News Releases from Region 09

EPA Kilauea Eruption Response Update

HONOLULU (May 21, 2018) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Pacific Southwest Region continues to support efforts to analyze public health threats from volcanic gas emissions, including managing technical data and enhancing multi-agency air monitoring of the emissions. EPA’s work is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) federal response to the Kilauea volcanic eruption on Hawaii Island.

EPA has worked with the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) to establish 10 air monitoring station locations and continues to work with DOH and the County of Hawaii on identifying additional locations to provide data on sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and particulate levels. The Agency will continue to evaluate data collected from the Air Now Network operated by the DOH. EPA has 16 personnel on Hawaii Island and one representative working with FEMA operations in Honolulu.

For more information, please visit the Hawaii Interagency Vog Information Dashboard which has comprehensive information and data related to vog and ash hazards and impact: https://vog.ivhhn.org.

EPA air monitoring station

EPA installing air monitoring equipment at Kapoho Verizon Tower location.

Photo credit: US EPA

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