Project Grant 02J27201

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO MAINTAIN FINE PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5) MONITORING NETWORKS. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO COLLECT QUALITY ASSURED DATA ON AMBIENT AIR CONCENTRATIONS OF PM2.5 AS WELL AS CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PRECURSORS. DATA WILL BE USED FOR: (1) PROVIDING AIR POLLUTION DATA TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN A TIMELY MANNER, (2) PM2.5 NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS (NAAQS) COMPARISONS, (3) DEVELOPMENT AND TRACKING OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS, (4) ASSESSMENTS OF REGIONAL HAZE, AND (5) ASSISTANCE FOR HEALTH STUDIES AND OTHER AMBIENT AEROSOL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. THE PM2.5 MONITORING NETWORK DESIGN ADDRESSES THESE FOUR PROGRAM OBJECTIVES THROUGH A COMBINATION OF SITING AND INSTRUMENTATION STRATEGIES.ACTIVITIES:FUNDING IS FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5) NATIONAL CORE (NCORE) MONITORING NETWORK AT CHEEKA PEAK OBSERVATORY (CPO) MONITORING SITE. THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS BY CONTINUING THE ONGOING COLLECTION OF DATA ON THE AMBIENT AIR CONCENTRATIONS OF FINE PARTICULATE MATTER. ORCAA WILL OPERATE AND MAINTAIN TRACE LEVEL SO2, NO/NOY AND CO ANALYZERS, AN O3 ANALYZER, A NEPHELOMETER AEROSOL SCATTERING AND CONTINUOUS PM2.5 MONITOR, WIND SPEED, WIND DIRECTION, RELATIVE HUMIDITY, AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AND BAROMETRIC PRESSURE MONITORS TO SATISFY THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY (ECY) QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA) REQUIREMENTS. THE RECIPIENT WILL COLLECT QUALITY ASSURED PM2.5 CONCENTRATIONS AND SUBMIT RESULTS TO EPA'S NATIONAL AIR QUALITY DATABASE. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:OPERATION OF PM2.5 OR OTHER NAAQS POLLUTANT AIR MONITORING IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL EPA REQUIREMENTS LEADING TO COLLECTION OF QUALITY ASSURED AMBIENT AIR QUALITY DATA TO HELP ENSURE THAT MORE AMERICANS ARE LIVING AND WORKING IN AREAS THAT MEET HIGH AIR QUALITY STANDARDS.