Implementation of EPA's 1997 Ozone and Particulate Matter Air Quality Standards
Summary of the Particulate Monitoring Program
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
November 21, 1997of the
Particulate Monitoring Program
Deployment of a new PM2.5 monitoring network is a critically important component of the air programs which address attainment of the recently promulgated National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for particulate matter. Substantial resources are required to employ a mature national monitoring program of approximately 1,500 planned sites, following the requirements provided in 40 CFR Parts 53 and 58, and published in the Federal Register on July 18, 1997. The ambient data from this network will drive an array of regulatory decisions, ranging from designating areas as attainment or nonattainment, to developing cost-effective control programs and tracking the progress of such programs. There is an urgent need to establish the network as soon as practicable so that other programmatic efforts relying on these environmental data are not delayed. The implementation of this 1,500 site national PM2.5 monitoring network requires that the following key milestones be met:
| November 1, 1997 | State commitment to use National contract for purchase of monitors. |
| November 1, 1997-November 15, 1997 | EPA Regions send States Section 103 grant guidance for the PM2.5 Program |
| November 15-January 15, 1998 | EPA Regions will negotiate Section 103 work plans. |
| January 15, 1998 | EPA Regions provide OAQPS a preliminary list of number and type of PM2.5 sites. |
| February 1, 1998 | States Section 103 grant applications are due to the EPA Regions containing approved program work plans and draft network descriptions. |
| February 15, 1998-March 1, 1998 | EPA Regions award Section 103 grant for PM Monitoring Network to States. |
| March 2, 1998 | EPA Regions provide OAQPS a final list of number and type of PM2.5 sites for National PM2.5 Sampler Procurement Contract orders. |
| March 31, 1998 | EPA OAQPS and CMD awards National PM2.5 Sampler Procurement Contract. |
| June 1, 1998 | States begin to receive PM2.5 samplers. |
| July 1, 1998 | States submit final PM2.5 network descriptions. States submit a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) to EPA Regions for the PM2.5 Monitoring Network. |
| December 31, 1999 | Mature network of 1,500 sites are established. |
Regulation Summary
Revised rules for particulate matter monitoring (40 CFR 53 and 58), including both PM2.5 and PM10, were promulgated on July 18, 1997. Community-oriented (core) monitors that represent community-wide average exposures, form the basis of PM2.5 network design. This approach is consistent with the data bases used to develop the revised NAAQS for particulate matter. While all population-oriented monitoring locations are eligible for comparison to the 24-hour PM2.5 standard, only locations representative of neighborhood or larger spatial scales are eligible for comparison to the annual NAAQS. Monitoring for regional transport and regional background concentrations is also required to assist with implementation of the air quality management program. Community monitoring zones with constrained criteria may also be used to define monitors acceptable for spatial averaging to compare with the annual NAAQS. The combination of emphasis on well-sited community-oriented monitors and the ability of the States and Local air pollution control agencies to select the preferred community monitoring approach reduces the complexity associated with network design and planning.
The number of required core PM2.5 State and Local Air Monitoring Stations (SLAMS), and other PM2.5 SLAMS results in a minimum national requirement of 848 PM2.5 sites; however, by the end of 1999, the total PM2.5 network will consist of 1,500 sites. The latter includes both SLAMS/NAMS sites and Special Purpose Monitoring sites (SPMs). There are a variety of PM2.5 monitoring sites operating at present, utilizing a variety of existing fine particle samplers including those sites within the IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) networks. Because of the flexibility built into the monitoring regulation, not all sites will be equipped with federal reference method (FRM) or equivalent (FEM) samplers. The minimum number of sites with FRM/FEM will be 745 (848 SLAMS less 103 background/transport sites). However, because of spatial averaging and the consistency and availability of FRM/FEM, it is expected that far more than 745 sites will actually be equipped with FRM/FEM.
Network Design
A PM network design document must be prepared by each affected air pollution control agency and submitted to the EPA Regional Administrator for approval. This document is intended to comprehensively describe each agency's PM2.5 and PM10 air quality surveillance networks. To ensure opportunities for public review and inspection of the monitoring network, State and Local agencies must maintain information and records on such items as the station location, monitoring objectives, spatial scale of representativeness, optional community monitoring zones, and schedule for completion of the network. Such information and records are included in a State or Local agency's PM monitoring network description. EPA will closely track the progress of implementing the PM2.5 monitoring network. The network descriptions prepared by these agencies and submitted to EPA for approval, are viewed as long-term networks of SLAMS and NAMS sites that meet the variety of monitoring objectives specified in 40 CFR part 58, Appendix D. These objectives include determining compliance with air quality standards, developing appropriate control strategies, and preparing short- and long-term air quality trends. Since no formal SIP revision (that entails Federal Register proposal and public comment) is required for PM monitoring network description revisions, EPA encourages public involvement in the review of a State's PM monitoring network description particularly when the spatial averaging monitoring approach is selected for comparisons to the annual standard.
Integration With Visibility Monitoring Requirements
The PM2.5 monitoring program and visibility monitoring efforts, such as IMPROVE, will be coordinated to optimize mutual benefits across these programs. The 1,500-site network will include sites that support the upcoming regional haze rule.
Laboratory Analysis
Chemical speciation is included in the discussion of major monitoring requirements and principles set forth by the revised 40 CFR Part 58 Regulations. A modest chemical speciation network of 50 PM2.5 sites that provides a first order characterization of the metals, ion, and carbon constituents of PM2.5 is a requirement of this rule. These sites will be part of the National Air Monitoring Stations (NAMS) network and will provide national consistency for trends purposes and serve as a model for other chemical speciation efforts. This required network represents a small fraction of all the chemical speciation work that EPA expects to support with Federal funds. EPA expects that approximately 300 sites will be participating in a full chemical speciation network. Additional efforts may be used to enhance the required network and tailor the collection and analyses of speciated data to the needs of individual areas.
Procurements
EPA is developing a national contract to fulfill all the requirements of the national PM2.5 monitoring network and will procure (via this contract) four different types of monitors: single channel, sequential, portable audit sample and speciation monitors. The EPA anticipates that all 50 states will be able to purchase the PM2.5 monitors from this contract, with subsequent delivery of ordered monitors to locations throughout the country. Given the objective to capture and analyze for a variety of parameters, EPA is designing contract vehicles to provide particular Teflon®, quartz, and nylon filters; contracts will also be awarded for acceptance testing of these filters. Additionally, EPA will develop contracts for the chemical analysis of filters, technical assistance, and quality assurance.