&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
The EMPACT Collection
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access
& Community' Tracking
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EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Developing and Implementing
an Estuarine Water Quality
Monitoring, Assessment, and
Outreach Program
J
The MYSound Project
I
E M P A C T
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access
& Community Tracking
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Disclaimer: This document has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute
endorsement or recommendation of their use.
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EPA/625/R-02/010
November 2002
DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING
AN ESTUARINE WATER QUALITY
MONITORING, ASSESSMENT, AND
OUTREACH PROGRAM
THE MYSOUND PROJECT
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
Cincinnati, OH 45268
50% Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with vegetable-based ink on
paper that contains a minimum of
50% post-consumer fiber content
processed chlorine free
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The development of this handbook was managed by Scott Hedges (U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Laboratory)
with the support of Eastern Research Group, Inc., an EPA contractor. Technical guidance was
provided by the Monitoring Your Sound (MYSound) staff and EPA's Long Island Sound Office.
EPA would like to thank the following people for their substantial contributions to the contents
of this handbook:
Peter A. Tebeau, Marine Research Associates LLC
W. Frank Bohlen, Ph.D., Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut
Mary M. Howard-Strobel, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut
David Cohen, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut
Mark Tedesco, U.S. EPA Long Island Sound Office
Robert Hilger, EPA Region I
Ned Burger, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
Jenifer Thalhauser, Manhasset Bay Protection Committee
Barbara Peichel, University of Minnesota Sea Grant
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FOREWORD
In collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of
Environmental Information, the Technology Transfer and Support Division of the EPA Office of
Research and Development's (ORD's) National Risk Management Research Laboratory initiated
the development of this handbook. The purpose of the handbook is to help interested communi-
ties learn more about the Monitoring Your Sound (MYSound) EMPACT project and provide
these communities with information to help them conduct similar projects. ORD, working with
the MYSound project team, produced this handbook to maximize EMPACT's investment in the
project and minimize the resources needed to implement similar projects in other communities.
You can order both print and CD-ROM versions of this handbook online at ORD's Technology
Transfer Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl. You can also download this handbook from the
MYSound Web site at http://www.mysound.uconn.edu. Finally, you can order a copy of the
handbook by contacting:
EPA ORD Publications
26 W Martin Luther King Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45268-0001
EPA National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
Toll free: 800-490-9198
Local: 513-489-8190
Please include the title and EPA document number in your request.
We hope that you find this handbook worthwhile, informative, and easy to use.
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CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1-1
1.1 About This Handbook 1-1
1.2 History and Overview of the MYSound Project 1-3
CHAPTER 2 MONITORING WATER QUALITY IN ESTUARIES
AND COASTAL AREAS: AN OVERVIEW. 2-1
2.1 The Nature and Dynamics of Estuaries 2-1
2.2 Environmental Issues and Water Quality in Long Island Sound 2-3
2.3 The Role of Water Quality Monitoring 2-4
CHAPTER 3 DEVELOPING A WATER QUALITY MONITORING
PROGRAM 3-1
3.1 Preliminary Information Gathering, Networking, and Planning 3-1
3.2 Developing an Overall Strategy (Who, Why, When, Where,
What, and How) 3-2
3.3 Funding and Other Considerations 3-5
CHAPTER 4 IMPLEMENTING A MARINE WATER QUALITY
MONITORING NETWORK: DATA COLLECTION,
MANAGEMENT, AND DELIVERY 4-1
4.1 Overview of Important Functions in Establishing a Real-Time
Marine Water Quality Monitoring Network 4-1
4.2 Establishing the Monitoring Station Locations 4-3
4.3 Determining Monitoring Station Configuration and Components 4-3
4.4 Monitoring Station Deployment and Maintenance 4-8
4.5 Data Compilation, Screening, and Processing 4-10
4.6 Implementing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control
(QA/QC) Program 4-10
4.7 Data Archiving and Dissemination 4-11
IV
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CHAPTER 5 PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION 5-1
5.1 Overview of the MYSound Web Site 5-1
5.2 Web Site Design and Implementation 5-14
5.3 Alternative Information Dissemination Approaches 5-15
CHAPTER 6 COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH 6-1
6.1 Developing a Communication and Outreach Plan 6-1
6.2 Performance Evaluation and Public Feedback 6-4
CHAPTER 7 FUTURE DIRECTIONS: ENHANCING AND
SUSTAINING A MARINE WATER QUALITY
MONITORING NETWORK 7-1
7.1 Challenges and Opportunities for the MySound Project 7-1
7.2 Current Actions to Expand and Enhance the MYSound Network 7-2
7.3 Longer Term Opportunities to Expand and Enhance the
MySound Network 7-4
APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY A-l
APPENDIX B: MYSOUND OUTREACH BROCHURE B-l
APPENDIX C: SELECTED E-MAIL MESSAGES FROM
MYSOUND USERS COMMENTING ON THE PROJECT WEB SITE C-l
APPENDIX D: CASE STUDIES OF RELATED COASTAL
MONITORING PROGRAMS D-l
V
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1
INTRODUCTION
In September 1998, EPA's Long Island Sound Project Office and the
University of Connecticut initiated a prototype marine environmental
monitoring network for Long Island Sound. This project, known as
Monitoring Your Sound or MYSound, provides comprehensive, timely
water quality data on Long Island Sound and its harbors and estuaries.
The data from the monitoring network, along with educational informa-
tion about marine water quality, are available in real time1 on the project
Web site, http://www.mysound.uconn.edu.
1.1 ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK
This handbook has been designed with two goals in mind. The first goal
is to present a case study of the MYSound project, including the successes
achieved and challenges faced in acquiring and disseminating real-time
marine water quality data. The second goal is to provide information and
suggestions for developing similar projects in other communities. Using
the MYSound EMPACT project as well as other programs as models, this
handbook presents recommendations and tips on ways to:
1. Collect and analyze real-time marine water quality data.
2. Develop systems to manage and deliver real-time marine water quality data.
3. Accurately and effectively communicate marine water quality information to stakeholders and
members of the public.
4. Develop a long-term plan to sustain the program through partnerships with key stakeholders.
The handbook is organized into the following chapters:
Chapter 2 discusses marine water quality in the context of coastal and estuarine systems, and its
importance to human health and the environment. The chapter begins with an overview of coastal
and estuarine systems, circulation patterns, and pollution problems that affect water quality. Particular
attention is paid to Long Island Sound and the current pollution problems and water quality status
and trends observed in the Sound. The chapter also presents an overview of the role of water quality
monitoring and key parameters of interest for coastal and estuarine areas.
Chapter 3 discusses the development of a marine environmental monitoring strategy for coastal and estu-
arine waters with emphasis on water quality monitoring. It describes the important considerations in
forming a water quality monitoring network: who, why, when, where, what, and how. Only when these
issues have been thoroughly considered can an implementation plan for the monitoring project be suc-
cessfully developed. The chapter addresses key steps such as getting to know the marine environment and
identifying previous and ongoing monitoring programs; selecting program partners (who); determining
the goals of the monitoring program (what will be monitored and why); delineating the scope of the
monitoring effort (when and where); and determining the general methodologies and instrumentation to
be used in the effort (how). The chapter also discusses the development of a funding strategy.
Chapter 4 focuses on data collection, management, and delivery. It presents general "how-to" informa-
tion about establishing and operating water quality monitoring stations to collect and transmit real-time
1 For the purposes of this document, the term "real time" takes into account a lag time of less than 15 minutes between when data is collected and
when it is available on the MYSound Web site.
INTRODUCTION
1-1
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data. It addresses key considerations such as site selection, station configuration, sensor selection, and
data processing and power requirements. It describes the basic quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC)
activities that must be conducted and provides references to help develop a project-specific QA/QC plan.
Chapter 4 also provides general cost estimates for deploying and maintaining the monitoring network.
Chapter 5 presents information on Web site design and operation. It describes how the data can be
presented in the form of statistical and time-series data summaries both in real time on the Web, or
incorporated into annual reports. Alternative methods of information dissemination are also addressed.
Chapter ^focuses on the communications/outreach project element. It provides information on
how to accurately and effectively communicate various types of information—including timely marine
water quality data—to the public at large. The chapter presents the detailed steps needed to create a
comprehensive outreach plan and provides resources that can provide help with presenting technical
water quality information to the public. It also describes various mechanisms for obtaining feedback
about who is using the data and how useful it is.
Chapter /addresses the issue of how to sustain a marine water quality monitoring network. It describes
some of the future directions and options under consideration for MYSound and how the project has
successfully developed a strategy called "distributed stewardship."
This handbook addresses multiple audiences, including prospective monitoring project partners (such as
environmental managers, researchers, and educators) as well as stakeholders (key user groups who can
champion the project and often provide in-kind logistics and outreach support). It is designed to be
understandable to both technical and non-technical individuals and provide useful information to both.
Chapter 2 presents an overview of water quality issues for readers who are not familiar with the subject
of water quality, as well as the general goals and strategies for implementing a water quality monitoring
program. Managers and decision-makers will likely find the introductory sections in Chapters 4 and 5 to
be most helpful. The latter sections of these chapters present more detailed guidance most applicable to
technicians, operators, and professionals tasked with implementing a timely water quality data delivery
project. Chapter 6 is targeted towards personnel tasked with implementing the communications an
outreach portions of the project. Chapter 7 is useful for managers and decision-makers contemplating
beginning or expanding a marine monitoring program, and seeking to make it sustainable in the long term.
About the EMPACT Program
This handbook was developed by EPA's Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community
Tracking (EMPACT) program. EPA created EMPACT to promote new and innovative approaches to
collecting, managing, and communicating environmental information to the public. Working with com-
munities across the country, the program takes advantage of new technologies to provide community
members with timely, accurate, and understandable environmental information they can use to make
informed day-to-day decisions about their lives. EMPACT projects cover a wide range of environmental
issues, including water quality, groundwater contamination, smog, ultraviolet radiation, and overall
ecosystem quality. While some of these projects were launched by EPA, others were launched directly
by EMPACT communities.
In addition to MYSound, EMPACT funded several other water quality monitoring projects involving
real-time water quality monitoring and data distribution, including the Lake Access—Minneapolis
Project (http://www.lakeaccess.org), the Chesapeake Bay Project, and the Jefferson Parish (Louisiana)
Project (described in Appendix D). Although the monitoring strategy, parameters measured, and
instrumentation employed differs from project to project, there are similarities and lessons learned
that are noteworthy in each. Comprehensive technology transfer handbooks similar to this one have
been prepared for these three projects.
1 -2
CHAPTER 1
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Following Chapter 7 is a glossary of terms used throughout this handbook (Appendix A). Appendix B
contains a MYSound outreach brochure. Appendix C contains selected E-mails from visitors to MYSound's
Web site. Appendix D contains brief overviews of two other coastal water quality monitoring programs: the
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana and Chesapeake Bay EMPACT projects.
Throughout this handbook are lessons learned and success stories related to the MYSound EMPACT
project. Also provided are references to supplementary sources of information, such as Web sites, guidance
documents, and other written materials that present a greater level of technical detail.
1.2 HISTORY AND OVERVIEW OF THE MYSOUND
PROJECT
Monitoring the health of coastal and estuarine ecosystems has
become increasingly important over the past decade. As human
activities continue to affect these waters, the nation is becom-
ing more aware of the need to take a more comprehensive
approach to protecting freshwater and marine water resources.
The health of an estuary is subject to many factors and can be
manifested in both short-term events and subtler long-term
trends. An ideal environmental monitoring program requires
continuous, long-term measurement of a variety of physical,
chemical, and biological parameters over a wide geographic
area to represent the overall health of the ecosystem.
Numerous environmental data collection efforts have been undertaken in Long Island Sound and other
estuarine systems over the years. Government agencies and university researchers have conducted intensive
data collection efforts as part of specific projects (such as an environmental impact assessment for a dredg-
ing project or nuclear power plant), specific research efforts, or specific pollution problems (such as toxic
chemical contamination in a certain location). Monitoring of an entire estuary typically consists of sampling
a few parameters, at a handful of points over a wide area, at specific times of the year. While such sampling
provides a general indication of environmental trends in the estuary on a month-to-month or year-to-year
basis, it does not provide enough information to detect episodic water quality degradation and its causes
and impacts, or to understand the long-term dynamics that govern the estuarine ecosystem.
The monitoring technologies used in these efforts have had limitations. Most programs have relied on point
sampling in the field and analysis in the laboratory, which can be time-consuming and expensive. Often the
data from these monitoring efforts become available to the wider community of users and other interested
parties only after a significant period of time has elapsed.
Several developments in the past decade hold the promise of streamlining this process. First, recent advances
in physical and chemical oceanographic instrumentation, improvements in data transmission technologies
(via radio, cell phone and satellite telemetry), and advances in on-board microcomputer data processing
have made real-time oceanographic data acquisition and transmission feasible. A number of real-time coastal
marine environmental monitoring systems are now up and running around the country, such as the
Chesapeake Bay Observing System (CBOS) inaugurated by the University of Maryland's Center for
Environmental Science, the Rutgers University Long-Term Ecosystem Observatory (LEO) Project begun in
1996, and the Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System (GOMOOS) begun in 1999. Smaller regional and
local real-time monitoring efforts are under way in various estuaries, rivers, and harbors around the country.
These projects gather and integrate data from real-time continuous monitoring stations, wide-area survey
sampling by vessels, and satellite remote sensing data to provide a comprehensive, long-term view of the
physical, chemical, and in some cases, biological environmental parameters throughout the estuary.
INTRODUCTION
1 -3
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if!
Second, additional stakeholders, such as local schools and environ-
mental organizations, have become active in marine environmental
monitoring efforts. Their efforts usually target a particular coastal
area or estuary, and often a specific harbor, river, or wildlife pre-
serve within the estuary. Often these volunteer monitoring efforts
are supported by federal agencies, university outreach and exten-
sion services, or a larger umbrella organization. Data are generally
acquired through conventional, low-technology sampling proce-
dures and are limited to near-shore locations and favorable weather
conditions. However, the cumulative contribution of these more
focused sampling efforts can be significant, particularly if the data
are subject to approved quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC)
procedures, and the data can be compiled and made accessible to other stakeholders.
These new developments provide an emerging opportunity to significantly upgrade coastal and estuary
environmental monitoring programs. Recognizing this opportunity, EPA's Long Island Sound Office
and the University of Connecticut undertook the MYSound project, a marine environmental monitoring
network for Long Island Sound.
The goal of the project is to provide comprehensive, real-time marine water quality monitoring data on Long
Island Sound (LIS) and its harbors and estuaries, both to serve the needs of specific users and to increase
public understanding of water quality. The first step in providing these data was to establish estuarine water
quality monitoring stations in the vicinity of Bridgeport and New London, Connecticut, in the first year of
the project (1998). Data from these stations are collected, analyzed, supplemented, and integrated with
complementary data from other agency, municipal, and volunteer water quality monitoring efforts. Real-time
data are compiled and disseminated on the project Web site (http://www.mysound.uconn.edu) along with
interpretive information to enhance understanding of the data by students, teachers, and the public at large.
Four monitoring stations currently form the basic network. These are deployed in the vicinity of
Bridgeport, New London, and at the western end of the Sound. MYSound has also established a link with
a real-time monitoring station in Hempstead Harbor on the New York side of the Sound (operated by the
Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee and the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor). Table 1 below
shows the locations of all five monitoring stations. Figure 1.1 shows the distribution of stations throughout
Long Island Sound.
Table 1 - Long Island Sound Marine Environmental Monitoring Network Stations
Station
General Location
Location
Coordinates
Offshore
New London
Eastern LIS
Dredging
Disposal Site
41-16N
72-04W
Inshore
New London
Thames River
Near Coast Guard
Academy
41-22N
72-05N
Inshore
Bridgeport
Bridgeport
Harbor
41-1 ON
73-1 OW
Offshore
Western LIS
Offshore
Greenwich
40-57N
73-35W
Inshore
Hempstead Harbor
Adjacent to
Glen Cove Marina
40-49N
73-39W
The baseline suite of observations includes measurement of water temperature, salinity/conductivity, and
dissolved oxygen. Measurements are obtained at two points on the vertical (near bottom and immediate
sub-surface [1 meter depth]) at 15-minute intervals. Meteorological stations are installed and operating on
Ledge Light at the entrance to New London Harbor, and on the Central LIS buoy located southeast of
New Haven Harbor. In the future, additional parameters, including nutrient/nitrate concentration and
chlorophyll a, may be measured at selected sites by in situ sensor measurement and/or water sample
capture and laboratory analysis.
1 -4
CHAPTER 1
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FIGURE I . 1
MAP SHOWING THE GENERAL LOCATION OF MYSOUND WATER
DUALITY MONITORING AND METEOROLOGICAL STATIONS.
41.4 -
41.2 -
41.0
40.8
-73.8 -73.6 -73.4 -73.2 -73.0 -72.8 -72.6 -72.4 -72.2 -72.0 -71.8
Real-time data from all stations are available on the MYSound Web site. Archived data can be retrieved
directly from the Web site via FTP download. The Web site also provides a wealth of interpretive and
educational material, links to other data sources, and an online survey to query users on the usefulness
of the site and their understanding of its content.
The primary customer for the project is the public at large in the communities surrounding Long Island
Sound. Other users of the data include:
Federal, state, and local environmental managers, who can use the data to gauge the effectiveness of coastal
zone management and pollution control initiatives (e.g. local non-point source management initiatives)
Policy-makers, who can use the data to illustrate the need for improved water protection policies.
University researchers, who can use the data to support specific ecological investigations and to calibrate and
verify predictive models. The site-specific, time-series data will provide an excellent opportunity to assess the
temporal and spatial variability of water quality in the Sound, and study changes in water quality and the
resulting biological regime due to short-term, high-energy aperiodic events such as high winds, heavy
rainfall, or extreme temperature fluctuations.
Marine educators (at both the K-12 level and university level), who can use the information in developing
marine and environmental science curricula, and can integrate use of the Web page into class projects.
Non-government organizations (NGOs), which can use the data to complement their own volunteer water
quality monitoring efforts, and to focus attention on the Sound and the importance of marine water quality
to its health.
Marine transportation companies and fishermen, who can use the data on wind, wave, and current
conditions in the Sound in planning operations.
Aquaculture companies (companies that cultivate the natural produce of water, such as fish and shellfish),
which can use the information in selecting aquaculture sites.
Marine environmental monitoring sensor development companies, which can use the data to develop design
parameters for their instruments, and can use the monitoring stations as test and evaluation platforms for
prototype sensors.
INTRODUCTION
1 -5
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MONITORING WATER QUALITY IN
ESTUARIES AND COASTAL AREAS:
AN OVERVIEW
This chapter presents an overview of marine water quality, and how threats to coastal and estuarine
systems can affect human health and the environment. Section 2.1 describes the nature and dynam-
ics of estuaries, including the natural and anthropogenic phenomena that affect these environments.
Section 2.2 discusses the water quality problems encountered in Long Island Sound, including the primary
pollution problem in the Sound: decreased levels of dissolved oxygen, or hypoxia. Section 2.3 presents an
overview of marine water quality monitoring for the physical, chemical, and biological parameters of con-
cern in estuaries and coastal areas. This section also lists Web sites for further information on the ecology
and pollution problems of watersheds, estuaries, and coastal regions.
2.1 THE NATURE AND DYNAMICS OF ESTUARIES
To develop and implement an effective plan for a comprehensive estuarine monitoring network, it is impor-
tant to understand the nature and dynamics of estuaries in general, and also to understand the details of the
particular estuary, embayment, harbor, or river to be monitored. These details include the bathymetry, tidal
range, circulation patterns, and pollution problems that are being encountered.
The estuarine environment is a complex blend of continuously changing habitats. Unlike fresh water rivers
and lakes, estuaries can produce a wide range in the values of physical and chemical parameters that will be
recorded, and frequent changes occur in these values both with tidal cycles and meteorological events. In
streams, rivers, and lakes, water quality parameters are more likely to fluctuate within a well-defined range
largely determined by rainfall and season, and these values are often homogenous throughout the water body.
