air warning system. What we're trying to do is have a cooperative effort within the regional area so that we have effective change.

Could the situation have been lethal if we weren't in a holiday period? Commissioner Heller says air pollution index and air alert system are two different things. He says we are fortunate to have minimum of fuel burning situation with the Thanksgiving holiday. Normal operations things would have been worse.

We are declaring a first alert warning. The only thing the Interstate Sanitation Commission can do is make a recommendation. Are things worse today than yesterday? Levels of SO2 are higher today than yesterday. Some hospitals reporting rise in pulmonary complaints. Is there a monitoring system for compliance? Yes - teams are on board. Still at a voluntary stage. Certain levels would need to be reached for mandating compliance. Doubling of figures. We are taking precautionary steps now. Third alert will be mandatory. Heller is concerned about what will happen this evening.

Why not done last night? We felt it wasn't necessary then. What will make this a lethal level? Two parts per million within one hour of SO2 or greater and CO 30 parts per million or greater then we would take mandatory action. Pleased with Lindsay Administration response.

Is situation serious enough to warrant return of Mayor? No. Goes over threshold levels for declaring second alert. Chances for second alert are small. More discussion of criteria for second alert. Distinguishing between first and second alerts.

How does this compare with the West Coast. L.A. is quite different than NYC. Here we have SO2 and auto particulates second. L.A. is the reverse. Heller says we need a comprehensive air monitoring system to take more effective action. What worse, here or L.A.? Heller suggests here. Will effect asthmatics.

This is the first time a first air pollution alert has been made.

In closing, these precautions requested by Commissioner Heller... we hope everyone will voluntarily cooperate. Deputy Mayor Robert Price and Air Pollution Commissioner Austin Heller.

WNYC Announcer from Blue Room at City Hall.

Studio announcement asking people not to drive. News. Air Pollution Alert; Israel censured by UN; J Edgar Hoover thinks Oswald acted alone in killing JFK.

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

WNYC archives id: 90996
Municipal archives id: T886