City Launches New Mobile Air Quality Monitoring Trailer
Mayor Tim Keller and the City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department revealed the newest investment in protecting public health; an innovative mobile air quality monitoring trailer. This mobile technology is one part of advancing the administration’s mission to bring equity to environment justice and public health efforts. The nearly $750,000 investment from the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Program will be placed initially in the San Jose neighborhood, a historically underserved area. This trailer expands the current criteria pollutant monitoring network from five to six stations throughout Albuquerque-Bernalillo County.
“Albuquerque is fortunate to have good air quality especially for a city our size, but not all neighborhoods benefit the same. Historically underserved neighborhoods like San Jose can be disproportionately impacted,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “With this mobile air monitoring station, we’re bringing equity to environmental justice and public health.”
The monitoring trailer can be parked in different neighborhoods to collect localized air quality data to better understand the specific pollutants the area may be experiencing. The trailer must be parked in a chosen location for a minimum of 12 months, but up to three years to collect accurate data and any seasonal variations. The trailer is not only able to monitor for criteria pollutants but also organic black, brown, and total carbon; as well as 75 hazardous air pollutants (or HAPs) including, volatile organic compounds (or VOCs).
While Albuquerque and Bernalillo County remain in compliance with the EPA’s air quality standards, knowing more about what’s in our air is critical to protecting public health.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has committed to prioritizing issues of environmental justice and the fair treatment of minority populations who have been historically overburdened and underserved. The San Jose neighborhood was selected as the first location for the mobile monitoring trailer based on community concerns over air pollution from nearby industry.
“Capturing air quality data at the neighborhood level will provide us valuable insight to better understand public health concerns,” said Environmental Health Deputy Director, Mara Elana Burstein. “The Air Quality Program is enthusiastically looking for ways to innovatively engage with the community and begin to equitably address environmental justice.”
“The San Jose Neighborhood is home to many family generations, who have lived their entire lives in our community; with this monitoring system in place we as a community have felt that our voice has been heard. This monitoring system has given us hope that will shed light to the harmful effects that polluted air can cause in a community as well as open an extension to other communication to better the neighborhood of San Jose and to ensure that this community is not left behind,” said San Jose Neighborhood Association President Deanna Marie Barela.
The trailer will be parked at the East San Jose Pool. For more information on air quality monitoring, visit: www.cabq.gov/airquality/air-quality-monitoring