In an estuary, in contrast, these parameters can change abruptly in time and space, are dependent on the
measurement location, and may or may not reflect general environmental conditions throughout the estuary.
Two key phenomena that control physical and chemical parameters in estuaries are tidal flushing and
stratification (vertical or horizontal). Tidal flushing is the net transport for water (as well as sediments and
contaminants) out of an estuary with tidal flow and river flow. Stratification is layering of the estuary
generally associated with the inflow of denser salt water at depth and the outflow of more buoyant fresh
water at the surface. Layering can also occur when seasonal heating causes a sharp differential or thermocline
(interface where temperature changes rapidly with depth) so that the warm surface layer is isolated from the
colder bottom layer. A good overview of estuarine dynamics as they relate to monitoring is provided in the
publication Volunteer Estuary Monitoring—A Methods Manual (http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/monitor)
developed by EPA and the Center for Marine Conservation (now the Ocean Conservancy).
Superimposed on these naturally occurring variations are changes caused by human intervention, including
modification of flow and bathymetry (for example, through construction of barriers to flow or dredging)
and the input of pollutants, including excess nutrients and toxics. Often the status, trends, and episodic
changes in the levels of these pollutants are the focus of a monitoring effort. Typical pollution problems
in estuaries include nutrient enrichment leading to accelerated eutrophication (excessive plant growth);
low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels associated with eutrophication and/or flow restrictions; toxics in the
water column or sediments, particularly petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals from point discharges
and non-point source runoff; algal blooms, which can be toxic to marine organisms and humans; and the
proliferation of invasive species.
MONITORING WATER [DUALITY z-i
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What Are Estuaries, and Why Are They Important?
Unlike many features of the landscape that are easily described, estuaries are transitional zones
that encompass a wide variety of environments. Loosely categorized as the zone where fresh and salt
water meet and mix, the estuarine environment is a complex blend of continuously changing habitats.
To qualify as an estuary, a waterbody must fit the following description:
"a semi-enclosed coastal body of water which has free connection with the open sea and
within which sea water is measurably diluted with fresh water derived from land drainage."
The estuary itself is a rather well-defined body of water, bounded at its mouth by the ocean and at its
head by the upper limit of the tides. It drains a much larger area, however, and pollutant-producing
activities near or in tributaries even hundreds of miles away may still adversely affect the estuary"s
water quality.
While some of the water in an estuary flows from the tributaries that feed it, the remainder moves in
from the sea. When fresh and salt water meet, the two do not readily mix. Fresh water flowing in from
tributaries is relatively light and overrides the wedge of more dense salt water moving in from the
ocean. This density differential often causes layering or stratification of the water, which significantly
affects both circulation and the chemical profile of an estuary.
Estuaries are critical for the survival of many species. Tens of thousands of birds, mammals, fish, and
other wildlife depend on estuarine habitats as places to live, feed, and reproduce. They provide ideal
spots for migratory birds to rest and refuel during their journeys. Many species of fish and shellfish
rely on the sheltered waters of estuaries as protected places to spawn, giving estuaries the nickname
"nurseries of the sea." Hundreds of marine organisms, including most commercially valuable fish
species, depend on estuaries at some point during their development.
Besides serving as an important habitat for wildlife, the wetlands that fringe many estuaries perform
other valuable services. Water draining from upland areas carries sediments, nutrients, and other
pollutants. But as the water flows through wetlands, much of the sediments and pollutants are filtered
out. This filtration process creates cleaner and clearer water, which benefits both people and marine
life. Wetland plants and soils also act as natural buffers between the land and ocean, absorbing flood-
waters and dissipating storm surges. This protects upland organisms as well as valuable real estate
from storm and flood damage. Salt marsh grasses, mangrove trees, and other estuarine plants also
prevent erosion and stabilize the shoreline.
Among the cultural benefits of estuaries are recreation, scientific knowledge, education, and
aesthetic value. Boating, fishing, swimming, surfing, and bird watching are just a few of the numerous
recreational activities people enjoy in estuaries. They are often the cultural centers of coastal commu-
nities—focal points for commerce, recreation, history, customs, and traditions. As transition zones
between land and ocean, estuaries are invaluable laboratories for scientists and students, providing
countless lessons in biology, geology, chemistry, physics, history, and social issues. Estuaries also
provide a great deal of aesthetic enjoyment for the people who live, work, or recreate in and around
them.
Finally, the tangible and direct economic benefits of estuaries should not be overlooked. Tourism,
fisheries, and other commercial activities thrive on the wealth of natural resources that estuaries
supply. Protected estuarine waters also support important public infrastructure, serving as harbors
and ports vital for shipping, transportation, and industry.
From Volunteer Estuary Monitoring—A Methods Manual
http://www. epa.go v/o wo w/estuaries/monitor
2-2
CHAPTER 2
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2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND WATER QUALITY IN
LONG ISLAND SOUND
Long Island Sound is the largest and most heavily utilized estuary in the Northeast. The waters of Long
Island Sound support a large and diverse ecosystem which includes tidal marshes, benthic communities,
commercially valuable fish and shellfish, marine bird populations, and marine mammals. Its waters also
support a wide variety of human activities, including marine transportation, commercial fishing, aquaculture,
and recreation. More than 8 million people live in the Long Island Sound watershed and millions more
flock yearly to the Sound for recreation. More than $5 billion is generated annually in the regional economy
from boating, commercial and sport fishing, swimming, and beachgoing.
Unfortunately, until fairly recently, many decisions regarding the uses of Long Island Sound and the
surrounding watershed were made without considering the impacts on the Sound's water quality and
biological diversity. In general, increased residential, commercial, and recreational developments—and their
pollution-related effects—are the main threats to Long Island Sound. By altering land surfaces, increasing
runoff of rainwater, and reducing the natural filtration of undeveloped landscapes, this development has
greatly intensified the rate at which pollutants (including toxic chemicals, nutrients, and pathogens) reach
the Sound from the land. Air pollutants such as those from car emissions reach Long Island Sound as well.
Obsolescent sewer systems and poorly maintained septic systems are also major sources of pollutants
(nutrients, toxic substances, and pathogens) entering Long Island Sound. Many older sewer systems were
designed with combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to let rainwater runoff flow through the same pipes as
sewage. During mild precipitation, the rainwater and sewage remain separated due to a dividing wall inside
the pipes. To accommodate a surge of rainwater during heavy precipitation, engineers included a gap at the
top of the dividing wall allowing overflowing rainwater to come in contact with untreated human sewage.
This contaminated rainwater bypasses treatment and is dumped directly into Long Island Sound. These
combined sewer overflow systems are currently in use in eight cities around the Sound: New York City,
Norwalk, Jewett City, Derby, Norwich, Shelton, Bridgeport, and New Haven.
Nearly half of the homes and businesses in the Long Island Sound watershed have septic tank waste disposal
systems. When these systems are properly sited and maintained on a regular basis, they provide an excellent
waste management alternative. When they are situated in areas that do not allow for proper operation,
however, or are not pumped out regularly, they often contaminate surface water and groundwater.
Other sewage-related pollution sources include inadequately treated sewage discharges from boats,
illegal connections to storm drain systems, and waterfowl and animal wastes.
These pollution problems can result in hypoxia, or decreased levels of dissolved oxygen. Excess nutrients
from pollutants entering the Sound cause rapid growth of marine plants. As the organic matter produced
sinks to the bottom, bacteria use DO in the water to decompose it. Because of the unusually large numbers
of decomposing plants, the oxygen levels in the Sound's deeper waters can become dangerously low,
threatening the health of bottom-dwelling species.
While the surface water layer of Long Island Sound stays oxygenated through contact with the atmosphere
and photosynthesis, oxygen cannot penetrate down into deeper water layers due to a barrier called a
pycnocline. (A pycnocline is a separation between two layers of different densities.) The differences in
density between the top and lower layers of water prevent the mixing of surface and bottom waters.
Oxygen from top layers of water, therefore, doesn't reach the bottom layers of water.
In Long Island Sound, hypoxia has been directly linked to a number of ecosystem impacts, including:
• Reduction in the number and variety of adult finfish.
• Reduction in the growth rate of juvenile lobsters and winter flounder.
• Dying off of species such as lobster, starfish, bay anchovy, menhaden, cunner, tautog, and sea robin.
MONITORING WATER [DUALITY 2-3
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The presence of pathogens (disease-causing organisms) carried in sewage and runoff may also adversely
affect the health of many species—including humans. People exposed to pathogens through the ingestion
of improperly cooked contaminated shellfish, or by swimming in contaminated waters, can contract diseases
such as salmonellosis and hepatitis A. Beaches and shellfishing areas are often closed due to pathogen
contamination.
Another concern is elevated levels of heavy metals and toxic chemicals created through human activity
(industry, marinas, precipitation runoff, sewage treatment plants, car exhaust, pesticides, and household
chemicals) that are collecting in the sediments of Long Island Sound. While the health risks of these
chemicals on local animal and plant life are still in question, Connecticut and New York have issued
"consumption advisories" for species known to carry concentrated amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs). These include striped bass, bluefish, eels, lobsters, and crabs.
More detailed information on status and trends in the health of Long Island Sound can be found on the
EPA Long Island Sound Office Web site at http://www.epa.gov/region01/eco/lis.
2.3 THE ROLE OF WATER QUALITY MONITORING
Keeping track of water quality status and trends requires close monitoring of a number of physical,
chemical, and biological parameters. A systematic and well-planned monitoring program can identify
water quality problems and help answer questions critical to their solutions. These questions include:
• Is there a problem?
• If so, how serious?
• Does the problem affect only a portion of the estuary, or the entire body of water?
• Does the problem occur sporadically, seasonally, or year round?
• Is the problem a naturally occurring phenomenon or caused by human intervention, or a combination
of the two?
If monitoring activities have not been undertaken in the past, the monitoring project can be used to
establish a baseline even if a pollution problem has not been identified. If reliable historical data exist for
comparison, the current monitoring project can document changes in the estuary from past to present.
These data may serve as a warning, alerting environmental managers to the development of an environmen-
tal problem, or on the positive side, confirm the effectiveness of restoration initiatives.
Many different parameters contribute to overall water quality, including the amount of oxygen in the water,
the concentration of nutrients available to marine life, and turbidity (the number of particles in the water
blocking sunlight). Water temperature, salinity, and current speed and direction are parameters that affect
the distribution and impact of pollutants and the resulting health of a body of water. How all these parame-
ters vary down through the water column is also important. The current state of technology allows scientists
to measure these parameters continuously at different depths. Continuous monitoring lets us see whether or
not the management initiatives used by many towns in the state are working to improve water quality.
Monitoring can be conducted at regular sites on a continuous basis ("fixed station" monitoring); at selected
sites on an as-needed basis or to answer specific questions (intensive surveys); on a temporary or seasonal
basis (for example, during the summer at bathing beaches); or on an emergency basis (such as after a spill).
Increasingly, monitoring efforts are aimed at determining the condition of entire watersheds—the area
drained by rivers, lakes, and estuaries. This is because scientists have come to realize the impact of land-
based activities on the waters that drain the land, and the interconnectedness of all types of waterbodies,
including those beneath the ground.
2-4 CHAPTER 2
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There are many ways to monitor water conditions. Monitoring specialists perform chemical measurements
to monitor the constituents in water, sediments, and fish tissue, such as levels of dissolved oxygen (DO),
nutrients, metals, oils, and pesticides. Physical measurements of general conditions such as temperature,
flow, water color, and the condition of stream banks and lake shores are also important. Biological measure-
ments of the abundance and variety of aquatic plant and animal life and the ability of test organisms to
survive in sample water are also widely used to monitor water conditions.
Generally, water quality monitoring focuses on the physical and chemical parameters, and a few key biological
parameters such as indicator bacteria associated with sewage contamination. These key parameters are summa-
rized below. These parameters and their importance in monitoring the health of an estuary are described in
detail in Volunteer Estuary Monitoring—A Methods Manual at http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/monitor.
(Note that the MYSound program currently is using only certain parameters that are affordable and
technically straightforward to monitor: temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen)
2.3.1 PHYSICAL PARAMETERS
Temperature—Temperature is a commonly measured water quality parameter, and is a critical factor influ-
encing chemical and biological processes in an estuary. For instance, increased temperature decreases the
level of oxygen that can be dissolved in the water column. Water temperature influences the rate of plant
photosynthesis, the metabolic rates of aquatic organisms, and the sensitivity of organisms to toxic wastes,
parasites, diseases, and other stresses. Temperature is recorded in degrees Celsius (Centigrade) or Farenheit.
Salinity—Salinity is the amount of salts dissolved in water expressed in parts per thousand (ppt) or 0/00.
It controls the type of species that can live in an estuary but also influences physical and chemical processes
such as flocculation and the amount of DO in the water column.
Suspended Material Concentration and Turbidity—Suspended material concentration is the amount of
material that is suspended in the water column and is measured as the amount of material retained in a
filter. Smaller particles are considered dissolved solids. The sum of suspended and dissolved solids is referred
to as total solids. All three measures are recorded in terms of mg/1. Turbidity is a measure of water clarity,
that is, the ability of water to transmit light, and is influenced by the level of suspended material in the
water column. Turbidity is often measured visually using a Secchi disk. Elevated levels of suspended material
and turbidity occur naturally through erosion, storm runoff, and the input of plant material on a seasonal
basis. However, these parameters can also indicate degraded water quality if the elevated levels are caused by
excessive erosion due to upland development, organic material due to nutrient enrichment, or uncontrolled
discharges from sewage treatment plants and industrial facilities.
Current Speed and Direction—Understanding the current velocity in an estuary, and how it changes spa-
tially and with depth, can provide valuable insight in interpreting changes in other physical and chemical
parameters. For instance, high current velocities near the bottom can entrain sediment and increase turbid-
ity. Flow into an estuary from the sea on an incoming tide can raise salinity and lower temperature. Current
velocity is specified by direction (0 to 360 degrees) and speed (m/sec).
Meteorological Parameters (Weather)—The meteorological parameters typically measured are wind speed
and direction, air temperature, and rainfall. Information on meteorological conditions can be very valuable in
interpreting water quality data and explaining changes in water quality parameters. For instance, elevated
temperatures and light winds can cause thermal stratification in an estuary, which may lead to decreased mix-
ing and DO, particularly at depth. High winds associated with passage of a storm or cold front can promote
vertical mixing, which will increase DO and possibly suspended material concentration, particularly in shal-
low water. Increased rainfall will decrease salinity in surface layers and perhaps lead to density stratification.
MONITORING WATER [DUALITY 2-5
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2.3.2 CHEMICAL PARAMETERS
Oxygen is a key parameter of interest in water quality monitoring, because nearly all aquatic life needs
oxygen to survive. The two oxygen parameters monitored are DO and biological oxygen demand (BOD).
DO is the level of oxygen in the water column in molecular form that is available to support life and is
reported in milligrams per liter (mg/1). The DO level is controlled by mixing at the air/water interface, tem-
perature and salinity, the level of photosynthesis (which produces oxygen), and decomposition of organic
material (which depletes oxygen). Generally, DO levels of greater than 4 mg/1 indicate an adequate supply
of DO to support marine species growth and activity, while levels from 1-3 mg/1 indicate hypoxic condi-
tions, which are detrimental to marine life. DO below 1 mg/1 indicates anoxia, a condition in which no life
that requires oxygen can be supported. BOD measures the amount of oxygen that organisms would require
in decomposing the organic material in the water column and in chemical oxidation of inorganic matter,
and is indicative of pollution levels. For instance, unpolluted water has a BOD of less than 5 mg/1, while
raw sewage has a BOD of 150 to 300 mg/1. Wastewater effluent might have a BOD from 8 to 150 mg/1.
Nutrients—especially nitrogen and phosphorus—are key water quality parameters in estuaries, because they
have significant direct or indirect impacts on plant growth, oxygen concentrations, water clarity, and sedi-
mentation rates. They influence both the overall biological productivity of the estuary and the decline of the
estuary through eutrophication. Nitrogen is essential in protein and DNA synthesis in organisms and pho-
tosynthesis in plants. Phosphorus is critical to metabolic process. Primary nitrogen species of interest in the
estuarine environment include nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), and ammonia and ammonium (NH3 and
NH4). Nutrient concentrations are reported in mg/1. Unlike DO, there are no set criteria for nutrient levels
because nutrients themselves are not a threat to marine life, although they can contribute to problems such
as excessive plant growth, low DO, and accelerated eutrophication. Excessive nutrients can also trigger toxic
algae blooms. However, these adverse effects are dependent on other factors besides nutrient levels.
pH and Alkalinity are two additional parameters that provide insight into changing water quality condi-
tions in an estuary. Both can be determined by simple tests. Although these parameters are generally not
as critical as DO and nutrients, they are important to ecosystem health because most aquatic plants and
animals are adapted to a specific range of pH and alkalinity. Sharp variations outside of this range can be
detrimental. In addition, pH and alkalinity influence the estuarine carbon cycle, which involves the move-
ment of carbon from the atmosphere into plant and animal tissue and into water bodies. The pH of water is
the measure of how acidic or basic it is. A pH level of 1 to 7 indicates degrees of an acidic solution, while a
level of 7 to 14 indicates degrees of a basic solution. Alkalinity is a measure of water's capacity to neutralize
acids and is influenced by the presence of alkaline compounds in the water such as bicarbonates, carbonates,
and hydroxides. Alkalinity is reported as mg/1 of calcium carbonate (CaCO3).
Chlorophyll a—Chlorophyll a is a green pigment found in phytoplankton, which represents the first trophic
level in the primary production cycle. The amount of chlorophyll a in the water column is indicative of the
biomass of phytoplankton, which in turn can indicate nutrient levels in the water column (or excess nutri-
ents if the chlorophyll a values are elevated). Excessive nutrients and plant growth can in turn decrease DO
levels and increase turbidity.
Toxic Contaminants—With the industrialization of many estuaries, the amount of toxic contaminants
entering estuaries has greatly increased. These contaminants include heavy metals (such as mercury, lead,
cadmium, zinc, chromium, and copper), petroleum hydrocarbons, and synthetic organic compounds such
as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides (e.g.,
dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane). Many of these toxic contaminants are persistent, can be incorporated
into sediments, and can be concentrated in the food chain, so that they pose a magnified threat to animals
at higher trophic levels and to humans. They are generally measured through laboratory analysis (which can
often be complex and time-consuming), although field test kits are available for some heavy metals and
other contaminants. The contaminant concentrations are usually reported in mg/1.
z-s CHAPTER 2
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2.3.3 BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS
Pathogens (Indicator Bacteria)—A key parameter of interest, particularly for estuaries in urban areas, is the
presence of pathogens. Pathogens are viruses, bacteria, and protozoans that can cause disease. They are a crit-
ical concern in areas where waters are used for swimming, boating, fishing, shellfishing, or other pursuits
that lead to human contact or food consumption. Direct testing for pathogens is very expensive and imprac-
tical. Instead, the potential levels of pathogens in estuaries are tracked by monitoring "indicator
bacteria"—so called because their presence indicates that fecal contamination has occurred. The four indica-
tors commonly monitored include total coliform, fecal coliform, E. coli, and enterococci, all of which are
bacteria normally prevalent in the intestines and feces of warm blooded animals, including wildlife, farm
animals, pets, and humans. The indicator bacteria themselves are not pathogenic. Values are recorded as the
number of bacteria per ml of water. Environmental managers establish numerical standards for limits to
these values for swimming, shellfishing, and other activities.
Selected Web Sites on the Ecology and Pollution Problems
of Watersheds, Estuaries, and Coastal Regions
EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds—http://www.epa.gov/owow
Coastal areas—http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans
Estuaries—http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries
Watersheds—http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed
Water quality monitoring—http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring
This site provides a wealth of background information on monitoring, protecting, and restoring
estuaries, watersheds, and coastal wetlands.
