This agreement provides funding to the arkansas division of environmental quality (ADIEQ) to assist with necessary development, establishment, and maintenance of adequate monitoring programs for the…

Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 awarded the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality $517,653 on April 1, 2026, under the Surveys, Studies, Research, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Special Purpose Activities Relating to the Clean Air Act program (CFDA 66.034) to develop, establish, and maintain ambient air quality monitoring programs for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) across Arkansas.

The recipient will operate and maintain a PM2.5 monitoring network in accordance with Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 50, 53, and 58. Activities include collecting quality-assured PM2.5 concentrations and chemical composition data, submitting results to EPA's National Air Quality System database, and conducting regional haze assessments. The data supports public reporting of air pollution levels, PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards comparisons, development and tracking of state implementation plans, and health studies and ambient aerosol research activities. Short-term outcomes include increased knowledge of PM2.5 character and extent in ambient air; long-term outcomes target reduced PM2.5 concentrations and compliance with Clean Air Act standards through eventual execution of the state's implementation plan.

Performance period runs April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028, with all work performed in Arkansas.

Activities

The recipient will collect quality assured PM2.5 concentrations and submit results to EPA's national air quality database.

Expected outcomes

The anticipated short-term outcome for this project is an increase in the knowledge regarding the character and extent of PM2.5 in the ambient air. The long-term outcome, through the eventual development and execution of the state's implementation plan, is reduced PM2.5 concentrations and compliance with the PM2.5 naaqs as set forth in the clean air act. Activities:the PM2.5 ambient monitoring network will be operated and maintained in accordance with title 40 of the code of federal regulations (40 CFR), parts 50, 53, and 58. These regulations describe the frequency of sampling and the timely reporting of ambient data to the air quality system (AQS) database. The number and types of monitors, as specified in our EPA-approved ambient monitoring plan, which will be operated and maintained, are as follows: method monitor 1:1 1:3 1:6 1:12 1 2.5 mass FRM -- 2 -- -- 2 2.5 mass CO-located FRM* 1 9 1 3 3 2.5 continuous FEM 4 -- -- -- 4 2.5 continuous CO-located FEM* 0 -- -- -- 5 2.5 continuous non-FEM 0 -- -- -- 6 2.5 continuous CO-located non-FEM 0 -- -- -- 7 speciation sass 0 -- -- -- 8 speciation super-sass -- -- 1 -- 9 speciation - carbon URG -- -- 1 -- 10 trace/low NOX 2 -- -- -- 11 trace/low NOY 1 -- -- -- 12 trace/low