Region 4: Improving Tribal and Citizen Science with Collocated Low-Cost Air Sensor Shelters

2019 Regional-State-Tribal Innovation Projects

Low cost air-quality sensors can provide a cost-effective way to assess air quality in areas where air quality data is currently unavailable, such as some tribal lands and other areas not near a regulatory air monitoring site. However, without a comparison to known quality data, air sensors measurements have unknown precision and accuracy. Working with Southeastern states, local agencies and multiple tribes, EPA will fabricate and deploy six air sensor shelters adjacent to regulatory air monitoring sites that can be used for air sensor precision and accuracy testing and adjustments. This collocation approach provides a way to assess the precision and accuracy of data collected from low-cost sensors and is very useful for conducting an air quality study with air sensors in a nearby area without regulatory monitoring. The project will improve data quality from tribal and citizen science air sensor measurements and leverage the existing regulatory air monitoring conducted by tribal, state, and local agencies. This partnership project will support multiple future benefits including additional quality-assured air sensor data collected by tribal agencies and citizen science organizations; evaluation of the performance of the low-cost sensor technology; better characterization of variations in local air quality on or near tribal land; and, stronger partnerships with tribal, state and local government and community organizations on air quality studies.