Estuary-Net Project http://inlet.geol.sc.edu/estnet.html
Estuary-Net was developed by the National Estuarine Research Reserve System in response to water
quality issues arising in coastal areas. This project strives to develop collaborations among high schools,
community volunteer water quality monitoring groups, local officials, state Coastal Zone Management
(CZM) programs and National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRS) to solve non-point source pollution
problems in estuaries and their watersheds.
Estuary-Live Project http://www.estuarylive.org/
The Estuary-Live Project is an educational Web site focusing on estuarine ecology and environmental
protection.
Restore America's Estuaries http://www.estuaries.org
This Web site is maintained by Restore America's Estuaries, an NGO alliance of regional and community-
based environmental organizations. It provides information on legislation to protect America's estuaries
and information on estuary restoration programs.
Chesapeake Bay http://www.aqua.org/education/teachers/chesapeake.html
This site is maintained by the National Aquarium in Baltimore and supported by the Chesapeake Bay
Foundation. It provides a comprehensive source of information on the protection of Chesapeake Bay
and large estuarine ecosystems in general.
NOAA Coastal Services Center http://www.csc.noaa.gov
The NOAA Coastal Services Center provides valuable information to coastal resource managers on smart
coast growth, coastal hazards, habitat protection, and coastal monitoring (including water
quality monitoring, remote sensing, and GIS development).
A comprehensive inventory of coastal and estuary monitoring programs is provided on the Coastal Ocean
Observing System page http://www.csc.noaa.gov/coos
Coastal America http://www.coastalamerica.gov
Coastal America is a unique partnership of federal agencies, state and local governments, and private
organizations. This Web site is an excellent source of information and links on protecting, preserving,
and restoring the nation's coasts.
MONITORING WATER [DUALITY
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DEVELOPING
MONITORING
A WATER QUALITY
PROGRAM
This chapter presents some of the "nuts and bolts" involved in planning and setting up a marine water
quality monitoring program, based on the experience of MYSound. Section 3.1 describes the initial
information and contacts needed to begin the planning process. Section 3.2 provides suggestions for
developing a strategy for the monitoring program—deciding "Who, Why, When, Where, What, and How."
Section 3.3 presents information about how to obtain funding for the program and the importance of
partnerships in this regard.
3.1 PRELIMINARY INFORMATION GATHERING,
NETWORKING, AND PLANNING
In designing and implementing an effective and efficient water quality monitoring program, the most
important step is to develop a clear vision of the requirements for the effort, the scope of the effort, and who
will participate. This requires some up-front information gathering, networking, and planning on the part of
the project leaders and prospective partners, even before a project proposal is developed. As most monitoring
projects originate with a few key stakeholders, these stakeholders must assume a leadership role in taking
these initial steps.
The initial partners for the MYSound project were EPA and the University of Connecticut, along with the
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). All three were already involved in monitoring
efforts in Long Island Sound before the concept for the MYSound network was developed. Through their
involvement with the Long Island Sound Study, the lead partners were familiar with the environmental
issues in Long Island Sound. During informal discussions, the partners conceptualized a water quality moni-
toring effort that combined the more traditional point-sampling water quality surveys in the Sound with
monitoring provided by continuous, real-time sampling stations. The partners also attended workshops and
conferences on Long Island Sound issues to identify partners and funding opportunities.
Entities most likely to be interested in water quality monitoring include government environmental agencies
(such as EPA and NOAA), state environmental agencies, policy-makers seeking to restore and protect marine
environments, universities having a marine sciences department, aquaria, and marine environmental NGOs.
These agencies and organizations can be identified and partnerships cultivated by informal networking at
regional conferences and workshops. More specific information on their goals, activities, and monitoring
programs can be obtained from their outreach literature and their Web sites.
In addition, information and ideas on monitoring technologies, data management methods and software,
data presentation schemes, and communications and outreach programs can be obtained through literature
and Web searches for marine monitoring programs nationwide. These organizations can then be contacted
for additional information, and sought out at national monitoring conferences. The MYSound project con-
ducted a nationwide monitoring search and produced a comprehensive database on marine monitoring
programs, which was disseminated to other programs. This is also a good way of networking with other
potential partnering organizations.
Once the various prospective partners have been identified, it is often useful to convene an initial planning
session to collectively form a vision of what the monitoring network may look like. This can often be
accomplished as part of another conference or workshop and serves as a brainstorming session. Such a meet-
ing was held two years in advance of submitting the MYSound EMPACT proposal, but proved invaluable in
bringing together the partnership and in acquiring seed money to begin the effort.
DEVELOPING MONITORING PROGRAM
3-1
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In developing its strategic plan, MYSound found that the following key issues needed to be addressed:
• What are the major problems and priorities in the specific estuary or sampling area?
• What sampling parameters or conditions might be monitored to characterize the status of the estuary?
• How large a monitoring program should be attempted based on partner capabilities and the general
availability of funding?
• Who are the end users of the data, and how can the data best be managed and disseminated?
• Where are potential funding sources for the project? What in-kind resources are available?
Information gathered during the initial strategic planning meeting on these issues will help in formulating
an overall monitoring program strategy and preparing proposals to potential funding sources. It will also
allow the project leaders to sort out partners (active project participants) from stakeholders (data users and
interested parties) and form a smaller partners' working group to begin the proposal development for the
project.
3.2 DEVELOPING AN OVERALL STRATEGY (WHO, WHY,
WHEN, WHERE, WHAT, AND HOW?)
Before embarking on the tasks of buying equipment,
taking samples, and analyzing and compiling data, it
is important to develop an overall strategy that will
guide the effort. All too often, water quality moni-
toring efforts are started because of an emergent
issue or because of the interest of an individual
stakeholder, and then continued beyond the point
where the issue is relevant or the interest remains.
This constitutes data collection for its own sake,
which may seem fashionable, but depletes program
resources without providing further insight. To
avoid this, MYSound developed its strategy by
developing answers to the following questions:
MYSound Partners
U.S. EPA Region I
EPA Long Island Sound Office
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut Department of Environmental Conservation
New York Department of Environmental Protection
Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor
Save the Sound, Inc.
Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
Mystic Aquarium
Bridgeport Regional Vocational Aquaculture School
The Sound School
Spectrogram Corporation
U.S. Coast Guard Academy
Suffolk County Health Department
Connecticut Coastal Audubon Center
• Who should be conducting the monitoring
effort—who is leading the effort and who is
contributing to it?
Traditionally, government agencies have directed
and funded water quality monitoring efforts, while
government laboratories, universities, or technical
consulting companies provided the resources to
carry out the work. This arrangement is often associ-
ated with performing an environmental assessment
or checking for compliance. In some cases, individual government or university researchers monitor water
quality as a component of investigating a specific scientific issue. Recently, environmental NGOs and educa-
tional institutions have conducted monitoring projects to identify and highlight pollution problems for
environmental managers and the public, and as an educational tool. More recently, monitoring efforts have
been conducted by a coalition of stakeholders contributing to the process. However, in all cases it is important
for the stakeholders to have a clear vision of their motivation for participating in the monitoring effort, and
their expectations for the results and benefits of the program.
3-2
CHAPTER 3
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• Why is the monitoring effort being undertaken?
Monitoring can be conducted for many purposes, including:
- Characterizing waters and identifying changes or trends in water quality over time.
- Identifying specific existing or emerging water quality problems.
- Gathering information to design specific pollution prevention or remediation programs.
- Determining whether program goals—such as compliance with pollution regulations or
implementation of effective pollution control actions—are being met.
- Responding to emergencies, such as spills and floods.
- Providing supplemental data for a research project.
- Documenting illegal discharges.
- Attracting public attention to a pollution problem.
- Providing an educational and outreach tool.
- Measuring the success of newly implemented water protection programs and facilities
(such as upgraded sewage treatment plants).
Understanding and documenting the rationale is important for obtaining funding for, structuring, and
evaluating the effectiveness of the monitoring effort.
• When should the monitoring be conducted (how often and for how long)?
Long-term monitoring to establish an environmental baseline for an estuary may require sampling over
many years to delineate current status and trends. Monitoring to spot check for pollution problems and
illegal discharges may occur randomly and be based on visual evidence that a problem exists or a discharge
has occurred. Monitoring as part of a research project may be conducted for the period of time in which the
phenomena of interest are being studied. Monitoring to raise public awareness or provide an educational
experience may be conducted over a month or season, or be an ongoing effort, depending on the needs of
the stakeholder in the specific situation.
• Where should the monitoring be conducted (geographic extent of the monitoring)?
Establishing an overall water quality baseline for an estuary may require sampling throughout the entire
estuary, even if the samples or stations are widely separated. Monitoring to detect specific problems or
uncover illegal discharges may involve sampling at pre-determined sites where the problem/discharge will be
obvious (e.g., in a small cove directly downstream of a sewage treatment plant). Monitoring to raise public
awareness may involve sampling near a well-recognized landmark and at a location where conditions are
known to be representative of the estuary as a whole (e.g., a popular bathing beach). Monitoring for
educational purposes may be conducted at points that are readily accessible to teachers and students.
Section 4.2 presents more detailed considerations of monitoring locations.
• What parameters will be monitored?
Characterizing the general water quality of an estuary can be accomplished by measuring temperature,
salinity, DO, turbidity, and perhaps chlorophyll a as an indicator of nutrient enrichment. A more extensive
investigation of an estuary where widespread pollution is known or suspected may require nutrient and
indicator bacteria sampling as well. Sampling for toxic contaminants would be required if a known or
suspected problem exists due to ongoing industrial discharges in the past or episodic spills of a particular
material. The logical approach is to sample the least expensive set of parameters that provides an adequate
data set to meet the goals and objectives (the "why") of the monitoring program.
DEVELOPING MONITORING PROGRAM 3-3
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• How will the monitoring be accomplished?
There are three general methodologies to consider: sample capture and analysis in the laboratory, parameter
measurement and recording on site using a portable instrument, or automated real-time measurement and
data transmission using in situ sensors and telemetry. Table 2 provides an overview of which methodologies
are feasible for the key water quality parameters discussed above.
In general, on-site sampling using a portable instrument is the simplest and least costly mode but only
provides point sampling in space and time. Sample capture and laboratory analysis is somewhat more
time consuming but is often done in conjunction with portable-instrument sampling as a QA/QC check.
Deploying in situ monitoring stations is the most complex and expensive mode, but may be warranted if
continuous or real-time time-series data are required to understand water quality dynamics. The important
factors in selecting a monitoring mode are need for the parameter, budget, and level of technical expertise
required to operate and maintain the equipment.
TABLE 2. GENERAL MODES AVAILABLE FOR MONITORING VARIOUS
WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS
Parameter Monitored Sample capture/ In situ with Remote in situ
lab analysis portable instrument with sensor
Temperature*
Salinity*
Dissolved Oxygen*
Suspended Solids
Turbidity
pH & Alkalinity
Chlorophyll a
Nutrients
Toxics
Indicator Bacteria
Current Velocity
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
*Baseline suite of measurements taken by MYSound
In some cases, a combination of all three modes can be effectively employed. For instance, monitoring with
portable instrumentation can provide good spatial coverage of basic parameters (T, S, DO, and turbidity)
throughout the estuary at a reasonable expense with sampling conducted at selected sites and at a predeter-
mined interval (e.g. weekly or monthly). Sample capture and laboratory analysis of selected parameters can
provide QA/QC data for in situ sampling and spot check for toxic contaminants and indicator bacteria.
Real-time, in situ monitoring can be conducted at strategically selected sites to provide insight into the
dynamics of circulation and pollution problems, and to collect data during periods when on-site sampling is
not feasible (e.g. winter and storm periods). This combined approach is the one currently being employed
in Long Island Sound, with the on-site sampling being conducted by environmental agencies and volunteer
water quality monitoring groups, and the real-time remote monitoring provided by the MYSound project.
3-4
CHAPTER 3
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Developing a Monitoring Strategy: Key Points and Lessons Learned from MYSound
• To develop an effective plan for a comprehensive estuarine monitoring network, it is important to
understand the nature and dynamics of estuaries in general, and also understand the details of the
particular estuary, embayment, harbor or river where monitoring stations are being placed.
Fortunately, a number of water quality studies that can provide this basic understanding have already
been completed on many estuaries.
1 In structuring an estuarine monitoring program, several key questions must be addressed.
These questions include:
•Isthere a problem?
• If so, how serious?
• Does the problem affect only a portion of the estuary, or the entire body of water?
• Does the problem occur sporadically, seasonally or year round?
• Is the problem a naturally occurring phenomena or is it caused by human activity?
1A monitoring program may include a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological parameters.
However, the greater the number of parameters measured, the greater the expense and logistics
requirements. Therefore, program managers must have a clear understanding of the reason for
including each parameter, and be selective in choosing them. Because hypoxia occurs in portions
of Long Island Sound, particularly western Long Island Sound, MYSound has chosen temperature,
salinity, and dissolved oxygen as the main parameters of interest.
3.3 FUNDING AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Once the goals, objectives, scope, and participants for the project have been identified, the project partners
are in a position to market the concept and seek funding for the monitoring network. This requires identi-
fying, tracking, and responding to funding opportunities that present themselves. One way to market the
concept is by developing a "concept paper" that describes the effort and the participants. MYSound devel-
oped several versions of such a paper, ranging from two to five pages. This document forms the basis of the
follow-on proposal, and can be also be widely distributed to potential funding organizations and stakehold-
ers. In addition, the "concept paper" can be used as the basis for presentations at workshops and meetings.
This will help identify funding opportunities, because funding agencies and stakeholders can alert the proj-
ect team to relevant solicitations. Routine checks can also be made of the Web sites of key agencies and
funding organizations such a NOAA, EPA, and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
In seeking funding, it is not necessary (or desirable) that the project be supported from a single source.
Because the monitoring network concept has components that can be developed as discrete projects, it may
be possible to establish the "network" as several integrated "projects." In some cases, this allows individual
project partners to acquire portions of the necessary funds by targeting agencies and organizations who have
traditionally sponsored their programs. For instance, a university marine science department may seek a
portion of the funding from NSF, while a volunteer monitoring group may seek funding from a national
environmental NGO. Obtaining funding from several sources also helps ensure the longer term sustainabil-
ity of the project (discussed in detail in Chapter 7).
Many solicitations for marine monitoring programs in recent years have required or given special preference
to efforts that have multiple partners, involve private entities (including NGOs and private companies),
and support education and public outreach and awareness efforts. EMPACT is a prime example of such
a funding source, as is the National Ocean Partnership Program (NOPP).
DEVELOPING MONITORING PROGRAM
3-5
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Many solicitations also require a cost-share on the part of the project participants, either in actual dollars
or by providing labor and infrastructure to the project at no cost or at a reduced rate. These solicitation
attributes should be taken into account in the initial planning of the project to secure the necessary partner
commitments to rapidly produce a successful proposal.
Developing a Water Quality Monitoring Program:
Key Points and Lessons Learned
-' Up-front networking among agencies, institutions, and organizations is an important first step in
establishing a water quality monitoring program. For MYSound, establishing a dialogue on monitor-
ing requirements for Long Island Sound over the years allowed the partners to quickly formulate the
concept of a water quality monitoring effort that combined the more traditional point-sampling water
quality surveys in the Sound with monitoring provided by continuous, real-time sampling stations.
-> Initial literature and Web searches can provide valuable information and ideas on monitoring tech-
nologies, data management methods and software, data presentation schemes, and communications
and outreach programs.
1A key step in building a marine monitoring program is building a coherent strategy for the program.
Developing an implementation plan for the project requires answering the Who, Why, When, Where
What, and How of the monitoring program.
- Who should be conducting the monitoring effort both in terms of who is leading the effort and
who is contributing to the effort?
Why is the monitoring effort being undertaken?
When should the monitoring be conducted (how often and for how long)?
-• Where should the monitoring be conducted (geographic extent of the monitoring)?
• What parameters will be monitored?
- How will the monitoring be accomplished?
Each of these questions must be carefully considered to ensure that the project is properly focused,
realistic in scope and complexity, efficient, and affordable.
The key factors for successfully obtaining both start-up and maintenance funds are marketing,
networking, and partnering. Marketing the concept will help identify potential stakeholders.
Networking with stakeholders will lead to formation of partnerships. Partnerships will broaden the
funding and in-kind support base, which is favorably regarded by many agencies and organizations
that provide funding to water quality monitoring projects.
3-6
CHAPTER 3
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IMPLEMENTING A MARINE WATER QUALITY
MONITORING NETWORK: DATA COLLECTION,
MANAGEMENT, AND DELIVERY
This chapter focuses on how to collect, manage, and deliver data from a marine water quality network.
Section 4.1 presents an overview of the basic activities involved in a marine water quality monitoring
program. Section 4.2 provides recommendations for determining the number and location of the
monitoring stations. Section 4.3 discusses the configuration and components of monitoring stations (those
used by MYSound as well as options available for programs facing different circumstances). Section 4.4
presents recommendations for deploying and maintaining the monitoring stations. Section 4.5 describes
how data from the monitoring stations can be compiled, verified, and stored for further processing. Section
4.6 discusses quality control and quality assurance procedures, while Section 4.7 addresses ways that the
data can be archived and disseminated.
LIS Monitoring - Data Collection and Management
Moored Data Buoys
Receiving Computer
data collected and telemetered
automated gross data quality control,
eliminate data not within preset stated
accuracies
Internet
provisional data available near real
time, as well as a limited amount of
pre-archival recent data
after final quality control, archived
data also available for downloading
from the Internet
4.1 OVERVIEW DF IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS IN
ESTABLISHING A REAL-TIME MARINE WATER
QUALITY MONITORING NETWORK
The basic processes to be considered in establishing a
marine water quality monitoring program include
parameter measurement, data collection and compi-
lation, data processing and management, and data
and information dissemination. These activities are
required regardless of the scope and complexity of
the monitoring effort. In a simple water quality mon-
itoring effort, such as those conducted by volunteer
monitoring groups, parameters are measured by
hand-held instruments and water sample capture,
followed by basic laboratory analysis. The data are
recorded on data logs and usually compiled in sim-
ple, commercially available database management
software packages. The data are then screened for
obvious errors, analyzed to determine basic statistical
trends and parameters, and disseminated, usually in
hard copy report form.
For MYSound and comparable projects, the basic
activities are the same, except that the equipment is
more sophisticated and much of the process is auto-
mated through the use of advanced technologies.
The general scheme of the MYSound monitoring
system is represented in Figure 4.1. The water quality
parameter measurements are made from remote loca-
tions using electronic sensors mounted on a monitoring buoy or a fixed platform. The measurements are fed
to a signal processor and datalogger, and from there are transmitted (generally through telemetry) to a receiving
computer where they are compiled and screened to eliminate data that is obviously erroneous (wild point edit-
ing). The data then take two separate paths. They are immediately posted as provisional data on the Internet
(on the MYSound Web site), but are also subjected to more rigorous, semi-automated data processing and man-
agement, which involves visual plotting and screening and inter-instrument comparisons to detect anomalies.
After this thorough quality control process, the data are archived and made available to potential users through
direct download from the MYSound Web site as well as via traditional electronic media (e.g., computer CDs).
Management
and Data
Processing
semi-automated, stricter quality control:
visual plots, inter-instrument comparison, etc.
u
archived on a variety of media for public distribution
Figure 4.1. Top-level schematic for a real-time marine
environmental monitoring system such as MYSound
IMPLEMENTING MONITORING NETWORK
4-1
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• * • •' 4
Within this basic set of activities, further options are available for establishing the infrastructure and
processes that make up the marine water quality monitoring program. These options, summarized in the
decision flow diagram in Figure 4.2, are discussed in the following sections.
4.2 ESTABLISHING THE MONITORING STATION
LOCATIONS
Input from Other Programs
C Current Pollution Problems ~\
C
Desired Location
fParameters of Interest
C Available Resources
C
System Configuration
f Environmental Conditions
System Reliability
Volume of Data
Future Uses of Data
\
C Parameter Variability j-
f User Access Capabilities J-
f Availability Requirements
f Long-Term Funding
Establish Monitoring
Station Location
Determine Monitoring
Station Configuration
Data Collection,
Compilation and
Verification
Data Archiving and
Dissemination
DEPLOYMENT AND LOGISTIC
CONSIDERATIONS
Environmental Conditions
Station Security
J
Permitting Requirements 1
Platform Type
Sensor Selection
Power Requirements
Transmission Requirements
Technician Requirements
Training Requirements J
Logistics Needs J
Computer Hardware Needs J
Computer Software Needs J
Data Manager J
QA/QC Procedures
QA/QC Support Needs
Archive Maintenance
Dissemination Media
Access Control and Security
Figure 4.2. Basic decision flow diagram for implementing a marine environmental monitoring network
4-2
CHAPTER 4
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Determining the number and location of the monitoring stations is the first important consideration in
establishing the monitoring network infrastructure. To a large extent, the number of stations in the network
is determined by the funding that is available to purchase and maintain the stations and the amount of in-
kind logistics support that program partners can provide. For instance, the MYSound project found that it
costs between $15,000 and $30,000 to establish a basic monitoring station ($15,000 for a fixed-platform
inshore station and $30,000 for a buoy-mounted offshore station) and an additional $5,000 to $10,000 per
station per year to provide replacement equipment and refurbishment. However, these costs can vary signifi-
cantly, depending on the complexity of the station configuration, the environmental conditions experienced
at the station, and the logistics required to reach and service the station. In a start-up program, it would
probably be wise to deploy one or perhaps two monitoring stations initially to gauge the maintenance
expense and workload associated with each.
With respect to station location, each station should be sited to address the objectives of the monitoring
program, and to complement and capitalize on other environmental quality monitoring programs that are
also providing data. In many cases where other programs have already been collecting data, these programs
can provide insight into where to site the real-time monitoring station to maximize the benefit to all parties.
For instance, in the MYSound project, previous involvement and consultation with EPA and Connecticut
DEP indicated that a primary pollution concern was hypoxia in western Long Island Sound, particularly
during the summer months. It was also known that Connecticut DEP was regularly sampling water quality
at set locations along the axis of Long Island Sound. Accordingly, the MYSound Western LIS Offshore
Station was deployed at the Connecticut DEP Sampling Station "Cl" just south of Greenwich, Connecticut,
so that real-time data could supplement the longer term, intermittent Connecticut DEP measurements.
In some cases, the program sponsors specify the location criteria. For the MYSound project, EPA's
EMPACT program stipulated that the monitoring stations be located within or in the vicinity of the
EMPACT Metropolitan Areas, and be relevant to environmental problems and stakeholder concerns in
these areas.
Important considerations in siting the stations, beyond meeting the basic objectives of the monitoring
effort, include environmental conditions, station security issues, and station permitting requirements. Each
station should be configured to withstand the range of conditions expected to be encountered. Wind,
waves, currents, and tidal range must all be taken into account.
The station should also be sited in a location that minimizes, to the extent possible, the risk of damage by
passing vessels and vandalism. Two MYSound stations have been rendered inoperable from vessel collisions.
For this reason, it is advisable to locate the station away from vessel traffic lanes and near prominent larger
structures such as navigation buoys or offshore structures. Vandalism can be reduced if the station is located
where it can be easily observed by the project team and local authorities, or if access to the area is limited.
With regard to permitting, any buoy or fixed structure placed in navigable waters must first be permitted by
the Coast Guard, and usually the state marine regulatory agency as well (e.g., Connecticut DEP). It may also
be necessary to obtain permission (or at least advice) from the local harbormaster when locating the station.
4.3 DETERMINING MONITORING STATION
CONFIGURATION AND COMPONENTS
The next step in designing and implementing the monitoring network is to determine the station configu-
ration for each of the stations. Each station must be deployed in the water column on a stable platform,
which can be either a buoy, a fixed structure in the water, or an existing structure on the shoreline (e.g., an
existing pier). Figure 4.3 shows a general schematic for an offshore buoy monitoring station. Figure 4.4
depicts a somewhat more detailed schematic for an inshore monitoring buoy.
Each station is equipped with a suite of sensors that sample the parameters of interest. The signal is trans-
mitted to a signal processing and conditioning unit and captured by a datalogger (Figure 4.5). For the
temperature (T), salinity (S), and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements on MYSound stations, the sensor
IMPLEMENTING MONITORING NETWORK 4-3
-------
Figure Courtesy of
Endeco/YSI Inc.
13 Atlantis Drive
Marion, MA 02738
Pick-Up
Buoy
Beacon
Radar Reflector
Rechargeable Battery
Model 6000 Sonde
with Mooring Clamp
Anchor
35 Ib. Weight
Anchor
Figure 4.3. General schematic of an offshore buoy
monitoring station
Figure 4.4. Detailed schematic of an inshore/harbor buoy monitoring station
and data processing capability are incorporated in one unit called a sonde. In some cases, the datalogger may be
located at the station where it is retrieved periodically for processing. Another option is to transmit the data back to
shore for processing either by a hard link (transmission wire) or a telemetry link (e.g. radio, cell phone or satellite
communications link). MYSound stations have used both means of data capture. For example, on the Eastern LIS
Station, T, S, and DO data are telemetered directly to shore, with backup datalogger capture at the buoy. Electrical
power must also be provided by a shoreside power connection (where available), or by batteries and solar panels.
The platform type is dictated mainly by the desired location of
the station and the availability of existing structures. For more
exposed, offshore locations where existing structures are not avail-
able, a larger oceanographic buoy hull is required, such as the one
shown in Figure 4.6. These buoys may be a meter or more in
diameter and 2 to 3 meters in height, and may weigh 500 to
1000 Ibs. or more. Their advantage is that they are rugged and
stable even in offshore environments, but are costly and require a
larger vessel and lifting device to deploy and service. These plat-
forms can be purchased from an oceanographic equipment
company, or can sometimes be acquired at reduced cost from
oceanographic research institutions. The Gilman Corporation
manufactures the larger buoy hulls (Model G2000) deployed in
the MYSound network. Figure 4.5. Datalogger for an offshore monitoring buoy
4-4
CHAPTER 4
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For more protected inshore and harbor locations, a smaller
buoy hull can be employed, such as the one shown in Figure 4.7,
which is deployed in the lower Thames River. Although these
buoys are restricted to lighter payloads and less severe environ-
mental conditions, they are cheaper and easier to deploy, and can
potentially be constructed in house if some expertise and fabrica-
tion machinery are available. Another viable option for protected
inshore locations is to mount the monitoring station on an Aid
to Navigation or a fixed platform, such as a pier, that extends out
into the water. Figure 4.8 shows the platform for the Hempstead
Harbor station, which is mounted on a Coast Guard Aid to
Navigation. Such platforms provide a stable and secure platform
for the station, and often can accommodate a larger amount of
instrumentation than can a buoy. Figures 4.9 and 4.10 show the
Bridgeport Harbor monitoring station deployed from a pier.
The third consideration in developing the station configuration
is selecting the specific sensors to be used. For general water
quality monitoring purposes, multiple sensor, fully integrated
packages (sondes) can be purchased from commercial compa-
nies. Such packages can be configured to include basic water
quality sensors such as T, S, DO, chlorophyll a, and turbidity.
The YSI 6920 Model (manufactured by YSI Inc.) is the sonde
used on many of the MYSound stations. The unit is 18 inches long, 2.85 inches in diameter and weighs 4
pounds. The sonde is equipped with internal batteries, datalogger, and sufficient memory for short-term
data storage. Figure 4.11 shows the YSI 6920 Sonde. The network also uses the slightly larger Model 6600.
Figure 4.6. MYSound offshore monitoring station
near West Greenwich, CT
Figure 4.7. MYSound inshore buoy monitoring station in the
Thames River, New London, CT
Figure 4.8. Hempstead Harbor monitoring station
deployed on a Coast Guard Aid to Navigation
IMPLEMENTING MONITORING NETWORK
4-5
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Figure 4.9. The Bridgeport Harbor monitoring station deployed
from a pier. Note solar panels on pier.
Figure 4.10. The Bridgeport Harbor sensor package
suspended from a pier
The 6600 can measure the same parameters as the 6920, but
it allows for a wider range of sensor types and longer deploy-
ment time due to increased battery and data memory capacity.
Other instruments have been tested or are being considered
for use in the MYSound network. An optical backscatter sen-
sor (manufactured by D&A Instrument Company) was used
to measure water turbidity. This sensor provides information
on the amount of suspended material in the water, which is
indicative of sediment load and biological activity such as
algae and plankton blooms. This sensor, along with the
chlorophyll a sensor (YSI 6025), further provide an indica-
tion of the nutrient levels in the water column that promote
photosynthetic activity.
Nitrogen sensors provide a more direct way of measuring
nutrients. Several companies manufacture nitrogen sensors,
but they are still somewhat in the prototype stage and are
very expensive ($30,000 and up), precluding their routine
deployment as part of the sensor array. MYSound has not
deployed nitrogen sensors because of their complexity, cost,
and reliability issues. However, these issues are gradually
being resolved in the industry, and a viable sensor could be
deployed in the near future if funding is available.
A specialty sensor deployed on the Thames River station was a surface oil spill sensor, manufactured by
the Spectrogram Corporation, designed to detect oil spills. The sensor detects hydrocarbons on the water
surface using a fluorometric sensor. The sensor package is 12 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 12 inches high
and weighs 38 pounds. These specialty sensors can be deployed on selected stations where the monitoring
or research priorities at the specific location justify the added expense and complexity.
Figure 4.11. YSI 6920 Sonde, deployed to measure
T, S, and DO on most MYSound monitoring stations
4-G
CHAPTER 4
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Sensors that measure physical oceanographic parameters, such as current speed and direction, wave motion,
and tidal elevation, can also be mounted on selected stations. These sensors are incorporated to provide data
on water and pollutant transport, which affects the water quality parameter values and can explain the
causes of parameter fluctuations. In addition, these oceanographic parameters can be used as input data to
numerical models that predict larger-scale variations in water quality and pollutant levels. On selected
MYSound stations, Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (RDI Workhouse Model) record current velocity at
various depths. The ADCP is mounted on the ocean bottom adjacent to the monitoring buoy and measures
current velocity throughout the water column. For current measurements at a single point in the water col-
umn, a two-axis electromagnetic current meter (InterOcean S4 Model) has been employed. Although these
data are captured at the monitoring site rather than being transmitted in real time, they
provide valuable data for future water quality analysis.
Meteorological forcing is another important phenomenon affecting water quality. Winds and air tempera-
ture can dramatically alter the T, S, and DO distribution in the water column. For this reason, MYSound
has installed meteorological sensor packages at selected locations in the Sound. Meteorological data col-
lected by Meteorological Stations (Met Stations) include air temperature, barometric pressure, humidity,
and wind speed and direction. Climatronics Corporation manufactures the Met Station sensor package used
in the MYSound network.
Table 4.1 lists the full complement of sensors being used or considered for future deployment as part of
MYSound project, along with the sensor specifications.
From the sensors, the data signal is transmitted to a datalogger capable of accepting a wide variety of inputs
(i.e., analog, digital, RS232, SDI-12, etc.). The MYSound dataloggers are manufactured by Campbell
Scientific Corporation. The entire system is powered by batteries, supplemented by solar panels. Data are
then transmitted from the monitoring station to the shore-side receiving station via telemetry using a wire-
less spread spectrum modem manufactured by Free Wave Technologies.
Data from the MYSound monitoring stations are transmitted back to the central data collection computer
system at Avery Point in a number of ways: 1) Data can be transmitted directly to a receiving antenna at
Avery Point using radio telemetry, 2) Data can be transmitted by radio telemetry to a relay computer receiv-
ing station on shore in the vicinity of the buoy and from there periodically downloaded to the main
computer at Avery Point via an Internet connection, or 3) Data can be sent from the monitoring station by
cell phone communications link directly back to Avery Point. MYSound is also investigating the option of
using satellite communications links.
IMPLEMENTING MONITORING NETWORK 4-v
-------
TABLE 4. 1
SENSOR SYSTEMS EMPLOYED OR CONSIDERED UNDER THE
MYSOUND PROJECT*
Parameter Manufacturer and Model Range Accuracy
Water Temperature
Conductivity
Dissolved Oxygen
Photosynthetically Active
Radiation (PAR)
Suspended Materials
Chlorophyll a
Surface Hydrocarbons
Nitrate-Nitrogen
Current Velocity (Single Depth)
Current Velocity (Multiple Depth)
Wind Speed
Wind Direction
Air Temperature and
Relative Humidity
Barometric Pressure
YSI 6920
YSI 6920
YSI 6920
Li-CorLI-193
Downing Optical
Backscatter Sensor
YSI 6025
Spectrogram Ospra System
Valeport SUV-6
InterOcean S4
RDI Workhorse ADCP
Climatronics WM III
Climatronics WM III
Climatronics WM III
Climatronics WM III
-5°C to + 45°C
Oto100mS/cm
0 to 20 mg/L 20 to 50 mg/L
mg/Lto102gm/L
0 to 200 ug/L
15 ppm threshold alarm
0 to 1000 cm/sec
0 to 55 m/sec
0 to 360°
-30°C to 50°C
600mb to 11 00mb
±0.15°C
± 0.5% + 0.001 mS/cm
± 2%, max of 0.2 mg/L ± 6%
±5%
~ 5% of full scale
± 0.05% of full scale
0.5% of measured, max of ±
0.5 cm/sec
± 0.11 m/sec
±3°
±0.15°C
± 1.5 mb
*MYSound has deployed all the sensors listed except those used to measure nitrate-nitrogen and chlorophyll a.
4.4 MONITORING STATION DEPLOYM ENT AN D
MAINTENANCE
Once the monitoring station has been designed and configured, it must be transported to the monitoring
site and deployed. The following section provides recommendations for these steps, based on the techniques
for deployment and maintenance that MYSound used at most of its stations.
For smaller harbor buoys, deployment can be accom-
plished using a small workboat (20 to 25 ft). For
larger offshore buoys, a larger research vessel should be
used because it will have the necessary lifting appara-
tus to safely lower the buoy over the side, and because
the buoy and associated mooring equipment are large
and heavy (see Figure 4.12). In the initial deployment
operation, it is better to have a larger vessel than
might be absolutely required, both in the interest of
safety and in the event that problems are encountered
and the buoy must be immediately retrieved.
After initial deployment, the monitoring system,
including the buoy hull, sensors, dataloggers, batteries,
telemetry electronics, and mooring hardware (anchors
and mooring chains/cables) must be inspected and
serviced at regular intervals. Major overhauls of the buoy F'9ure 4'12' Bu°V and moorin9 equipment for an offshore
and mooring system will probably require retrieval of the
entire system (usually performed every one to two years).
monitoring station arrayed on deck prior to deployment
4-B
CHAPTER 4
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For smaller inshore/harbor buoys, routine station servicing can be accomplished from a small workboat
(see Figure 4.13).
MYSound has found that the maintenance intervals
for the station platform and components will depend
on the time of year (for example, biofouling intensi-
fies in the summer), environmental conditions on site
(wind, waves, and currents, which stress system com-
ponents), and the overall reliability and ruggedness of
the components. Sensor biofouling (the growth of
marine organisms on the T, S, and DO sensors) usu-
ally determines the frequency of routine maintenance
visits (see Figures 4.14 and 4.15). The monitoring
system sensors must be inspected, cleaned, and cali-
brated at regular intervals (every two weeks in the
summer, every month fall through spring) to clear
fouling and ensure accuracy. Data not transmitted
to shore via telemetry must be downloaded from the
on-site dataloggers. Batteries must be checked and
charged if necessary and solar panels must be cleaned.
Periodically, the mooring system must be inspected for wear and fouling, and cleaned or replaced
Some of these functions can be accomplished from the maintenance vessel or by divers.
In MYSound's experience, volunteers or other non-technical personnel with a moderate level of training have
been able to perform some of the routine maintenance functions required. These functions include sensor
cleaning and calibration, data retrieval from the datalogger, battery replacement, and general inspection of the
condition of the buoy. Training on basic sensor cleaning and calibration can often be obtained from the manu-
facturer. Other more complex maintenance functions, such as disassembly, troubleshooting, and repair of the
datalogger and telemetry electronics, require a professional marine oceanographic technician or factory techni-
cal representative.
Figure 4.13. Inshore/harbor monitoring buoy
from a small work boat
being deployed
as necessary.
Figure 4.14. Biofouling on a YSI sensor package
Figure 4.15. Sensor with heavy biofouling
IMPLEMENTING MONITORING NETWORK
4-9
-------
Figure 4.16. Computers at Avery Point for processing and
storing the MYSound data
4.5 DATA COMPILATION, SCREENING, AND PROCESSING
Once the data are acquired at the monitoring sta-
tion and transmitted to the central computer
network, they must be compiled, verified, and
stored for further processing. The magnitude of
this task depends largely on the volume of data
that is acquired (number of stations, number of
sensors, and sampling frequency of each sensor),
and the level to which the data must be screened
and processed prior to further dissemination and
analysis. For a monitoring program the size of
the MYSound program, several computers con-
figured in a local network are required for data
acquisition and processing (see Figure 4.16).
Three central processing units (CPUs) support
the MYSound project. As a rule, one desktop
computer CPU and one monitor are used to
process the data from one or two stations,
housed in a suitable laboratory environment.
For MYSound and programs of a similar size, a dedicated data manager must be assigned
to screen and process the data and maintain the hardware and software of the system. Ideally, the computer
manager will have excellent computer and data analysis skills as well as a background in marine science.
4.6 IMPLEMENTING A O UALITY ASS U RAN C E/O UALITY
CONTROL (DA/DC) PROGRAM
Any time that environmental data are being collected, a program must be in place to ensure that the data
are accurate and representive of the parameters being monitored at the station site. Steps must also be taken
to ensure that the data being transmitted back to the data compilation and processing center are not being
corrupted in the process. Three possible errors that will limit the value of the data may occur:
1) The value (e.g., concentration) of the parameter measured at the sensor is not representative of its
value in the surrounding environment (that is, some phenomenon at the sensor causes an anomaly in
the data).
2) The sensor records variations in the parameter, but because the sensor is malfunctioning, the values
measured are inaccurate. The measurements obtained using a commercially available sensor suite are
subject to errors caused by instruments drifting out of calibration or degradation of the sensor and/or
sensor components (e.g., salt water contamination of electronics, biofouling of the sensor probe).
3) The sensor is functioning properly, but because of interference in the data telemetry, the values are
corrupted with spurious signals being received with the valid data.
To detect malfunctions, inaccuracies, and spurious data, it is necessary to establish a Quality
Control/Quality Assurance Program with QA/QC checks at three levels:
1) Measurements taken near the site, using either independent portable instruments used on site, or
sample capture and laboratory analysis procedures, to ensure that the values measured by the sensor
are representative of the overall conditions near the site and to ensure that the sensor is operating
properly. MYSound primarily uses on-site checks with portable instruments for these QA/QC checks.
2) On-site calibration checks to ensure that the sensor is reading accurately.
4-1 D
CHAPTER 4
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3) Screening of the data as it is compiled and processed, which includes editing of data outliers (to
ensure that the data are within preset ranges based on sensor sensitivity and known physical limits),
statistical analysis and flagging of outliers (checks involve statistical analysis to ascertain that the
data are within two to three standard deviations of a running mean), and comparison with field
and supplemental data to detect spurious trends. Data that still do not fit set criteria are flagged and
subject to the final level of quality control, in which the data are plotted and compared with other
parameters (e.g., wind, historical, and any available third-party supplementary data) to determine the
validity of the abnormality. If the data still fail this final check, a flag that describes the quality level (a
number) is inserted in the archived database.
For the MYSound project, all levels of QA/QC are specified in detail in the MYSound Quality Assurance
Plan, which was submitted to and approved by EPA at the beginning of the project.
4.7 DATA ARCHIVING AND DISSEMINATION
Once MYSound data have been transmitted and received into the primary data acquisition system and their
quality checked, they are duplicated and archived onto a secondary system for storage. The database struc-
ture in its most basic form consists of space-delimited header fields with columnar parameter records in
ASCII format. Data documentation is inherent within the header record of the database structure and in
the time stamping of the individual parameter records. Records and documentation are supplemented by
automatic progress logging of the incoming data.
The information management system includes a Pentium-based desktop computer with several high-capac-
ity storage devices. Collection, management, and dissemination of the data involve both in-house custom
programs written in a high-level language (e.g. FORTRAN, C), supplemented by off-the-shelf database
management utilities including Microsoft ACCESS, PARADOX, and spreadsheets such as QUATRO and
EXCEL. The storage devices allow for immediate backup and archiving of data for eventual end user access.
System administrator requirements and duties will require in-depth knowledge of the system data, software
management programs, and hardware infrastructure.
Basic data access in the MYSound network is implemented using standard TCP/IP protocols enabling
HTTP, FTP, and TELENET capabilities. End users with Internet access are able to download data via any
one of these protocols. The data elements include temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, current speed and
direction, wind speed and direction, and air temperature. Security for end user data is implemented using
several levels of user defined access and password protocols.
IMPLEMENTING MONITORING NETWORK 4-1 i
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Implementing a Marine Water Quality Program: Key Points and Lessons Learned
Number of stations: The number of stations in the network is determined largely by the funding and
in-kind logistics support available. A basic monitoring station can cost between $15,000 and $30,000 per
year, with annual maintenance costs from $5,000 to $10,000 per year. In a start-up program, two or three
monitoring stations can be initially deployed to gauge the maintenance expense and workload.
Location: Stations should be sited to address the objectives of the monitoring program, and to
complement and capitalize on other environmental quality monitoring programs providing data. Extreme
environmental conditions should be avoided (unless these are the focus of the monitoring effort) and
stations should be sited to avoid damaged by passing vessels and vandalism.
• Configuration: Each station must be deployed in the water column on a stable platform (buoy, a
fixed structure in the water, or an existing structure on the shoreline). The platform type is determined
primarily by the desired location of the station and the availability of existing structures. For more
exposed, offshore locations where existing structures are not available, a larger oceanographic buoy hull
is required. For more protected inshore and harbor locations, a smaller buoy hull can be employed or the
station can be mounted on a pier.
Sensors: For general water quality monitoring purposes, multiple sensor, fully integrated packages
(sondes) are recommended. Such packages can be configured to include basic water quality sensors
such as T, S, DO, chlorophyll a, and turbidity. Specialty sensors can be added to measure other parame-
ters of interest (e.g., nutrient concentration and hydrocarbons), but these will add to the cost and
complexity of the stations. Oceanographic and meteorological sensors provide valuable information on
the causes of water quality variations.
- Deployment: Smaller harbor buoys can be transported and deployed using a small workboat.
For larger offshore buoys, a larger research vessel with the necessary lifting apparatus should be used.
• Maintenance: After initial deployment, the monitoring system including the buoy hull, sensors, datalog-
gers, batteries, telemetry electronics, and mooring hardware (anchors and mooring chains/cables) must
be inspected and serviced at regular intervals. Major overhauls of the buoy and mooring system will
probably require retrieval of the entire system (usually once a year). For smaller inshore/harbor buoys,
routine station servicing can be accomplished from a small workboat. Volunteers with a moderate level
of training can accomplish some of the routine calibration and maintenance functions; more complex
maintenance functions require a professional marine oceanographic technician or factory technical
representative.
Data Compilation, Screening, and Processing: For a monitoring program the size of the MYSound
program, several computers configured in a local network are required for data acquisition and processing
(as a rule, one CPU and monitor process data from one or two stations), and a dedicated data manager
must be assigned to screen and process the data and maintain the hardware and software of the system.
- QA/QC:~[o detect malfunctions, inaccuracies, and spurious data, it is important to establish a Quality
Control/Quality Assurance Program with QA/QC checks at three levels: measurements taken near the site,
on-site calibration checks, and screening of the data as it is compiled and processed.
4-1 2
CHAPTER 4
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PRESENTING AND
INFORMATION
DISSEMINATING
This chapter presents information and guidance on how to present and disseminate marine water qual-
ity monitoring data to the program's intended audience. Section 5.1 describes the MYSound Web site
as that project's primary means of information presentation and dissemination. Section 5.2 presents
more detailed information about how the Web site was designed and implemented. Section 5.3 presents
some alternative means of information dissemination that a program can use, including traditional published
reports, dial-up telephone service, and public broadcasts.
5.1 OVERVIEW DF THE MYSDUND WEB SITE
The marine water quality data collected by MYSound can be accessed and downloaded directly from the
University of Connecticut data acquisition and storage computers at Avery Point, as described in Chapter 4.
This is acceptable for longer term data retrieval and analysis by environmental managers and researchers.
However, the data in this form are of little use to other potential users such as marine operators, educators,
and the public at large, and cannot be readily accessed in a timely fashion to assist in day-to-day decision-
making. The MYSound team realized that to promote the public awareness and community tracking
envisioned under the EMPACT program, a more comprehensive, timely, and user-friendly means of data
and information presentation and dissemination was needed.
Fortunately, the Internet and the World Wide Web provide a highly effective mechanism for accomplishing this.
Accordingly, the MYSound project Web site was established at http://www.mysound.uconn.edu to be the primary
data and information medium for the project. The MYSound site was designed to provide real-time water qual-
ity data, as well as a wide range of supporting data and information in a variety of formats to serve various user
groups. The general organization and hierarchy of the MYSound Web site is depicted in Figure 5.1.
FIGURE B.I GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF THE MYSDUND WEB SITE
1 MYSound Web Site Main HomePage 1
*
^^^^^^^^^^^^^ MYSound Project Overview ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1
f
1 Data From MYSound Monitoring Staions 1
( Real-Time Parameter Values j
f Real-Time Time Series Plots J
f Archived Time Series Data J
\
1
1 Interpretive Information 1
on Long Island Sound 1
f Water Quality Overview J
f US WQ Fact Sheets )
( LIS WQ Issue Papers )
i
1 Supplemental Data from Other Monitoring 1
( CT DEP Hypoxia Study ~]
f Volunteer WQ Monitoring J
( •• ( 1
1 Web Links to Other Data and Information I Web Site Effectiveness Assessment ^^^^^^^H
f Real-Time LIS Tide Data J f Online User Survey j
f LIS Current Data *} f User Survey Results *}
f NOAA Weather Forecasts ) f Email to MYSound ")
f AWS WeatherNet Stations )
PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
5-1
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Figure 5.2 shows the MYSound Web site Home Page, which is the entry point reached upon accessing the
site. This page provides information on What's New on the Web site and Station Status (which of the moni-
toring stations are currently up and running). It also provides access to the main functions of the Web site,
as depicted in Figure 5.1, by clicking on the "hot buttons" located in the left hand margin.
FIGURE 5.2 MYSOUND WEB SITE HOME PAGE
LMwntty dOniTitrrtcirt rM tMWTT Prujwl
- -"
•
Eft WHV Fwwtw Totrt
University of
Connecticut
Department of
Marine Sritnces
5*iircti MYSooml
Water Qualily
* Oalu;
Data; Archlvt1 J
* Data: Units
* UjiT Survey
1nr FuSi'.r.
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und
Monitoring \ our Souud
Send ^all
A Marine Environmental Monitoring Network
for Long Island Sound
'
•
M r£-!., i'- ,1
J L j •'
5-2
CHAPTER B
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$
Figure 5.3 shows the MYSound project overview page (About MYSound), which provides a general descrip-
tion of the project objectives, approach, and activities. It also provides links to the Web sites of many of the
participating project partners.
FIGURE 5.3 MYSQUND WEB SITE OVERVIEW PAGE
EPA EMPACT Project - MYSound Monitoring - Overview
File Edit View Favorites Tools Help
Address L|y http;//iwjw.mysound.uconn,edu/mys_about.html
Go
Linksl
MYSound
Search MYSound
* MYSound Home
About MySound
'Water Quality
in My Sound
•Data: Real Time
Data: Archived
•Data: Links
User Survey
Survey Results
Site Map
•Send Mail
UConn
Department of
Marine Sciences
EMRACf
Ail Overview of MYSound
Monitoring \ our Sound
An EPA EMPACT Project
Objectives Approach Sensors Partners
The objective of this EMPACT Project is to provide water quality
monitoring data from Long Island Sound to a broad spectrum of users -
enhancing the appreciation, knowledge and use of The Sound.
The approach involves the establishment of several telemetering data
buoys within The Sound. We currently have five stations deployed: 1) the
Lower Thames River of New London Harbor, 2) offshore of New London
Harbor (west of Fishers Island), 3) inside Bridgeport Harbor, 4) in the
central basin of the Western Sound, and 5) Hernpstead Harbor, LI, NY. The
data are posted near real-time to this site as provisional data, while longer
term and historical data are available as ASCII files via FTP .
The sensor data available includes: water temperature, salinity (from
conductivity)) dissolved oxygen, and meteorological data from the New
London Ledge Light weather station.
A Steering Committee was formed comprised of project partners and
stakeholder representatives to aid in the development of the project.
These partners are:
• US EPA Region 1
• EPA Long Island Sound Study
• TJCOHN - Department of Marine Sciences
• CT Department of Environmental Protection
» Bridgeport Regional Vocational AquacultTire School
• Coalition to Save Heriipitead Harbor
• Save the Sound, Inc.
• The Maritime Aquarium at Morwalk
• US Coast Guard Academy
• Spectrogram Corporation
Top I HYSound Home
Internet
PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
5-3
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Figure 5.4 shows the Water Quality information page (Water Quality in MYSound), which provides
access to general information that allows better understanding and interpretation of the water quality
data contained at the Web site. This includes a number of topic summaries (Fact Sheets) in PDF format
on Long Island Sound pollution topics and summaries on how human activities can be modified to become
more "Sound friendly" to reduce water quality impacts. In addition, this page provides direct Web links
(in the right-hand margin) to other reports on Long Island Sound issues.
FIGURE 5.4 MYSOUND WEB SITE WATER QUALITY INFORMATION PAGE
IPl
r I*
I
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W«Nr <)u«Wj
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1
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5?Sj[l clues as tc-shs health rfTa? fc
-------
$
Figure 5.5 shows the Real-Time Observations access page, the centerpiece of the MYSound site. From this
page, the user can directly access the MYSound real-time monitoring stations by choosing a station from
the scroll down menu or clicking directly on a station location on the Long Island Sound (LIS) location
map. A "Station Status" button is also provided to quickly determine which stations are operating. Clicking
on a particular station brings the user to the Station Summary page (Figure 5.6), which provides general
information on the station's configuration, location (including a pull up chart), and parameters measured. It
also provides access to the real-time data presentation panels by clicking on the "hot buttons" in the left-
hand margin or using the scroll down menu. Direct access is also provided to the real-time data at the other
stations in the MYSound network to allow quick comparison of the temperature, salinity, and dissolved
oxygen data among various locations.
FIGURE 5.5 MYSQUND WEB PAGE—REAL-TIME OBSERVATIONS ACCESS PAGE
I PA IMPAt I I'(H!J*< I Mirsnund UiinllDrtiq, -ftul 1lii» Obtii«v«llim-,
Todf >U*
*te E-* We*
MYSound
UConti
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EMRAC
Real Time Observations from MYSomid
mill'. >•< I 1,1, .in..r.*l.
•nt limit*-
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rj«*,B»jtw.
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-Data: Links
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^ h^gmpstejd H-artar K
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.
PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
5-5
-------
FIGURE 5.6 MYSauND WEB PAGE—STATION SUMMARY PAGE
EPA EM PACT Project MYSound Eastern Sound Offshore Station - ff g
File Edit View Favorites Tools Help
Address :£J http://www.mysound. uconn.edu/elisoff _stn.html v gj Go Links
N --id
This Station:
»Location Chart
•Time Series
» Surface WQ
•'Bottom WQ
"System Panel
* Just the facts
Other Stations:
"Bridgeport
Harbor
- r p-ni"r A 1
(_• C 1 1 LI o I
Sound
•*Hempstead
Harbor
'Ledge Light
WK
"Thames
River
» Western
Sound
* Station
Selector Map
Related Links:
r-Sensor
Specifications
l*'^ •, EMPAC* 1
you have selected the:
Eastern Sound Offshore Station £^^^jj^^)
Location: 41 15,80 N 72 04,00 W CHART
Site Description:
Southeast corner of the New London Dredged Material Disposal Site., 23 meters
(75ft) deep
Water Quality Sensors:
Water temperature, conductivity (salinity), dissolved oxygen
Water Quality Sensor Depths:
Surface sensors at approximately 1 meter (3 feet) deep, bottom sensors at 18
meters (60 feet) deep
System Sensors:
Internal temperature, battery voltage
Select A Panel to View: vl
|| Previous || MYSound Home ||
A
M
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s_i Done 3D Internet
5-6
CHAPTER B
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$
Real-time data for each of the stations are presented in two ways. Real-time parameter readouts for surface
and bottom sensors at each site are provided by the Surface and Bottom Data Panels (as shown in Figure
5.7), which give the current values of T, S, and DO for the particular sensor. The value of DO saturation is
provided; this is the ratio of oxygen in the water column to the maximum amount of DO the water column
can contain at the current temperature. The date, time, and depth of the readings are also provided.
FIGURE 5.7 WATER QUALITY DATA PANEL
MYSound - Eastern Sound Offshore Station - SFC WQ Panel
File Edit View Favorites Tools Help
Address ^J http://WM.mysound.uconn.edu/elisof f_sfc_wq.html
M
Go
Links
MYSound
This Station:
* About This Station
> Surface WQ Panel
' Bottom WQ Panel
* System Panel
> Time Series Panel
* Just the facts, m'am
> Tide Stage
Go To:
*• Station Locations
> Station Status
* Bridgeport Harbor
> Central Sound
t Hempstead Harbor
> Ledge Light Wx
* Thames River
> Western Sound
*• MYSound Site Index
* MYSound Home
> Sensor Info
TetlMe About:
* This panel?
> Last Reading?
> Instrument ID?
" Depth?
* DO Concentration?
* DO Saturation?
»• Water Temp?
* Salinity?
> Conductivity?
" ANaN?
Best vevued at screen resolutions of 8QCW600 or greater ...
Sampling interval is every 15 minutes - click on your browser's refresh button to update display.
Eastern Sound Offshore Station
Today's Date:
Last Reading:
Depth (m) Depth (ft)
10/3O/20O2 | 1:46 PH
I Surface Water Quality Sensors
DO Concentration
6 8 10 12 M
1 1 1
mg/L
DO Saturation
Temperature
30 - 1 100 -
25- 30-
20-
IS-i
Salinity
I
60 :i
40 60 so
20 i I i 100
0-1
degC
1
o-l
degF
30-
25-
20-
15-
10-
5-
0-
pss
IV
Done
Internet
PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
5-7
-------
In Time-Series Panel (as shown in Figure 5.8) values for T, S, and DO are plotted over the previous 12 hours to
show variations in the water quality parameters during this period. All sensors are displayed in the same panel
to facilitate comparison of the changes in water quality parameters with depth. Current parameter readings for
T, S, and DO are provided to the left of each time series plot. The time series plots are particularly valuable in
determining the causes of fluctuations in the water quality parameters. For instance, a DO time series can be
compared with time series of air temperature, wind speed, and tidal current velocity to determine if vertical
mixing in the water column is caused by surface cooling, wind-driven mixing, or tidal flushing.
FIGURE S.B WATER QUALITY DATA TIME—SERIES PANEL
-• ' UYlfu.n4 - f **n«r n
I «* Sm UK
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i I
Eastern Sound offshore Station
8TI>
-.-1
lnr.it i«
5-B
CHAPTER B
-------
$
Figure 5.9 shows the Archived Data Web page, which allows access to archived data from the MYSound
water quality monitoring stations at Bridgeport, Thames River, and Eastern Long Island Sound, the
meteorological monitoring station at UConn Avery Point (which has been moved to Ledge Light), and
the MYSound monitoring station at Hempstead Harbor (established by the Coalition to Save Hempstead
Harbor). Archived data are also available from the volunteer water quality monitoring program for
Bridgeport Harbor and Black Rock Harbor sponsored by Save the Sound. These files contain water quality
data taken through sampling at various points around the harbor at set intervals throughout the year. These
data are available in both ASCII format and CSV (Comma Separated Variable) format. Finally, the archives
contain maps (GIF Maps) showing the results of the Connecticut DEP Summer Hypoxia Surveys for 1991
through 2001. These maps show the geographic extent and intensity of hypoxia in the Sound for each year.
FIGURE 5.9 ARCHIVED DATA WEB PAGE
PH>|KI 1 ursntmri MnmMnilng • llala
Fie E* We* Farrtrtw Tocte
UConn
Marenr S. .rni ct
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Archived Data Available front MYSouud
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PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
5-9
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Figure 5.10 shows the MYSound Links Page for accessing additional supplemental data and information
from other Web sites. It includes links to NOAA real-time tide and current data at various points around
the Sound, surface current and sea surface temperature data for Block Island Sound and Long Island Sound,
and meteorological data from AWS WeatherNet stations located around the Sound. The Links page pro-
vides access to additional interpretive information on Long Island Sound natural history and water quality
issues available from EPA, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and other agencies and institutions. Access is
also provided to other marine data centers, water resources Web sites, and national marine science
education Web sites.
FIGURE 5.ID MYSQUND LINKS PAGE
EPA CMPKT Pro |*c1 • MVSound Monitoring • Sound Llute
UCtinn
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EMPAilJ
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rl*) -^nivii "-Vfc- ^ • "-' Jc .r»
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5-1 D
CHAPTER B
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$
FIGURE 5.ID MYSQUND LINKS PAGE (CONTINUED)
• •.•I H.'.ti ry i I (•
rtr. ir t*>g 'r-ir j
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PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
5-1 1
-------
Figure 5.11 shows the MYSound User Survey Form, a focused online user survey designed to capture essen-
tial data on user profiles and the perceived utility and effectiveness of the page. The strategy in designing
the page was to keep it simple and brief to encourage Web site visitors to respond with at least some infor-
mation. The survey contains only 10 multiple choice questions with a comments window for additional
feedback beyond answering the 10 questions. It allows the MYSound project team to assess who is using the
site and why they are accessing the site, and provides general impressions on the user-friendliness of the site
and the overall usefulness of the information presented. Section 6.3 presents more information about the
results of the user survey.
FIGURE S. 1 1 MYSOUND USER FEEDBACK SURVEY FORM ON THE NETWORK
WEB SITE
MYSound Online User Survey
UJls
File Edit View Favorites Tools Help
Addr e --.- r;j http : //www , mysound . uconn . edu/survey /survey _usr . html
Go Links
u n d User Survey Form
10 Questions - 10 Seconds
See the survey results instantly after you hit the submit button!
•*
(1) How often do you visit?
Qthis is my first time
O several times a month
O once a day
O several times a day
Oonly when I do an activity related to the Sound
• other
(2) Was your visit today ...
(3) How did you learn about the site
O'part of your job
Opart of a school project
O related to recreational activity
O just personal interest
O other
O search engine
O friend/col league
(.) te a ch e r/p rof e s s o r
O'newspaper/tv
•'...'EPA materials
MYSound talk
O website link
Oother
Done
Internet
5-1 2
CHAPTER B
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$
FIGURE B. 1 1 MYSauND USER FEEDBACK SURVEY FORM ON THE NETWORK
WEB SITE (CONTINUED)
MYSound Online User Survey
File Edit View Favorites Tools Help
ddress gj http://www. my sound, uconn.edu/survey/survey _usr.html
Links
(4) I understood ...
(5) I learned ...
(6) I'll be back to this site..,
(7) What do you do?
