Project Grant 02J30201

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMPETITIVELY SELECTED GRANT IS 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. ACTIVITIES: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 AND TRIBAL, 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. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL EXPAND ITS MONITORING CAPACITY OF CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS (CAPS), HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS (HAPS), AND METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS TO ENHANCE SITC'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO RELEASES OF UNKNOWN GASEOUS MIXTURES BY NEARBY TITLE V SOURCES. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:EXPECTED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE PURCHASING CONTINUOUS PM2.5 MONITOR(S) TO REPLACE FILTER-BASED PM2.5 MONITOR(S) AND THE EXPANSION OF MONITORING OF SULFUR DIOXIDE (SO2). THE EXPANSION OF HAPS MONITORING WOULD INCLUDE CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE (H2S) TO ADD TO THE DISCRETE SAMPLING OF 75 DIFFERENT VOCS VIA EPA'S METHOD TO-15. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: FULL AUTOMATION OF PM2.5 MONITORS WILL PROVIDE ALL COMMUNITIES FINE PARTICULATE DATA OF THE SAME QUALITY AND ALLOW THEM TO COMPARE CONTINUOUS DATA STREAMS IN NEARBY AREAS. OPERATION OF PM2.5 OR OTHER NAAQS POLLUTANTS 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. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WHO WILL HAVE DECREASED RISK OF ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS, INCLUDING CANCER AND NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS.