FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2004

MEDIA ADVISORY

LARGEST AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE STUDY IN NEW ENGLAND

WHAT: Media day and news conference for New England Air Quality Study, part of the International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation (ICARTT) study.

WHERE: New Hampshire Port Authority, 555 Market Street, Portsmouth, N.H. (directions follow)

WHEN: Monday, July 26, 2004, at 9:30 a.m. EDT — Dockside news conference with Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), NOAA Administrator Conrad C. Lautenbacher, NASA Associate Administrator for Earth Science Ghassem Asrar and University of New Hampshire President Ann Hart.

10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Visit to Pease International Tradeport for tours of aircraft used in the study and to speak to scientists coordinating land and sea operations. Box lunches will be provided for those going to the airport.

1:30 p.m. - Return to dock, board ship for two-hour cruise as ship begins second leg of field study in the Gulf of Maine. Space on the Brown for this event is limited and media must reserve in advance. Please contact Jana Goldman by July 21. Those going aboard should wear appropriate clothing and closed toe shoes with rubber soles.

3:30 p.m. - At-sea transfer to UNH ship Gulf Challenger for return to Portsmouth dock. Please note this is an at-sea transfer and includes using a Jacob's ladder to move from one ship to another.

WHY: Opportunity for media to meet with scientists, tour NOAA Research Ship Ronald H. Brown, and visit NASA, NOAA and other aircraft used in the largest air quality study being conducted through August in New England. For example, NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory carries a full compliment of scientists and their instruments for this mission. Some flight profiles call for altitudes as low as 1,000 feet or spiral descents or other maneuvers not normally flown by a commercial aircraft.

Directions: New Hampshire Port Authority, 555 Market Street, Portsmouth, N.H., I-95N to Exit 7- Portsmouth. Right at stop light. Next light take left into Port Authority. From Maine, I-95S to Exit 7 - Portsmouth. Left at stop light. 2nd light take left into Port Authority. Parking available on site, follow parking attendants.

Directions from Portsmouth Port Authority to Pease International Tradeport
I-95S to Exit 3A "Bus Terminal"
Right at stop sign
Follow sign for Pease Tradeport
Left at PCA (Port City Air) sign and follow to terminal, parking available on site.

Directions direct to Pease International Tradeport
http://www.peasedev.org/web/aviation/byland.htm

From Spaulding Turnpike follow signs to Pease International Tradeport
Continue on Pease BLVD (the main entrance to Pease) to stop sign
Turn left onto New Hampshire Avenue, continue about a mile or so and
take left marked as access to I95 and Route 33. Bottomline Technologies will be on the corner. PCA will be the first left.
Follow to PCA terminal. Parking is available on site.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the
prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing
environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Relevant Web Sites:
New England Air Quality Study — Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation

Largest Air Quality and Climate Study Starts in New England

Media Contact:
Jana Goldman, NOAA Research, (301) 713-2483 ext. 181