Project Grant 96714401

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE THREE NEW MULTIPOLLUTANT SITES IN IOWA, AS WELL AS UPGRADE AND REPLACE EQUIPMENT AT EXISTING SITES. TWO OF THE NEW SITES WILL BE IN NEW LOCATIONS IN METROPOLITAN AREAS THAT ALREADY INCLUDE SOME EXISTING MONITORING SITES. THE THIRD NEW SITE WILL BE LOCATED IN AN ENTIRELY NEW AREA WITHOUT ANY CURRENTLY OPERATING AIR MONITORS. FIVE EXISTING SITES WILL BE UPGRADED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF IOWA. IOWA DNR EMPLOYEES WILL ATTEND A NATIONAL AIR MONITORING CONFERENCE. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: - THREE NEW MULTIPOLLUTANT SITES, INCLUDING ONE SITE IN AN AREA WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS MONITORING. TWO OF THE SITES WILL MONITORING AIR TOXICS IN ADDITION TO PARTICULATE MATTER. - UPGRADED EQUIPMENT AT 5 EXISTING AIR MONITORING SITES ACROSS THE STATE. - THREE IDNR STAFF TO ATTEND TRAINING AT THE 2024 NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR MONITORING CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS IN AUGUST OF 2024. SUBRECIPIENT:SUBAWARDS ARE PROVIDED TO TWO COUNTY GOVERNMENTS (LINN AND POLK COUNTIES) AND THE STATE HEALTH LAB (SHL). THESE COUNTIES AND THE SHL WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF THE THREE NEW MULTIPOLLUTANT SITES. THIS INCLUDES PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT AND CONTRACTOR SERVICES FOR EACH SITE. THE COUNTIES AND SHL THEN WORK WITH IOWA DNR ON DATA ANALYSIS. OUTCOMES: THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: - THREE NEW MULTIPOLLUTANT SITES, INCLUDING ONE SITE IN AN AREA WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS MONITORING. TWO OF THE SITES WILL MONITORING AIR TOXICS IN ADDITION TO PARTICULATE MATTER. - UPGRADED EQUIPMENT AT 5 EXISTING AIR MONITORING SITES ACROSS THE STATE. - THREE IDNR STAFF TO ATTEND TRAINING AT THE 2024 NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR MONITORING CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS IN AUGUST OF 2024. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE : - ALL THREE NEW MULTIPOLLUTANT SITES PROPOSED IN THIS WORKPLAN WILL BE EITHER LOCATED DIRECTLY IN A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY, OR THEIR SCALE WILL EXTEND WELL INTO A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY. - THE REPLACEMENT OF AGING EQUIPMENT AT EXISTING SITES WILL INCREASE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF IOWA'S AMBIENT AIR MONITORING NETWORK. DATA FROM THE MONITORS AT ALL THE NEW SITES AS WELL AS AT EXISTING SITES WILL BE UPLOADED TO EPA'S AQS DATABASE; AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, TO THE AIRNOW REAL TIME PUBLIC MAPS. THE INFORMATION PRESENTED ON THESE WEBSITES HELP TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS, INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF AMBIENT AIR QUALITY, AND THE PUBLIC'S UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN HEALTH RISKS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE CITIZENS IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WHERE THE NEW MONITORING SITES WILL BE LOCATED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.