Project Grant 98T59301

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES 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 PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH THE KLAMATH REGION COMMUNITY AIR MONITORING NETWORK - A COMMUNITY OPERATED NETWORK OF REAL-TIME PARTICULATE MATTER SENSORS (PM) WITH SUPPORTING CALIBRATION AND DATA MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE TO SERVE COMMUNITIES IN THE KLAMATH REGION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HEAVILY AFFECTED BY WILDFIRES AND INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS. THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000.00. PRE-AWARD COSTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BACK TO 6/01/2023.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES 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. THE PROJECT BUILDS ON COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN THREE GROUPS LOCATED IN THE REGION (SCHATZ ENERGY RESEARCH CENTER , THE KARUK TRIBE, AND THE BLUE LAKE RANCHERIA TRIBE) TO DEPLOY 100 LOW-COST PM SENSORS IN OUTDOOR AND INDOOR LOCATIONS , NEAR-REFERENCE AND REFERENCE METHOD PM2.5 MONITORS, AND BLACK CARBON MONITORS TO ASSESS AIR QUALITY IN THE REGION. THE PROJECT INCLUDES ACTIVITIES THAT ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN UNDERSTANDING HOW DATA FROM THE NETWORK CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC PROGRAM DECISION MAKING, TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO ENSURE THE QUALITY OF DATA AND AIR MONITOR PERFORMANCE, AND CAPACITY-BUILDING RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING INFRASTRUCTURE TO FOSTER PARTNERSHIP AND SUSTAIN THE USEFULNESS OF THE AIR NETWORK INTO THE FUTURE. SUBRECIPIENT:THE KARUK TRIBE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (KDNR) WILL SERVE AS THE PRIMARY COMMUNITY PARTNER FOR THE KARUK TRIBE, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT WILL SERVE AS THE PRIMARY COMMUNITY PARTNER AT BLR. COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS FACILITATED BY PARTNERS WILL IDENTIFY USE CASES AND NEEDS WITH RESPECT TO AIR SENSOR DATA AND HELP REFINE NETWORK DEPLOYMENT STRATEGY AND DATA DASHBOARDS/RESOURCES. DEPLOYMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE SENSOR NETWORKS WILL BE PERFORMED JOINTLY BY KDNR, BLR, AND SCHATZ CENTER OVER THE ENTIRE TWO-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD. SCHATZ CENTER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING TRAINING MATERIALS FOR SENSORS/INSTRUMENTS IN THE NETWORK, BUT BOTH COMMUNITY PARTNERS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO DESIGN AND REVIEW OF CURRICULUM OUTPUT. SCHATZ CENTER'S EXPERTISE IN AIR MONITORING AND IN LONG-TERM TECHNICAL ADVISORY ROLES IS INTENDED - THROUGH PROJECT ACTIVITIES - TO BOLSTER TECHNICAL CAPACITY WITHIN THE NETWORK, EXTENDING BEYOND THE PROJECT PERIOD. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED TO BE AN UPFRONT INVESTMENT THAT IN THE FUTURE WILL ENABLE COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO MAINTAIN CONTINUITY IN TECHNICAL MONITORING CAPACITY AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCY TO ALLOW MORE RESOURCES TO FLOW TO USING DATA TO SERVE COMMUNITIES AND FOR FUNDRAISING (AS OPPOSED TO MANAGING DATA, FIXING SENSORS, ETC.). OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES TO EPA INCLUDE A QUARTERLY AND FINAL REPORT DETAILING PARTNER AND PARTICIPANT MEETINGS, PROCUREMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF AIR QUALITY MONITORS, COLLOCATION AND CALIBRATION OF LOW-COST PM SENSORS, AND TRAINING OF PARTNERS ON AIR POLLUTION EQUIPMENT. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: 1) REAL-TIME MONITORING OF PM2. CONCENTRATIONS ACROSS THE KLAMATH REGION; 2) COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC ASSESSMENTS OF AIR POLLUTION DATA; 3) DEPLOYMENT OF EQUIPMENT TO CONDUCT AIR QUALITY MONITORING; 4) PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING; 5) COMMUNITY SPECIFIC MONITORING CAPACITY RESILIENCE. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE RESIDENTS O