Project Grant 98T56601

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMPETITIVELY SELECTED COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT 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. THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $481,250.00. PRE-AWARD COSTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BACK TO MAY 1, 2023. ACTIVITIES:THESE FUNDS 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 UPON THE CURRENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING WORK BEING CONDUCTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL AIR QUALITY IMPACTS ON COMMUNITIES ALONG THE NEW RIVER. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:EXPECTED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: SITE SELECTION, EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT, INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, DATA REVIEW AND VALIDATION, A WEBSITE AND DATA DISSEMINATION SYSTEM, REPORTING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: BY ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY DURING THE PLANNING STAGE, THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE AN IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY CONCERNS THAT CAN TO BE ADDRESSED DURING THE MEASUREMENTS PORTION OF THE PROJECT. THIS STUDY WILL PROVIDE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND DATA TO ASSESS AIR QUALITY AROUND THE NEW RIVER. THE POLLUTANTS (NH3, H2S, BTX) ARE NOT TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH COMMUNITY MONITORING SITES OR REGULATORY MONITORING SITES; THEREFORE, THIS STUDY WILL HELP PROVIDE AN UNDERSTANDING OF BASELINE CONCENTRATIONS THROUGHOUT IMPERIAL COUNTY AND AIR QUALITY IMPACTS AROUND THE NEW RIVER. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA COLLECTED WILL INCLUDE STATISTICAL SUMMARIES OF THE POLLUTANTS, SEASONAL TRENDS, AND A COMPARISON AGAINST HEALTH THRESHOLDS TO GAIN INSIGHTS ON THE PUBLIC-HEALTH IMPACT. THOSE IN THE COMMUNITIES HOSTING MONITORING WILL GAINS VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AIR THEY BREATHE. DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS, THIS STUDY MAY ALSO INCLUDE POTENTIAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES:#8239;#8239; DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WHO WILL GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR AIR QUALITY AND THE POTENTIAL TO DECREASED THE RISK OF ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS, INCLUDING CANCER AND NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS.#8239;