The purpose of this american rescue plan funded and competitively selected grant is to conduct ambient air monitoring of pollutants of greatest concern in communities with environmental and health…

The purpose of this american rescue plan funded and 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. Onondaga environmental institute will 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. By working with an advisory group, the project will create a community-based education and outreach campaign that will provide accessible air quality data through a web-based dashboard. Residents and communities can use the information to protect individual and community health and advocate for effective solutions.subrecipient:state university of new york college of environmental science and forestry (suny ESF) will receive a subaward to serve on the AG, maintain monitors and provide air quality, environmental justice, and outreach assistance; with $77,812 split evenly across goals 1 and 2: community based framework and foster resident engagement, respectively, and $25,000 in goal 3: stem AQ outreach. Onondaga earth corps (OEC) will receive a subaward to engage youth in air quality outreach and monitoring; with $3000 in goal 1 and $22,000 in goal 3.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include 1. Establish a community-based framework to address air quality issues in communities historically impacted by interstate 81; 2. Set up a permanent air quality monitoring system that will provide long term data on particulate matter to understand events and situations that affect local air quality in the environmental justice neighborhoods; 3. Foster resident engagement with air quality information to promote better community and individual health outcomes; 4. Provide air quality monitoring tools and education in an underserved environmental justice community to expose residents to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skill sets that can lead to enhanced incomes and careers and 5. Inform decision makers, planners, and policy managers with data for sustainable future development and smart growth. The expected outcomes include 1. Understand the scope of the problem and create a baseline from which to measure air quality changes, 2. Help individuals understand how to access air quality information dashboard and 3. Build individual and community capacity to address and reduce environmental and health risks related to air quality. The intended beneficiaries include a marginalized community in the city of syracuse that has been overburdened with air pollution and other environmental hazards.