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Overview of the new National Near-Road Air Quality Monitoring Network
Citation:
Baldauf, R. AND N. Watkins. Overview of the new National Near-Road Air Quality Monitoring Network. To be Presented at CRC Mobile Source Air Toxics Conference, Sacramento, CA, February 03 - 06, 2013.
Impact/Purpose:
Presentation on recent EPA ambient air monitoring requirements
Description:
In 2010, EPA promulgated new National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). As part of this new NAAQS, EPA required the establishment of a national near-road air quality monitoring network. This network will consist of one NO2 near-road monitoring station in all urban areas (denoted by the Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSA)) with a population greater than 500,000. CBSAs with a population greater than 2.5 million or with a roadway with an Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) count greater than 250,000 vehicles per day, will require a second NO2 near-road monitoring site. In addition, carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring will be required at one of the NO2 monitoring stations in each CBSA with a population greater than 1 million. To aid the implementation of this new monitoring network, EPA prepared a Technical Assistance Document (TAD) which outlines methods for state and local air monitoring agencies to use to identify and choose candidate sites and implement the monitoring. The TAD also recommends multi-pollutant monitoring, including many mobile source air toxics (MSATs). This presentation will provide an overview of the monitoring requirements in the rule, CBSAs subject to near-road monitoring, and the TAD recommendations for site selection and implementation. Results from initial monitoring conducted in five US cities as part of a pilot study will also be presented.