(8) Are you
O everything at this site
O most things at this site
O a few things at this site
Ono opinion
Oa lot at this site
Oa little at this site
O nothing at this site
••...''no opinion
O many times
O occasionally
Onever
Ono answer
Oeducator
Oresearcher
O environmental manager
O environmental organization rep
O marine transportation
O commercial fisherman/aquaculture
O marine equipment/sensors
O student (elementary)
O student (jr-sr high school)
Ostudent(undergrad)
Ostudent (grad)
•'.. • other marine related field
O other non-marine related field
Ono answer
O female
Ornale
. • no answer
-WjDone
Internet
PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
5-1 3
-------
FIGURE S. 1 1 MYSauND USER FEEDBACK SURVEY FORM ON THE NETWORK
WEB SITE (CONTINUED)
MY Sou rid Online User Survey
File Edit View Favorites Tools Help
Address ] -gy http; /jwww. my sound, uconn. edu/survey/survey _usr .html
v | -I Go Links
(9) Where do you live?
(10) Your age is ...
Oin Connecticut
Onot in CT but in the U.S.
Onot in the United States
• J>no answer
Ounder 12
O13-17
OlB-24
O 25-35
O 36-55
O56-65
O65+
Ono answer
Comments
Hit the submit button and see the survey results!
Submit
1 Done
Internet
5.2 WEB SITE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
The main pages of the MYSound Web site are housed on a server at the University of Connecticut's main cam-
pus in Storrs, Connecticut. These main pages were constructed using off-the-shelf HTML editing software. The
data display panels are maintained on individual PCs at the Department of Marine Sciences building in Groton,
Connecticut. The data panels were developed using National Instrument's LabVIEW, a commercially available
software product developed to facilitate graphical presentation of quantitative data. Advertised advantages of this
software package include:
• Strong integration with a wide variety of measurement devices
• Lower development costs through rapid development
• Powerful, built-in measurement analysis
• Compiled for faster performance
• Intuitive, industry-standard graphical development environment
The LabVIEW software has an integrated, network-ready component, which includes Web server capabilities.
When a request is made for the data panel display from one of the main pages on the Storrs server, a command is
sent to the appropriate PC to serve out a picture in JPEG format of the current data panel. The picture is static
and must be manually updated by the browser user, preventing an overload on the LabVIEW Web servers. These
PC-based data servers are connected to the main server at Storrs via a Tl line which is capable of carrying a large
amount of Internet bandwidth (1.544 megabits/second) and is generally more reliable than a standard phone line.
5-1 4
CHAPTER B
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More information on Lab VIEW is available from the National Instruments Web site at http://www.ni.com
(click on Products and Services and then Measurement and Automation Software).
The data servers running Lab VIEW retrieve the data needed to update the panels from remote base stations
every 15 minutes using the built in TCP/IP protocols of Lab VIEW over a Tl line or cell modem connection.
The Lab VIEW routines for the MYSound site have been programmed to perform a first-order data quality
review in which data outside the physical limits of the particular sensor are discarded. When the data are
discarded, the routine posts a NaN (Not a Number) to the display panel, or just skips the point in the time
series charts. All data are then written to an ASCII comma delimited file, which can be downloaded at a later
time and subsequently reviewed before being posted to the MYSound archives for public use.
5.3 ALTERNATIVE INFORMATION DISSEMINATION
APPROACHES
In addition to the MYSound Web site, several other mechanisms are being used or considered for data dissemina-
tion. The first is the more traditional approach for data dissemination and interpretation, which is publication in
hard copy reports. Data from the MYSound monitoring stations are being made available for publication in reports
of agencies and organizations such as the EPA Long Island Sound Study and the LIS Water Quality Monitoring
Work Group (a coalition of government and NGO water quality monitoring programs which publishes an annual
State of the Sound report). When published, these reports will be accessible from the MYSound site.
Other options include a direct telephone dial-up service or public broadcasts for individuals who need specific
Long Island Sound marine environmental data but do not have immediate Internet access. An important user
group in this category is the marine transportation community, as well as recreational boaters and fishermen. In the
summer of 2002, a station was established in an offshore mid-Sound location to monitor wind, wave, and current
conditions, as well as water quality parameters. This information is of great value to the mariner. MYSound will
investigate the feasibility of implementing a dial-up telephone service, possibly available in 2003, that concisely
conveys this weather and oceanographic data in a computer-generated voice message. This may be accomplished by
passing information on to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service.
Presenting and Disseminating Information: Key Points and Lessons Learned
For a marine environmental monitoring program to be successful, the data must be effectively dissem-
inated to user groups in a format that is both accessible and understandable. Internet technology has
provided an ideal mechanism for accomplishing this. MYSound and other monitoring programs now
have dedicated Web sites that serve this function. Important components of the MYSound Web site
include:
• Program information
• Interpretive information on estuary ecology and pollution
• Data presentation
•Archived data inventory and access
• Links to other Web sites
• User survey
• Contact E-mail for user feedback
Software products and expertise for building the Web site are commercially available. However, a
dedicated Webmaster with appropriate training is necessary to maintain the Web site.
Although the MYSound Web site is the primary data and information dissemination mechanism, not
everyone has access to the Internet. Data are also available in hard copy reports and technical
papers, as well as by access to archived time-series data on request via FTP (as described in Section
4.7). Other possible data dissemination mechanisms include telephone dial-up services, and
broadcasts via the local media.
PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
5-1 5
-------
rf <•:
COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH
This chapter presents the experience of MYSound in setting up and maintaining the communications
and outreach component of a marine environmental monitoring program. This component is
designed to cultivate interest in the monitoring network with potential partners and stakeholders,
make the public aware of the monitoring program and its value, and solicit feedback from users about the
usefulness of the program and how it could be improved. Section 6.1 provides tips on developing an out-
reach plan for the program, with a focus on working with partners, as well as determining target audiences,
messages, and outreach tools. Section 6.2 describes the challenge of evaluating the success of the monitoring
program.
Supplementary information about designing and implementing a communications program is available in
the handbook Communicators Guide for Federal, State, Regional, and Local Communicators published by the
Federal Communications Network (http://www.fcn.gov). Guidance on communications and outreach for
environmental projects is available through the EPA training program Getting In Step—A Guide to Effective
Outreach in Your Watershed (http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/gettinginstep). The following Web sites also
provide more ideas about how to write clearly and effectively for a general audience:
• The National Partnership for Reinventing Government's Writing User-Friendly Documents, available at
http://www.plainlanguage.gov
• The Web site of the American Bar Association has links to online style manuals, and grammar primers
at http://www. abanet. org/lpm/writing/styl. html
6.1 DEVELOPING A COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH
PROGRAM
Communication is at the heart of MYSound's mission: to provide the public with real-time information
on the water quality in Long Island Sound, and to educate the public about actions they can take to reduce
pollution in the Sound. An effective communications and outreach program, therefore, has been key to the
project's success. Some of the approaches and lessons learned in this area are described below.
6.1.1 PARTNERSHIPS IN OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
It can prove valuable in developing an outreach plan to invite other organizations to partner in planning and
implementing the outreach effort. Partners can participate in planning, product development and review,
and distribution. Partnerships can be valuable mechanisms for leveraging resources while enhancing the qual-
ity, credibility, and success of outreach efforts.
MYSound is a case in point. An important strategy in MYSound communications and outreach has been to
leverage the communications and outreach activities of key MYSound stakeholders and partners. Key part-
ners have included environmental and health agencies (EPA, Connecticut DEP, New York Department of
Environmental Conservation [DEC], Suffolk County Health Department); educational institutions
(Bridgeport Regional Vocational Aquaculture School in Bridgeport and The Sound School in New Haven);
teaching aquaria (the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk and the Mystic MarineLife Aquarium); and environ-
mental NGOs (Save the Sound, the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor, and Connecticut Coastal
Audubon Center). All of these agencies, institutions, and organizations have well-established communica-
tions and outreach programs of their own. Throughout the MYSound development process, the project team
has integrated MYSound communications and outreach with the activities of these organizations. Some spe-
cific examples of these collaborative activities are described in Section 6.1.2.
COMMUNICATION AND DUTREACH s-i
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6.1.2 MYSDUND AUDIENCE, MESSAGE, AND OUTREACH TOOLS
Broadly speaking, the target audience for the MYSound project is the general public, and particularly
an environmentally concerned public, that is attempting to understand ecosystem health in Long Island
Sound. This encompasses a diverse set of groups that use Long Island Sound for a variety of purposes; there-
fore, the MYSound message is presented in different formats and levels of technical complexity to reach these
groups. (For example, the Web site includes information that is readily accessible to the non-scientist, while
technical and scientific issues are addressed in greater depth at conferences for environmental managers and
marine educators.) The same will likely be true for similar projects in estuarine waters near urban coastlines.
MYSound's key outreach tool is its Web site, but the project has also undertaken several other communica-
tions and outreach initiatives. These initiatives fall into three categories, each targeted to a particular
stakeholder group: initiatives focusing on the scientific and technical community (including other
EMPACT projects), initiatives focusing on the educational community, and initiatives focusing on
interested citizens and the public at large
6.1.2.1 INITIATIVES FOCUSING ON THE SCIENTIFIC AND
TECHNICAL COMMUNITY
Outreach initiatives focusing on the scientific and technical community have consisted largely of presentations
at workshops and conferences, publication of arti-
cles in conference proceedings, and participation
in technical working groups dealing with marine
water quality monitoring. For instance, the
MYSound project team has made presentations on
the project at several EMPACT National
Conferences in Washington, Baltimore,
Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Boston; at the 2000
Long Island Sound (LIS) Research Conference in
Stamford; at the Oceans 2000 Conference in
Providence; and at the 2001 EMAP Conference in
Pensacola. Figure 6.1 shows the MYSound poster
presentation used at these conferences. The poster
presentation includes the poster itself as well as a Figure 6.1 MYSound poster presentation with MYSound Web
laptop presentation of the MYSound Web site (either site laptop demonstration and printed outreach material.
a real-time or archived presentation). A customized
poster presentation on the project was featured at the EPA's National Science Forum in Washington, DC in
May 2002. MYSound Project Summaries were also distributed at these conferences. Technical papers and arti-
cles on the project have been published in the proceedings of the 2000 Oceans Conference, the 2000 Long
Island Sound Research Conference, and the 2001 EMAP Conference. In addition, articles on the project were
published in Sea Technology magazine, which subsequently led to the project being featured on the cover of the
publication (see Figure 6.2), and in the Marine Technology Reporter published by the Massachusetts Ocean
Technology Network. All of these efforts have given the project significant visibility on a regional and national
level, and have facilitated networking activities.
The MYSound project team also participated in a two-day workshop on Volunteer Marine Water Quality
Monitoring sponsored by EPA and the Ocean Conservancy, and regularly participates in working groups
dealing with LIS environmental issues, such as the LIS Water Quality Monitoring Working Group and the
Science Advisory Committee of the Connecticut Coastal Audubon Center. This promotes awareness and
interaction with local stakeholders and has led to the recruitment of additional project partners.
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6.1.2.2 INITIATIVES FOCUSING ON THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY
MYSound has undertaken initiatives focusing on the
educational community to support marine science
education, particularly at the junior high and high school level.
Key educational partners in these efforts include the Bridgeport
Regional Vocational Aquaculture School, the Sound School,
and the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. These institutions are
providing feedback on how the project can support marine
education, and are assisting in the development of interpretive
material targeting educators and students. Other initiatives
under consideration include a series of guided Internet explo-
rations that will lead students through marine environmental
protection topical Web sites that discuss environmental prob-
lems and issues of importance in the Sound. MYSound is also
investigating the possibility of developing a series of classroom
exercises using Long Island Sound data to demonstrate various
scientific concepts.
In addition to providing educational material on the Web site,
MYSound has established connections with educators in indi-
vidual schools throughout the region by participating in the
biannual Long Island Sound Educators Conference and the
annual New York State Marine Educators Association
(NYSMEA) Conference. The project team also helped organize
a Marine Science Career Day at the University of Connecticut
at Avery Point for students from the Bridgeport Regional
Vocational Aquaculture School.
Perhaps the most significant networking initiative with educational stakeholders is the current effort to
transfer operating responsibility for the Bridgeport harbor monitoring station, and future stations in New
Haven and Norwalk harbor, to the three key educational stakeholders. This will not only provide hands-on
experience for teachers and students in marine water quality monitoring, but also promote the future sus-
tainability of these stations.
6.1.2.3 INITIATIVES FOCUSING ON THE GENERAL PUBLIC
In providing the real-time data and interpretive information to the public, MYSound recognizes that not
all individuals are aware of the project or have direct access to the Internet. To promote public awareness
of the project and provide for wider dissemination of MYSound data, the project has undertaken several
citizen-targeted activities. The first is the publication of newspaper and newsletter articles on the project.
Newspaper articles on the project, including two full-page feature articles, have been published in the
New London Day, the Hartford Courant, Connecticut Post (Bridgeport), Stamford Advocate, and New
York Times. In addition, articles on the project have been published in various regional newsletters such as
the Sound Bites newsletter published by Save the Sound, Sound Outlook published by Connecticut DEP,
and The Nor'caster published by New England Sea Grant.
MYSound has also developed a poster presentation for display and a brochure for distribution at public
events focusing on Long Island Sound. Such events have included the annual Long Island Sound Watershed
Alliance Conference and the Long Island Sound Day program held at the Mystic MarineLife Aquarium.
The brochure is included in Appendix B.
Figure 6.2 Cover of Sea Technology magazine
featuring the MYSound monitoring buoy
COMMUNICATION AND DUTREACH
6-3
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A third mechanism for reaching the public that was developed and tested as part of the project was a
computer-based public access kiosk that allowed public access to the MYSound Web site. Such a kiosk
was implemented at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. Although the kiosk did receive some attention
by aquarium visitors, it proved somewhat too technical for many of the visitors and was not entirely self-
promoting and self-explanatory (see "Lessons Learned" below). Therefore, it was discontinued in 2001
and plans for a similar kiosk at the Mystic MarineLife Aquarium were suspended.
Lessons Learned: MYSound's Public Access Kiosk
In 1999, MYSound set up a kiosk at Norwalk's Maritime Aquarium to provide direct public access to the
project Web site. In retrospect, MYSound has judged that it was not successful because it lacked the
explanation and sequencing that would have made it attractive to the broad audience visiting the
aquarium. In addition, it was a stand-alone exhibit not tied to any of the more visible aquarium
exhibits. A better approach would have been to offer a simplified exhibit that showed temperature,
salinity, and DO from an offshore monitoring station, and that also described how these parameters
affect species distribution and vitality. Such a kiosk could be incorporated directly into the Long Island
Sound fish species exhibit at the aquarium to emphasize the connection between water quality and
species health/diversity. In summary, MYSound learned that kiosk exhibits should be simple and
focused on a particular theme or concept to be popular in a public venue.
6.2 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND PUBLIC FEEDBACK
Another important aspect of any marine environmental monitoring program is capturing information
on the utility and effectiveness of the program and making adjustments and enhancements based on this
feedback. In the MYSound project, this is accomplished through the online user survey at the MYSound
Web site (See Figure 5.11), and through continuous user feedback through the Web site E-mail connection
to the Webmaster.
Figure 6.3 shows the current cumulative results of the MYSound User survey. As of 11/11/02, 495
individuals had responded to the survey. The demographics of the user community and information on
how they perceive the usefulness and user-friendliness are shown in the form of percent distribution bar
graphs for the number of individuals recording each response. The survey indicates, for instance, that 52%
of the responders were accessing the site for the first time. Responders learned of the site through a variety
of mechanisms including search engines, friends and colleagues, newspapers and TV, and links from other
Web sites. Most responders find the site both understandable and informative, and intend to return to the
site. Of those responders indicating a specific occupation, most were educators, researchers, and environ-
mental managers. Most responders live in Connecticut. Most responders are male (71%), and many
responders are between the ages of 36 and 55 (44%).
As for E-mail feedback, Appendix C provides a sampling of the comments and suggestions received.
Comments on the MYSound Web site have been generally favorable although not always providing great
detail. The real-time weather data appears to be a particularly valuable piece of information for many users.
The overall value of the Web site can be assessed by the fact that there are immediate inquiries from the
public when the stations are off-line for repair.
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CHAPTER 6
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FIGURE 6.3 RESULTS OF THE MYSauND USER FEEDBACK SURVEY
AVAILABLE AT THE MYSDUND WEB SITE
Response
first time
several/month
I/day
several/day
related activity
other
Response
job
school project
recreation
personal
other
Response
search engine
friend/colleague
teacher/professor
newspaper/tv
EPA materials
MYSound talk
web link
other
Visit Frequency
Number Percent Graph
256 52% ^^—
20%
5%
101
26
29 6%
46 9%
•3 f f Vo
Total Number of Responses: 495
Reason for Visit
Number Percent Graph
97 20% =
222 45%
33 7%
Total Number of Responses: 495
How Site Found
Number Percent Graph
69 14%
18%
5% —
17%
87
23
82
25
10
102
97
5%
2%
21%
20%
Total Number of Responses: 495
COMMUNICATION AND DUTREACH
6-5
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FIGURE 6.3 RESULTS OF THE MYSauND USER FEEDBACK SURVEY
AVAILABLE AT THE MYSauND WEB SITE (CONTINUED)
Response
everything
most things
few things
no opinion
Response
a lot
a little
nothing
no opinion
Response
many times
occasionally
never
no answer
Understanding
Number Percent Graph
186
198
38 8% =
73 15%
Total Number of Responses: 495
Learning
Number Percent Graph
226 46% ^^^^^^
171 35%^^^^^—
11 2%-
87 18% =
Total Number of Responses: 495
Return Plans
Number Percent Graph
215
219
11 2% =
50 10%
Total Number of Responses: 495
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FIGURE 6.3 RESULTS OF THE MYSOUND USER FEEDBACK SURVEY
AVAILABLE AT THE MYSOUND WEB SITE (CONTINUED)
Response
educator
researcher
env manager
env organization
marine transport
fisherman/aquaculture
marine equip/sensors
elmentary student
jr-sr high student
undergrad student
grad student
other marine
other non-marine
no answer
Occupation
Number Percent Graph
39
47
26
4
13
11
3
3
28
26
11
53
140
91
8%
1%
3%
1%'
6% =
28%
13%
Response
female
male
no answer
Total Number of Responses: 495
Gender
Number Percent Graph
113 23%^^^—
351 71%^^^^^—
31 6% =
Total Number of Responses: 495
COMMUNICATION AND DUTREACH
s-v
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FIGURE 6.3 RESULTS OF THE MYSauND USER FEEDBACK SURVEY
AVAILABLE AT THE MYSauND WEB SITE (CONTINUED)
Response
f^~r
L. 1
US
not in the US
no answer
Response
under 12
13-17
18-24
25-35
36-55
56-65
65 +
no answer
Location
Number Percent Graph
3 1%:
24 5%
Total Number of Responses: 495
Age
Number Percent Graph
S 2%-
24 5% —
38 8% ^"
c-i 1 no£
O 1 1U To
220 44%
24 5% —
57 12%^—
Total Number of Responses: 495
MYSound Home
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CHAPTER &
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Communication and Outreach: Key Points and Lessons Learned
Because of the goals of the EMPACT Program, communication and outreach are at the heart of the
MYSound mission: to provide the public with timely information on the water quality in Long Island
Sound, and to educate the public about actions they can take to reduce pollution in the Sound.
An effective communications and outreach program, therefore, is key to the project's success.
In designing a communications and outreach program, several key points must be considered:
An important strategy in designing and implementing the communications and outreach plan is to
leverage against the communications and outreach activities of key stakeholders and partners.
In formulating a communications and outreach plan for the monitoring program, several important
questions must be addressed:
What are the outreach goals?
• Who are the target audiences?
- What are the key messages and types of information to be delivered?
What outreach tools will be effective?
In addition to the monitoring project Web site, a number of communications and outreach tools
were used in the MYSound project. These included:
- Poster presentations at conferences and workshops
• Hard copy brochures and project summaries
Articles on the project in marine environmental and technical periodicals and newsletters
Papers submitted to conferences and workshops that were subsequently published in the
proceedings
-Articles in local newspapers and news features on local television stations
•An Internet-based kiosk at a regional aquarium
- Performance evaluation is a key component of any monitoring program. Two mechanisms success-
fully employed by MYSound are an online User Survey posted on the Web site, and E-mail feedback
provided through the Web site.
