This agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to BAY area air quality management district (baaqmd) for the expansion and enhancement of their air monitoring activities

This Project Grant award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under CFDA 66.034 - Surveys, Studies, Research, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Special Purpose Activities Relating to the Clean Air Act provides $910,488.00 in funding to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to enhance their ambient air monitoring network.

The key products and services to be delivered include: purchasing and deploying data telemetry, laboratory, and field equipment such as dataloggers, VPN routers, HPLC, GC-MS, and XRF spectrometers; replacing three aethalometers and an ozone analyzer; and constructing an office pod to serve as a clean room for instrument testing, maintenance, and repair. These upgrades are intended to increase public availability of air quality data, support long-term air toxics monitoring, and improve the sustainability and security of BAAQMD's ambient air monitoring network, with a focus on serving overburdened communities. The project is expected to be completed by June 30, 2028.

Specifically, the recipient will purchase, deploy and operate equipment to support their existing ambient air monitoring network to provide public health/air quality data to the public. This assistance agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $910,488.00. Activities:the IRA funds requested will cover the procurement of data telemetry, lab, and field equipment. This equipment will be purchased, installed, and operated by baaqmd to serve the agency's goals of providing the public with real-time air quality data. The requested dataloggers, VPN routers, and three laboratory instruments (hplc, GC_MS, and XRF spectrometer) are critical parts of data accessibility for baaqmd's long term air toxics monitoring (vocs, carbonyls, and PM speciation including metals). These items were recently identified as IT security risks after a malware attack and therefore need to be replaced. Replacement equipment is requested for three aethalometers to update equipment at monitoring sites in overburdened communities. An ozone analyzer to support EPA-required performance audits and to replace an older model as well as serve as a backup for the through the probe audit van. To support source-oriented and community-partnered monitoring, including for air toxics, baaqmd is also planning to purchase an office POD that will serve as a clean room for testing, maintaining, and repairing instruments. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include purchasing, deploying and operating ambient air monitoring equipment to support baaqmd's existing network, below is the list of specific anticipated deliverables. 1. Purchase and deployment of dataloggers and VPN routers. 2. Purchase and deployment of 3 laboratory instruments (hplc, GC_MS, and XRF spectrometer) to support data accessibility for baaqmd's long term air toxics monitoring. 3. Replacement of three aethalometers. 4. Purchase and use of ozone analyzer for EPA required performance audits. 5. Purchase and construction of an office POD to be used as a 'clean room' for testing, maintaining, and repairing equipment. 6. Number of trainings for air quality monitoring. 7. Development of quality assurance/quality control documentation. 8. Completion of air monitoring related performance testing and/or audits. The expected outcomes include increasing public availability of air quality data to reduce public exposure to pollutants and inform policy decisions, increased sustainability and longevity of baaqmd's existing ambient air monitoring network, and support for overburdened communities. See full list of expected outcomes below. 1. Increased disadvantaged communities monitored for air quality; supporting overburdened communities with equipment replacements. 2. Increased public awareness of ambient air quality; supporting long-term toxics monitoring as well as BC monitoring through aethalometer replacements. 3. Increased access to information and tools that increase understanding and reduction of environmental and human health risks. 4. Increased sustainability of ambient air monitoring networks; replacement of outdated equipment to support longevity and integrity of baaqmd's ambient air monitoring network. 5. Increased security and network integrity through the purchasing of new vpns and routers. 6. Informed policy and decision making by air agencies. 7. Change in behavior of public based on new air quality information. 8. Reduction of ambient concentrations of certain air pollutant(s). 9. Reduction of human exposure to certain air pollutant(s). 10. Publicly available air quality monitoring data for communities. 11. Benefits for disadvantaged communities. The intended beneficia