Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Shared Air/Shared Action (SA2): Community Empowerment through Low-costAir Pollution Monitoring
EPA Grant Number: R836182Title: Shared Air/Shared Action (SA2): Community Empowerment through Low-costAir Pollution Monitoring
Investigators: Griswold, Wendy , Erickson, Larry E. , Maghirang, Ronaldo , Erdal, Serap , Johnson, Cheryl , Merritt, Gail , Renas, Margaret , Salazar, Peggy , Wasserman, Kim , Urbaszewski, Brian
Institution: Kansas State University , University of Illinois at Chicago , University of Memphis , Alliance for a Greener South Loop , Delta Institute , Little Village Environmental Justice Organization , People for Community Recovery , Respiratory Health Association , Southeast Environmental Task Force
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: May 1, 2016 through April 30, 2019 (Extended to April 30, 2020)
Project Amount: $750,000
RFA: Air Pollution Monitoring for Communities (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Justice , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air
Objective:
Investigate that community-led research results in improved understanding of the pollution concentrations and the development of sustainable community-specific strategies to effectively monitor pollutants, analyze and communicate results, 2) Investigate cross-community coalition building, 3) Investigate the ability of the coalition to leverage resources to create future coordinated action plans to reduce exposure and mitigate health risks, and 4) Evaluate and document the collaborative community-based research process utilized.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The purpose of the Shared Air/Shared Action project was to pilot a community air quality monitoring project in Chicago to obtain local-level air quality data. The four community groups plan to use the data collected to advocate for better air quality and inform strategies to reduce air pollution in their neighborhoods. Project activities were organized into three phases: mobilization, monitoring, and analysis. Community organizations were partners in decision-making during each phase and provided input into all project activities.
Mobilization - Project team activities included refining contaminants of concern and selecting air sensor equipment; developing community-specific air monitoring plans; and, conducting an air monitoring pilot to set-up and test equipment, train staff and community members, walk monitoring routes, and practice downloading and uploading data. During this phase, communities increased their knowledge of local air quality, air sensors and monitoring, and developed community-based air monitoring programs.
Monitoring – Full-scale monitoring by community partners took place in Summer 2017 and Winter 2018, as well as a co-location study of the air sensors used in the project. Community organizations engaged residents in learning to monitor their local air quality and built organizational capacity for managing air monitoring programs.
Analysis – The Partner Coalition Board (PCB) contracted with Sonoma Technologies (STI) to produce a report for each community which were comprised of the data collected in Summer 2017 and Winter 2018 by each community. Additionally, documenting the processes developed and lessons learned resulted in the development of a guidebook for communities.
The PCB also assessed the technical effectiveness and economic feasibility of the SASA work plan and determined the following:
Technical Effectiveness and Economic Feasibility -
- The project demonstrated that community knowledge and community-identified issues informing equipment selection and developing air monitoring plans is feasible and effective.
- Analysis of both volunteer monitors and community organization experiences indicate low-cost air sensors were effective at engaging community residents in learning about local air quality.
- Feedback from community partners indicate they are committed to continuing their engagement and learning about air sensors and air quality.
- Data from low-cost monitors indicated more variation than expected, which is important with respect to limitations on monitoring and outcomes.
Understanding/Solving Environmental Problems:
- Each participating community had different goals for air monitoring.
- Communities appreciated being involved in all aspects of the project, even if they didn’t feel like they had a lot to contribute to conversations that were often highly technical.
- Planning for community air monitoring requires a combination of technical and community knowledge. A healthy process will validate community knowledge and enhance technical knowledge. However, providing technical assistance should be handled in a manner that respects community knowledge and capacity.
- Learning how to use low-cost air sensors to monitor local air quality contributed to social learning experiences beyond monitoring teams and led to volunteers developing new understandings of their local environment and developing ideas for community actions to improve air quality.
- Communities felt project results and outcomes would have been different if the project lasted longer than three years, and the short timeframe did not offer a true picture of air quality in their communities.
- Knowledge gained on this project enabled communities to be on a more level playing field with the City when discussing issues within the community related to air quality and empowered community organizations to support other organizations doing similar work locally and nationally.
Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 30 publications | 3 publications in selected types | All 3 journal articles |
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Erickson LE. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality: two global challenges. Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 2017;36(4):982-988. |
R836182 (2016) R836182 (2017) R836182 (2018) R836182 (Final) |
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Erickson LE, Griswold W, Maghirang RG, Urbaszewski BP. Air quality, health and community action. Journal of Environmental Protection 2017;8(10):1057-1074. |
R836182 (2017) R836182 (2018) R836182 (Final) |
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Wang Z, Anthony JL, Erickson LE, Higgins MJ, Newmark GL. Nitrogen Dioxide and Ozone Pollution in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Journal of Environmental Protection 2020;31;11(08):551. |
R836182 (Final) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
adult education, air, capacity building, community education, environmental justice, exposure, health effects, Midwest, monitoring, participatory action research, surveysRelevant Websites:
Air monitoring data archive Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.