Air is an essential natural resource and one we cannot afford to take for granted. Clean air is important to our health, our environment, and our economy. Poor air quality can adversely affect business, property, recreation, and tourism, which are the backbone of Florida's progress.

Because it is usually colorless and odorless, we fail to realize that many everyday activities can pollute this vital resource.

Today, we face new challenges in protecting and maintaining good air quality. In addition to the traditional industrial and automotive air pollutants, we now also worry about acid rain, toxic air pollutants, greenhouse gases, global warming, regional haze and the depletion of the earth's upper-level ozone layer which protects us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Traditionally environmental agencies have applied various strategies to protect air quality. Some of those strategies have involved compliance assurance, compliance assistance, and rule development. More recently, in recognition of the fact that protecting our environment is a personal, corporate and governmental responsibility, environmental protection strategies have been expanded to include and emphasize pollution prevention and public awareness.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Air Resource Management has implemented numerous initiatives including both traditional and non-traditional strategies and has dedicated significant resources to compliance assistance, environmental education and outreach to further the concept of personal responsibility.