The purpose of this competitively ARP selected agreement is to provide canton city public health (ccph) the ability to conduct ambient air monitoring of pollutants of greatest concern in communities…

The Canton City Public Health Department (CCPH) received a $302,775 project grant award from the Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 under the Surveys, Studies, Research, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Special Purpose Activities Relating to the Clean Air Act program. The two-year award will support CCPH's ambient air monitoring of pollutants near a steel manufacturer in Canton, Ohio from June 1, 2023 through May 31, 2026. CCPH will deploy Federal Equivalent Method air monitoring equipment at a community site and smaller sensors placed with community operators to monitor particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds. Data will be shared with residents to inform and educate them on potential air pollution. Activities aim to support community efforts to self-monitor air quality and foster partnerships between communities, states and local governments to address air pollution concerns. Anticipated outcomes include increased community access to pollution data and tools to make decisions to alleviate pollution burdens from the nearby facility. No subawards are included in the project grant.

The purpose of this competitively ARP selected agreement is to provide canton city public health (ccph) the ability to conduct ambient air monitoring of pollutants of greatest concern in communities with environmental and health outcome disparities stemming from pollution and the covid-19 pandemic. Ccph and residents will work together to identify and quantify pollutants in the communities closest to a steel manufacturer in canton, ohio. Using FEM (federal equivalent methods) technology and sensors, concentrations of target air pollutants will be collected, assessed, and shared on a routine and frequent basis. This project will foster a relationship of trust with this overburdened community.activities:the two-year study will involve the use of FEM air monitoring equipment and smaller, less costly sensors that would be placed with community operators (COS) chosen by the community. The FEM equipment will be added to the republic steel community site and will be operated and maintained by staff of ccph. Sensors will monitor PM10, PM2.5, SO2, and vocs and data will be shared with the community to inform and educate members about potential air pollution. The activities will be used to support community and local efforts to monitor their own air quality and to promote air quality monitoring partnerships between communities, state, and local governments that: leverage existing air quality expertise, expand use of community monitoring groups and other approaches that give the community a voice in the monitoring of the air quality, and build a foundation of trusting relationships and enhanced understanding from which sustainable solutions to community air pollution problems can be found. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include identification of air pollution in the area near republic steel, air quality data being disseminated to community members and interested stakeholders, and community meetings to educate people about the information collected. The expected outcomes include increased access to information and tools that increase understanding of pollutants that may or may not be present in the community, the community will have access to data to make educated decisions about alleviating the burdens of living near this facility, whether IT's by legal means, relocation, or waiting for issues to be resolved, and depending on the compliance of the data, ohio EPA, local government, and/or responsible party may take action to mitigate the source of pollutants. The intended beneficiaries include residents and community members near republic steel.