COMMUNICATION AND DUTREACH
6-9
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FUTURE DIRECTIONS: ENHANCING AND
SUSTAINING A MARINE WATER QUALITY
MONITORING NETWORK
This chapter presents information about making a marine monitoring program sustainable in the
long run, with an emphasis on the experience and explorations of the MYSound project in this area.
Section 7.1 places the issue of sustainability for a specific program in the context of international,
national, and local initiatives. Section 7.2 describes actions that MYSound is taking to enhance and expand
its network, with an emphasis on the concept of "distributed stewardship." Section 7.3 focuses on future
opportunities and initiatives that MYSound and other monitoring programs can consider to sustain this
work into the future.
7.1 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE
MYSOUNDPROJECT
Establishing the MYSound network is a significant accomplishment, but maintaining and expanding it over
time will be even more challenging. Sustainability is important for several reasons. First, implementing a
regional, ecosystem-wide real-time monitoring network contributes to the national strategy and approach,
described below, of providing longer term, multi-parameter environmental monitoring data. Second, the
development of MYSound and other such monitoring programs represents a significant up-front investment
of money and effort. This investment includes not only equipment, which is readily replaceable, but also
expertise, experience, cooperation, and project visibility and momentum, which are not easily rebuilt.
Finally, if the monitoring network becomes inactive due to lack of funding, a continuity gap in the data
would occur, limiting the value of the data obtained before and after this monitoring gap.
EPA's EMPACT program provided the primary funding to initiate the MYSound project. This program-spe-
cific funding, while substantial, had a finite lifetime as EPA moves on to address other problems and issues.
This is typical of most federally funded monitoring efforts (except for compliance monitoring, where the
costs are borne largely by the municipalities and companies being monitored). The challenge in sustaining
the MYSound effort is to develop a more diverse funding base by integrating the MYSound monitoring
effort with other initiatives, and expanding the range of data and information disseminated to serve a wider
group of users. It is hoped that these users can support the operation and maintenance of the network
through direct funding and in-kind logistics support. Partnerships and leveraging of resources will be the key
to success.
Coincidentally, a number of international and national initiatives are calling for partnerships in establishing
and maintaining coastal marine monitoring networks like the MYSound network. On the international
level, the world oceanographic community is moving steadily forward in implementing the concept of the
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). GOOS is a global ocean monitoring network that acquires and
disseminates data in near real time to support:
• Weather forecasts and climate predictions.
• Now-casting (providing information on current conditions) and forecasting for safe marine operations,
mitigation of natural hazards, and national security.
• The detection and prediction of effects of human activities and climate change on marine ecosystems
and living resources.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS v-i
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The system will assimilate data from in situ sensors mounted on a wide range of platforms (towed instru-
ment packages, fixed moorings, drifters, autonomous underwater vehicles [AUVs] and remotely operated
vehicles [ROVs]) and from aircraft and satellite remote sensors that transmit data in real time. Advanced
data assimilation and modeling techniques will be used to analyze and synthesize the data into decision-
making tools to support marine operations, environmental management, and basic research. It is envisioned
that the coastal components of GOOS (C-GOOS) will be similar to MYSound in function and configura-
tion. GOOS hopes to build on existing programs, including MYSound, to develop the global system.
On a national scale, enhanced long-term coastal monitoring efforts are called for in the Coastal Research and
Monitoring Strategy developed under the Clean Water Action Plan (CWAP). In implementing this monitor-
ing scheme the CWAP Coastal Strategy calls for expansion and enhancement of monitoring efforts by:
• Coordinating coastal monitoring and research activities to provide useful information on which to base
coastal management decisions.
• Expanding federal coastal programs to focus on urgent issues (e.g. harmful algal blooms, shellfish
mortality, habitat restoration).
• Building and expanding partnerships among federal, state, tribal, local, and business stakeholders to
achieve clean water and public health goals in the coastal zone.
It should be noted that the Clean Water Action Plan stresses the importance of adopting a watershed
approach in setting priorities and taking action to clean up rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. The plan also
calls for collaborative effort on the part of government, industry and the public at large in sustaining water
quality.
In addition to international and national programs, local monitoring efforts are expanding rapidly under
the auspices of municipalities, colleges and universities, and volunteer water quality monitoring efforts
sponsored by regional and local environmental NGOs. These efforts provide additional data on site-specific
environmental trends and can be integrated into federal data sets if appropriate QA/QC protocols are
followed. In addition, these local efforts represent a powerful constituency for the broader-scale federal and
state monitoring programs.
Crucial to achieving long-term sustainability within the MYSound project will be achieving consistency
with the longer term goals, objectives, and strategies of GOOS and the Clean Water Action Plan, and
integrating with other marine environmental monitoring efforts on a national, regional, watershed, and
local basis.
7.2 CURRENT ACTIONS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE
THE MYSDUND NETWORK
In 2001 and 2002, the MYSound project investigated the addition of several additional stations to the
inshore portion of the MYSound network under the "distributed stewardship" concept. Under this concept,
members of the MYSound project team at the University of Connecticut (UConn) will hand off the
day-to-day maintenance of the inshore stations to the local partners (or in some cases a coalition of part-
ners), while still maintaining the MYSound Web site and the offshore (mid-Sound) stations. The consensus
of the MYSound partners was that they were amenable to the concept if funding were available to provide
the basic inshore station equipment (buoy [if needed]), sensors, data processor, telemetry package, modem,
etc.) as currently in place in Hempstead Harbor, Bridgeport Harbor, and the Thames River.
The MYSound team prepared several proposals outlining this concept and submitted them to the Long
Island Sound Study Management Committee and the EMPACT program for consideration in 2001. In the
fall of 2001 the project was able to acquire funding under the EMPACT Integration/Networking program.
7-2 CHAPTER 7
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In addition, the project was able to acquire some additional funding under the Long Island Sound Study
to support the Web site and maintain the current offshore stations. This meant that while the future of
MYSound had been uncertain in June 2001, the network now could be maintained and even expanded
under the "distributed stewardship" concept in 2002 and 2003, as described in more detail in Section 7.2.2.
7.2.1 ENHANCEMENT DF THE DFFSHDRE NETWORK TD
SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEM ENT AN D
MARITIME OPERATIONS PLANNING
By the end of 2002, MYSound will have three oceanographic and two meteorological stations operational
along the axis of the Sound with data displayed on the MYSound Web site. The oceanographic monitoring
stations will be operating at the eastern Corps of Engineers dredged material disposal site off New London,
at the midpoint of the Sound near New Haven (Central LIS station), and in the western Sound near
Greenwich. Oceanographic parameters measured will be temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and current
speed and direction. A chlorophyll a and nutrient sensor may be added to one or more stations. The meteo-
rological stations will be established on a Central Offshore LIS station in the vicinity of New Haven and in
the Eastern Sound at New London Ledge Light. Meteorological parameters will include air temperature,
humidity, barometric pressure, and wind speed and direction. At the Central LIS station, wave height will
be measured as well. The temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient data will be useful in inter-
preting long-term changes and trends in the Sound's water quality through correlation with Sound-wide
water quality surveys conducted by EPA, Connecticut DEP, and New York DEC under the Long Island
Sound Study.
7.2.2 EXPANSION OF THE INSHORE NETWORK AND
INTEGRATION WITH WATERSHED, RIVER, AND
HARBOR MONITORING EFFORTS
To increase outside involvement and expand the number of stations that can be supported, the project has
developed and is testing the concept of "distributed stewardship" of the inshore stations. The MYSound
project team will assemble and deploy the station, or facilitate the assembly and deployment of the station
by a local agency or organization, but then that agency or organization (or a coalition of several
agencies/organizations) will operate and maintain the station. The local entity will also be responsible for
water quality sampling, possibly through a local municipal or volunteer water quality sampling program
(such as those sponsored by Save the Sound, Inc.). The data telemetry links will be installed and maintained
by the MYSound project team so that the data can be made available in real time on the MYSound Web
site. The project team would also provide technical consultation and data interpretation support.
The incorporation of the Hempstead Harbor station into the network was MYSound's first attempt at
distributed stewardship of a monitoring station and proved successful.
By the end of 2002, five "distributed stewardship" monitoring stations will be up and running along the
Connecticut shoreline and on the coast of Long Island:
• New London Harbor (Thames River), already deployed.
• Bridgeport Harbor, already deployed.
• Hempstead Harbor, already deployed but currently offline due to a collision by a barge.
• Norwalk Harbor (Norwalk River), scheduled for deployment in fall 2002.
• New Haven Harbor, scheduled for deployment in spring 2003.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS v-3
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Having additional inshore stations in the various rivers, estuaries, and harbors throughout the Sound will
provide valuable information on overall water quality status and trends, but also provide information on
local water quality useful to municipalities, researchers, and NGOs on a site-specific basis. In the future, it
would also be useful to establish monitoring stations further upstream in the major watersheds monitored
within the MYSound project to document the watershed contributions to pollutants in the Sound.
Figure 7.1 shows the comprehensive array of water quality, oceanographic and meteorological monitoring
stations throughout the Sound anticipated by the end of December 2002. Having these stations in place
will set the stage for longer term development of the network as described in Section 7.3.
FIGURE 7. 1
MAP SHOWING THE LOCATION OF MYSOUND
MONITORING STATIONS ANTICIPATED BY DECEMBER 2OO2
41.4
41.2 -
41.0
40.8
-73.8 -73.6 -73.4 -73.2 -73.0 -72.8 -72.6 -72.4 -72.2 -72.0 -71
Cunent Jy Deployed Water Quality Monitoring Station
• Proposed Water Quality Monitoring Station
Currently Deployed Meteorological Station
7.3 LONGER TERM
ENHANCE THE
OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND AND
MYSOUNDNETWORK
MYSound is actively pursuing several opportunities to collaborate with other organizations and agencies
to expand and enhance the monitoring network. One such opportunity involves the NOAA Physical
Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) project (http://co-ops.nos.noaa,.gov/d_[>orts.html). The wind
and water quality data acquired at the MYSound meteorological and oceanographic stations are of direct
value to the maritime transportation industry, fishing vessels, and recreational boaters. In this regard, the
MYSound offshore stations are similar in function to the stations deployed through PORTS, which also
gather and disseminate, in real time, current, wind, and tide data in a number of port areas around the
country. NOAA has established a PORTS Station in New Haven, which measures wind speed and direction
and tide level. An excellent opportunity for integrating the MYSound and PORTS projects lies in cross-
linking all of the MYSound offshore monitoring stations with the NOAA PORTS Web site to form
a combined data source for Long Island Sound. It would also be desirable to establish wave sensors at the
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CHAPTER 7
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offshore MYSound sites to be available for commercial vessels, fishing boats, and recreational boaters.
(A wave sensor and meteorological sensors are being added to the sensor array for the Central LIS Offshore
station near New Haven; they may eventually be added to other stations if funding becomes available.)
Access to these data could be obtained through the MYSound Web site, the NOAA PORTS site, or a
dial-up telephone number.
MYSound is investigating collaboration with NOAA in expanding and supporting the offshore network.
Such collaboration has already been initiated, in that NOAA provided the buoy hull for the Central
Offshore LIS station. The meteorological and oceanographic data from the Central Offshore LIS buoy will
be shared with NOAA. MYSound also has collaborated with NOAA in developing funding proposals for the
MYSound project's offshore component.
The offshore oceanographic and meteorological data could also be used in hydrodynamic models to produce
now-casts and forecasts of the current regime in the Sound for planning maritime transportation and pre-
dicting the transport of pollutants in the Sound. Several models are available (at UConn and elsewhere) that
could be adapted to this application. Current vector maps could be provided over the Internet on the
MYSound home page and could be downloaded by environmental
managers and maritime users.
Satellite and aircraft remote sensing images of Long Island Sound are an additional data source that could be
integrated with the MYSound real-time monitoring data. Remote sensing imagery can often help in explain-
ing the scope and causes of phenomena that are detected in the real-time time series. They also
facilitate visualization of circulation patterns and water property changes in the Sound on a seasonal basis.
If the "distributed stewardship" concept proves viable in the long term, it is likely that other local govern-
ments, educational institutions, and NGOs will seek to establish monitoring stations in their own estuaries,
rivers, and harbors. Other collaborative inshore station and upstream watershed monitoring station possibili-
ties include:
• A station in the Housatonic River Estuary at Milford Point in collaboration with the Connecticut
Coastal Audubon Center and the Housatonic Valley Association.
• An upstream station in the Housatonic River Watershed in collaboration with Connecticut DEP,
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Housatonic Valley Association.
• Two stations in the Connecticut River (an estuary station near Essex and an upstream station just
below Hartford) in collaboration with the Connecticut River Museum, Connecticut DEP, and USGS.
• A station in the upper Thames River at Norwich in collaboration with Connecticut DEP, USGS,
and the Thames River Basin Partnership.
• A station in the Pawcatuck River estuary in collaboration with the Connecticut DEP and Pawcatuck
Watershed Partnership.
• Additional stations along the north coast of Long Island in collaboration with New York DEC, State
University of New York (SUNY), municipalities, and local New York environmental NGOs.
The initial monitoring station deployments under MYSound focused on establishing static stations that
would record environmental parameters at a specific location over a long period of time (one or more years).
However, there are times when intensive real-time sampling may be required to provide supporting data for
a specific research project or investigate the cause of a specific environmental problem (e.g. a Harmful Algal
Bloom [HAB] or lobster die-off as experienced in LIS over the past year). To support this application, it would
be ideal to have one or more monitoring stations that could be equipped with a tailored suite of sensors and
rapidly deployed to provide the required data. An automated water sampling system could be included in the
station for QA/QC. These "roving stations" could be deployed on several days' notice and remain on scene for
FUTURE DIRECTIONS v-5
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a period of several days to several months. Because of their changing location, they would have to be operated
and maintained by UConn. MYSound is exploring this option with EPA, Connecticut DEP, New York DEC,
and university researchers interested in conducting studies around the Sound.
An important aspect of the MYSound project is providing a venue and test platforms for new water quality
sensors and monitoring systems. As the system matures, MYSound will actively seek opportunities for the
stations to serve as a sensor test-bed. MYSound will pursue this in collaboration with EPA and the Office of
Naval Research (ONR), their research laboratories, and EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)
Program, a government-industry consortium designed to test and verify the performance of new water moni-
toring technologies. A program will be investigated whereby prototype sensors would be solicited for testing.
These sensors would be screened and pre-tested by EPA, ONR, and the ETV consortium as appropriate.
Sensors and systems deemed to be applicable to coastal monitoring, and judged to be fully operational,
would be tested in the field on MYSound stations. Federal funding will be sought to cover the cost of
testing so that there is added incentive for sensor development companies to participate in the program.
Another important component of the MYSound project from its outset has been education and public
outreach. MYSound will seek to expand this component by linking its efforts with those of other academic
institutions and public outreach organizations. The project will work with the Bridgeport Regional
Vocational Aquaculture School, the Sound School, and Project Oceanology to expand and refine the
educational material available on the MYSound Web site. The project will also investigate the possibility of
establishing a Long Island Sound topics lecture series that could be accessed through the Web site, as well as
developing hands-on tutorials and exercises that use MYSound's real-time data to explain and demonstrate
oceanographic and meteorological concepts.
MYSound also plans to intensify its efforts to network with other coastal marine environmental monitoring
efforts in the Northeast and around the country and tie into the rapidly forming C-GOOS initiative.
MYSound anticipates developing a proposal for an expanded MYSound network under the National Ocean
Partnership Program or other major federal coastal monitoring programs. This effort will serve as a prototype
for a large estuarine GOOS coastal monitoring component. MYSound plans to formulate this proposal as a
joint effort with NOAA and EPA, Connecticut DEP and New York DEC, SUNY at Stonybrook, and
several environmental NGOs around the Sound. Ultimately, the goal is to implement a comprehensive Long
Island Sound Estuarine Observing System similar to the system established in Chesapeake Bay, and currently
under development in the Gulf of Maine.
Finally, MYSound recognizes that to sustain and enhance the project, marketing and proposal writing
are as important as equipment maintenance, data dissemination, and QA/QC. MYSound approaches
project outreach and development as focused and continuous efforts, not just collateral activities
undertaken at the end of each fiscal year. Communications and outreach material are kept up to date
and disseminated to potential funding organizations. Pre-proposals and white papers on the project
are prepared in advance so that they can be quickly modified and submitted as a proposal if a funding
opportunity is identified.
y-s CHAPTER 7
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Sustaining a Marine Water Quality Monitoring Network:
Key Points and Lessons Learned
Sustainability is often a critical issue with regional or local marine environmental monitoring
programs, since most programs are initiated with federal funding that provides support for one
to five years. After that, the programs must become self-sustaining on a regional or local basis.
The challenge in sustaining the MYSound effort is to develop a stable, ongoing source (or sources)
of funding and in-kind support. To this end, MYSound is working to craft a strategic plan which it
can promulgate to other agencies and organizations that may be interested in and capable of
providing support; facilitate the development of partnerships to strengthen the project; and coordinate
the development of a Sustainability Master Plan and specific proposals to obtain future support.
Partnering with other agencies, institutions, and private organizations is the key to success.
Partnering brings in fresh ideas and perspectives to the project, increases access to potential fund-
ing, and often provides in-kind support that can drastically reduce the need for direct annual funding.
Potential MYSound partnerships that can broaden and strengthen the project include tying offshore
stations to NOAA PORTS and expanding monitoring into watersheds in collaboration with upstream
stakeholders. MYSound has found partnership opportunities through such activities as attending
workshops and conferences and becoming involved in the programs of potential partners.
Distributed stewardship provides the most promising approach in sustaining the local inshore and
harbor stations. Through this approach, the MYSound project team at UConn will hand off the day-to-
day maintenance of the inshore stations to the local partners (or in some cases a coalition of
partners), while UConn maintains the MYSound Web site and the offshore (mid-Sound) stations. In
addition, partners will seek their own maintenance funding from local stakeholders.
The key to acquiring funding is maintaining a constant awareness of funding opportunities that may
become available. This requires constant networking with potential funding agencies and organiza-
tions and being persistent in following up on funding leads. Rather than trying to fund the project
under one large grant, it is often more feasible and expedient to define the project in several compo-
nents and seek funding for each separately. This may require modifying the focus of the project
somewhat, but this will not detract from the project as long as the overall goals are being met.
Marketing and proposal writing are as important as equipment maintenance, data dissemination, and
QA/QC. Project outreach and development must be focused and continuous, and not just collateral
activities undertaken at the end of each fiscal year. Communications and outreach material must be
kept up to date and disseminated to potential funding organizations. Pre-proposals and white papers
on the project should be prepared in advance so that they can be quickly modified and submitted as a
proposal if a funding opportunity is identified.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
7-7
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APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY
Acid: A solution that is a proton (H+) donor and has a pH less than 7 on a scale of 0-14. The lower the pH
the greater the acidity of the solution.
Acidity: A measure of how acid a solution may be. A solution with a pH of less than 7.0 is considered
acidic. Solutions with a pH of less than 4.5 contain acidity (due to strong inorganic acids), while a solution
having a pH greater than 8.3 contains no acidity.
Algae: Simple single-celled, colonial, or multi-celled, aquatic plants. Aquatic algae are (mostly) microscopic
plants that contain chlorophyll and grow by photosynthesis, and lack roots and stems (non-vascular), and
leaves. They absorb nutrients (carbon dioxide, nitrate, ammonium, phosphate and micronutrients) from the
water or sediments, add oxygen to the water, and are usually the major source of organic matter at the base
of the food web in water bodies. Freely suspended forms are called phytoplankton; forms attached to rocks,
stems, twigs, and bottom sediments are called periphyton.
Algal blooms: Excessive growths of algae caused by excessive nutrient loading.
Alkalinity: Acid neutralizing or buffering capacity of water; a measure of the ability of water to resist
changes in pH caused by the addition of acids; in natural waters it is due primarily to the presence of bicar-
bonates, carbonates and to a much lesser extent occasionally borates, silicates, and phosphates. It is expressed
in units of milligrams per liter (mg/1) of CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) or as microequivalents per liter (ueq/1)
where 20 ueq/1 = 1 mg/1 of CaCO3. A solution having a pH below about 5 contains no alkalinity.
Anoxia: Condition of being without dissolved oxygen (O2).
Anoxic: Completely lacking in oxygen.
Anthropogenic: Caused by human activity.
Aquaculture: The cultivation of the natural produce of water, such as fish and shellfish.
Attenuation: Decrease.
Base: A substance which accepts protons (H+) and has a pH greater than 7 on a scale of 0-14; also referred
to as an alkaline substance.
Basin: Geographic land area draining into a lake or river; also referred to as drainage basin or watershed.
Bathymetry: Measurement of the depth of large bodies of water.
Biofouling: The deterioration of instrumentation when it becomes covered with organisms such as bacteria,
algae, or fungi.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): A measure of the amount of oxygen that organisms would require to
decompose organic material in the water column and in chemical oxidation of inorganic matter.
A high BOD is indicative of high levels of pollution.
C
Carbon dioxide: A gas which is colorless and odorless; when dissolved in water it becomes carbonic acid;
CO2 is assimilated by plants for photosynthesis in the "dark" cycles of photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll a: A green pigment in phytoplankton that transforms light energy into chemical energy in
photosynthesis.
GLOSSARY A-I
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Conductivity: A measure of water's ability to conduct an electrical current based on its ion content. It is a
good estimator of the amount of total dissolved solids or total dissolved ions in water.
Convection Currents: Air or water movement caused by changes in density or thermal (temperature) gradients.
D
Decomposition: The breakdown of organic matter by bacteria and fungi.
Density: The mass of a substance or organism per unit volume (kg/cubic meter; grams/liter).
Diffusion: The movement of a substance from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentra-
tion. Turbulent diffusion, or mixing, results from atmospheric motions (wind) diffusing water, vapor, heat,
and other chemical components by exchanging parcels called eddies between regions in space in apparent
random fashion. Molecular diffusion, which operates in stagnant zones, such as at the bottom sediment-
water boundary in a deep lake, occurs much, much more slowly and so is important only on a very small
scale such as right at the bottom.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO or O2): The concentration of free (not chemically combined) molecular oxygen
(a gas) dissolved in water, usually expressed in milligrams per liter, parts per million, or percent of
saturation. Adequate concentrations of dissolved oxygen are necessary for the life of fish and other aquatic
organisms and the prevention of offensive odors. DO levels are considered the most important and com-
monly employed measurement of water quality and indicator of a water body's ability to support desirable
aquatic life. Levels above 5 milligrams per liter (mg O2/L) are considered optimal and most fish cannot
survive for prolonged periods at levels below 3 mg O2/L. Levels below 1 mg O2/L are often referred to as
hypoxic and when O2 is totally absent anoxic (often called anaerobic which technically means without air).
Dissolved Solids Concentration: The total mass of dissolved mineral constituents or chemical compounds
in water; they form the residue that remains after evaporation and drying. Often referred to as the total
dissolved solids (TDS) concentration or dissolved ion concentration. In seawater or brackish water this is
approximated by the salinity of the water. All of these parameters are estimated by the electrical
conductivity (EC).
E
Ecosystem: All of the interacting organisms in a defined space in association with their interrelated physical
and chemical environment.
Estuary: A semi-enclosed coastal body of water that has free connection with the open sea and within which
sea water is measurably diluted with fresh water derived from land drainage.
Eutrophication: The process by which a water body is enriched by nutrients (usually phospohorus and
nitrogen) which leads to excessive plant growth.
Evaporation: The process of converting liquid to vapor.
F
Food chain: The transfer of food energy from plants through herbivores to carnivores. An example: insect-
fish-bear or the sequence of algae being eaten by zooplankton (grazers; herbivores) which in turn are eaten
by small fish (planktivores; predators) which are then eaten by larger fish (piscivores; fish eating predators)
and eventually by people or other predators (fish-eating birds, mammals, and reptiles).
G
H
Hydrogen: Colorless, odorless and tasteless gas; combines with oxygen to form water.
Hypoxia: Low dissolved oxygen levels.
A-z APPENDIX A
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Impervious surfaces: Land surfaces such as roads, parking lots, buildings, etc that prevent rainwater from
soaking into the soil. The water increases in velocity causing more erosion; it warms causing potential heat
stress for downstream trout; it picks up roadway contaminants; and the loss of vegetation removes a "sink"
for dissolved nutrients—plant uptake.
Indicator bacteria: Microorganisms whose presence indicates that fecal contamination has occurred.
Inorganic: Substances of mineral, not carbon origin.
Ion: An electrically charged particle.
J
K
L
Land use: The primary or primary and secondary uses of land, such as cropland, woodland, pastureland,
forest, water (lakes, wetlands, streams), etc. The description of a particular land use should convey the
dominant character of a geographic area and establish the dominant types of human activities which are
prevalent in each region.
M
N
Nonpoint source: Diffuse source of pollutant(s); not discharged from a pipe; associated with land use such
as agriculture or contaminated groundwater flow or on-site septic systems.
Nutrient loading: Discharging of nutrients from the watershed (basin) into a receiving water body;
expressed usually as mass per unit area per unit time (kg/ha/yr or Ibs/acre/year).
D
Organic: Substances which contain carbon atoms and carbon-carbon bonds.
Outliers: Data points that lie outside of the normal range of data. Ideally, outliers must be determined by
a statistical test before they can be removed from a data set.
Oxygen: An odorless, colorless gas; combines with hydrogen to form water (H2O); essential for aerobic
respiration.
Oxygen Solubility: The ability of oxygen gas to dissolve into water.
P
Parameter: Whatever it is you measure; a particular physical, chemical, or biological property that is being
measured.
Pathogens: Disease-causing organisms.
pH scale: A scale used to determine the alkaline or acidic nature of a substance. The scale ranges from 1-14
with 1 being the most acidic and 14 the most basic. Pure water is neutral with a pH of 7.
Phosphorus: Key nutrient influencing plant growth in lakes. Soluble reactive phosphorus (PO^3) is the
amount of phosphorus in solution that is available to plants. Total phosphorus includes the amount of
phosphorus in solution (reactive) and in particulate form.
GLOSSARY
A-3
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Photosynthesis: The process by which green plants convert carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolved in water to sug-
ars and oxygen using sunlight for energy. Photosynthesis is essential in producing a lake's food base, and is
an important source of oxygen for many lakes.
Phytoplankton: Microscopic floating plants, mainly algae, that live suspended in bodies of water and that
drift about because they cannot move by themselves or because they are too small or too weak to swim
effectively against a current.
ppb: Part-per-billion; equivalent to a microgram per liter (ug/1).
ppm: Part-per-million; equivalent to a milligram per liter (mg/1).
Pressure (p): The force exerted per unit area.
Pycnocline: A separation between two layers of different densities.
Q
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC): QA/QC procedures are used to ensure that data are accurate,
precise, and consistent. QA/QC involves following established rules in the field and in the laboratory to
ensure that samples are representative of the water being monitored, free from contamination, and analyzed
following standard procedures.
R
S
Salinity: The amount of salts dissolved in water expressed in parts per thousand (ppt).
Sonde: A multiple sensor, fully integrated water quality monitoring instrument.
Stormwater discharge: Precipitation and snowmelt runoff from roadways, parking lots, roof drains that is
collected in gutters and drains; a major source of nonpoint source pollution to water bodies.
Stratification: An effect where a substance or material is broken into distinct horizontal layers due to different
characteristics such as density or temperature.
Stratified: Separated into distinct layers.
T
Telemetry: The science of automatic measurement and transmission of data by wire, radio, or other methods
from remote sources.
Thermocline: An interface where temperature changes rapidly with depth.
Tidal flushing: The net transport for water (and sediments and contaminants) out of an estuary with tidal
flow and river flow.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): The amount of dissolved substances, such as salts or minerals, in water
remaining after evaporating the water and weighing the residue.
Trophic levels: The levels of nourishment within an ecological system (producers, consumers, scavengers,
decomposers), describing how energy is transferred within food webs and chains.
Turbidity: A measure of water clarity (degree to which light is blocked because water is muddy or cloudy).
U
V
A-4 APPENDIX A
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w
Water column: A conceptual column of water from surface to bottom sediments.
Water density: The ratio of water's mass to its volume; water is the most dense at four degrees Celsius.
Watershed: All land and water areas that drain toward a water body; also called drainage basin or water basin.
X
Y
Z
GLOSSARY
A-5
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APPENDIX B: MYSDUND OUTREACH BROCHURE (OUTSIDE)
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APPENDIX B: MYSDUND OUTREACH BROCHURE (INSIDE)
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APPENDIX B
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APPENDIX C: SELECTED E-MAIL MESSAGES FROM
MYSDUND USERS COMMENTING ON
THE PROJECT WEB SITE
1999
###
This is a great site! Thanks for putting it up. I accessed it because I love the sound...spend my summer
vacation on the sound and visit it whenever else I can. Also, I have recently become interested in certain
minerals I find in sand deposits near the mouth of the CT river. I was hoping the site would show currents
near the mouth of the river. My theory is that the minerals come down the river from somewhere. Knowing
how the currents move would help me look for other sites where I could find (or NOT find) the minerals,
to confirm my theory. I am not a scientist or a student or anything...just a curious, middle-aged "geology
junkie" with a degree in English. Will your site eventually offer this information? If not, do you know of
anywhere else I can get this information? Would the DEP have maps? Would NOAA have maps? I am, like,
clue-less. Thanks, Katie
###
To Whom it May Concern,
This site is incredible! What a use of technology to transmit real time data about the sound posted in 15
minute intervals. I am a Sound enthusiast and boater and would like a little better information as to how
real time data affects water quality, i.e. - An acceptable range of salinity is ### to ###, or O2 should be
within a certain range etc.
***
Many thanks for sharing this valuable information. I am a local that fishes in the sound alot and always
am interested in wind, water temp, currents(not tides), etc. I will share this great find with my friends.
I was out fishing last Friday and heard a couple of local charter captains chatting. One mentioned he
checked out your site and thought it was neat. Just thought you should know.
***
I am a coastal researcher with Mass. Coastal Zone Management and I was very much pleased with your web
site. We currently are monitoring via telemetry buoy systems, the lower Taunton River in Massachusetts and
will be adding two additional buoys in the Upper Mount Hope Bay region of Narragansett Bay. We would
like to get the data out on our web page (www.state.ma.us/czm/) in a manner similar to your format. Is this
format available for adapting to our region? It would be nice if similar projects had similar formats. What
are the types (or brands) of buoys you are using? sensors? We currently use a Endeco/YSI Environmental
Monitoring Module with there sonde units.
Thanks in advance to any of the information you could provide.
2000
###
As a local mariner, it would be helpful to get readings such as wave height and wind speed and direction
from your NL Dumping Grounds buoy.**
###
I am helping develop a site that monitors water quality and conditions for the local rivers. I saw your site
and was wondering, what did you use to generate the gauges and meters? We want to do something similar
and are looking at Macromedia Flash and Generator.
USER E-MAIL MESSAGES
c-i
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I am working on a water quality monitoring project on the Neuse River, and I happened to come across
your MySound website, and I particularly liked the graphs you presented on the site.
I was wondering what you were using to graph your data. I know you are using YSI probes, so are you
using standard YSI software, or something else? We are using RTDM, a package put out by Campbell,
which I am looking to find an alternative for.
Thanks for your help, and I really like the way your site is set up.
***
I am a researcher at UNC at Chapel Hill, and I come up to Connecticut periodically to collect some
estuarine animals. I love your MYSOUND website for its real time data on water temperature...and was
wondering if you had archived some of that data for the past 3 years. It would help me out tremendously to
see it.
***
Excellent site. Any way to access wind speed data for immediately preceding week (or other time period).
This would be a useful feature on a continuing basis. The archived data is great but it's from too far back.
I would very much like to obtain the hourly wind speed readings for Saturday, May 6 from 12 noon - 6 pm
for Avery Point (or lower Thames.)
Thanks.
***
Thank you for the great resource you are providing. I just checked out the page and will definitely use it
with my oceanography classes next year. I love the data displays, but was wondering if there is a way to get
more data. I would love to be able to easily display seasonal or tidal changes in a single station or across
stations. Is this data available? Thank you Mike
***
I am a graduate student at Pace University and I am completing a laboratory experiment to determine
Nitrite concentration. I chose 2 locations in CT on the Long Island Sound and I am trying to get some ref-
erence information on what is the standard Nitrite(nitrogen) concentration.
Can you provide any assistance? I have been all over the world wide web looking up data and have found
nothing. I would appreciate any help you can provide.
2001
***
Hi,
Anyway to put ups some webcams looking at the sound? I see Maine and Maryland have lots of websites
showing the coast line. I even found an under water cam located in a lobster pot in Maine!
***
I have been looking at your MySound website, and that is how I found your email address. I am involved in
the National Estuarine Research Reserve monitoring project, have been for a number of years. We have a
system of YSI 6600 dataloggers that transmit data to a lab computer via a series of 1240 radios, antennas,
etc. We have been trying to get someone to help us post this data on a website in real time, similarly to
what you have done. The major stumbling block seems to be the type of file that is received by the lab com-
puter. A binary file I believe. So I was wondering if you use the same type of software that we do, to collect
and monitor the data and if so, was it difficult to
c-z APPENDIX C
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interface it with the Campbell software. Or maybe you could put me in touch with someone who can help
me send this effort in the right direction. Currently I am using the DOS version of Ecowatch to actually col-
lect and display the data.
Thanks.
###
I'm a Television Meteorologist for News 12 Connecticut in Norwalk and I just wanted to compliment all
hands on the awesome MySound site!! I have been searching high and low for real-time local Long Island
Sound water temp data to help in formulating my forecasts until now that is!!! I happened to find your
site through the use of GOOGLE as a search engine! Again great job on not only the site, but the work that
goes into maintaining those data collection points!!!
2002
###
Please advise if fish and/or seafood can be eaten from the Long Island Sound. I am especially concerned with
lobsters and clams.
Thank you, and a big hug.
###
Hello,
I am doing a science project for school on water pollution. I was going to get samples of water fro different
bodies of water, like the Long Island Sound, and set them to a lab to see if the samples contain e-coli. I would
like to know before I do this project if you think that I will have a successful project (would I find e-coli?}.
If you could please e mail me back any information involving this e mail or my topic it would be greatly appre-
ciated.
Thank you
USER E-MAIL MESSAGES
C-3
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APPENDIX D: CASE STUDIES OF RELATED COASTAL
MONITORING PROGRAMS
For the purpose of comparison with the MYSound program, the following short case studies of similar
EMPACT programs may be of interest to the reader:
D.I JEFFERSON PARIS H—LO U I SIANA PROJECT
Wetland loss along the Louisiana coastal zone is one of the state's most pressing environmental concerns.
Although numerous factors have contributed to this loss, perhaps the most significant is the leveeing of the
Mississippi River for flood control. Construction of the levy has blocked the river's historic spring overflows
and thus impeded the rush of marsh-supporting fresh water, nutrients, and sediment to the coastal zone.
One of the strategies for reversing the recent loss of wetlands in coastal Louisiana is to partially restore some
of the natural flow of fresh water into these ecosystems. One such project is the Davis Pond Freshwater
Diversion Project, which will divert up to 80,000 gallons per second of river water into the Barataria Bay
estuary. Some citizens, however, are concerned that the freshwater diversion will have a negative effect on
the estuary. They are concerned about the effect that nutrient-rich river water may have on water quality
(perhaps by causing harmful phytoplankton blooms).
The EMPACT project in Jefferson Parish has involved monitoring water quality before and after the fresh
water diversion in order to assess its effect. The Jefferson Parish project supplies water quality data to the
public nearly as quickly as they are collected. Data collection consists of automated time-series water sam-
pling, manual field sampling of water, and remote sensing using satellites. The automated sampling
procedure regularly checks water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductance, pH, and turbidity. The man-
ual field sampling tests salinity, pH, chlorophyll a levels, suspended matter, carbon levels, nutrient levels,
and phytoplankton identification. The remote sensing instruments used in the Jefferson Parish project are
the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the Orbview-2 SeaWiFS ocean
color sensor.
Results are primarily reported to the public through the Jefferson Parish Web site, accessible at
http://www.jefff>arish.net/pages/index.cfm?DocID=l430. The Jefferson Parish outreach strategy also involves
other modes of communication, such as brochures, presentations at events, and television. The specific
audiences targeted in these outreach efforts include:
• Commercial and recreational users of local bodies of water.
• Residents of communities that could be affected by water diversion (because of the potential for flooding).
• Louisiana citizens concerned about coastal erosion, hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, eutrophication, and
algal blooms.
D.2 CHESAPEAKE BAY EMPACT PROJECT
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and one of the most productive in the world.
Scientific and estuarine research conducted on the Bay between 1976 and 1983 pinpointed three problems
requiring immediate attention: oversupply of nutrients, dwindling underwater Bay grasses, and toxic pollu-
tion. These findings led to the development of the Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program in 1984, which
monitors the overall health of the Bay through the collection of comprehensive data on physical, chemical,
and biological characteristics throughout the year in the main-stem of the Bay and tributaries.
RELATED CASE STUDIES D-I
-------
p
In conjunction with the Monitoring Program, the Chesapeake Bay EMPACT project was set up to provide
timely information regarding water quality and its relationship to toxic dinoflagellate (Pfiesteria piscicida)
outbreaks on the Pocomoke River. This project was meant to supplement data collected as part of the
comprehensive Pfiesteria monitoring program that is integrated with water and living resource quality assess-
ments through the broader Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program. The EMPACT project enables people to
learn more about Maryland's waterways and keep up-to-date with water quality and Pfiesteria issues. In
2000, the project was expanded to provide more comprehensive information about how water and habitat
quality affect living resources.
After project staff installed YSI 6600 probes at monitoring locations, the following water quality data could
be gathered in an ongoing, automated fashion: dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, pH, salinity, turbidity, and
water temperature. Project staff manually measure the following water qualities parameters during weekly
maintenance visits: chlorophyll a, nutrient levels (carbon, nitrogen, nitrates, phosphorus, and ammonium),
and total suspended solids.
So that they may be accessed on the project Web site, monitoring data were first processed with various
Visual Basic modules that format them properly and store them in a database. The project Web site allowed
visitors to specify their own data parameters when viewing these data. The Web site was developed with two
software applications that help produce user-defined graphs quickly. The first application, a Web application
development tool, is called Cold Fusion (developed by Macromedia, Inc.). The second application, an add-on
graphics server engine, is called CFXGraphicsServer (developed byTeraTech, Inc.).
The project was designed to enable scientists, stakeholders, and the general public to gain a greater under-
standing of how the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay function. For example, the relationship between
storm events and freshwater flows to the Pocomoke River is poorly understood because of its altered water-
shed hydrology. This is an important process to understand because of the likely linkage between runoff,
nutrient loading, and Pfiesteria populations.
As of 2002, the Chesapeake Bay EMPACT program ended and was replaced with a Continuous Monitoring
Program, which continues and extends many of the same efforts in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic
Coastal Bays. The Continuous Monitoring Web site is located at
http://mddnr. chesapeakebay. net/newmontech/contmon/index. cfin.
D-2
APPENDIX D
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Risk Communication in
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Case Studies
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Disclaimer: This document has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
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RISK COMMUNICATION IN ACTION:
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Dr. Dan Petersen (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], National Risk Management
Research Laboratory) served as principal author of this handbook. Co-authors included Linda
Stein, David Berol, Judy Usherson, and Adam Parez of Eastern Research Group, Inc., an EPA
contractor. EPA would like to thank the following people for their input during the development
of this handbook:
John Barten, Suburban Hennepin Regional Park District (Lake Access project)
Scott Hammond, Miami River Index Project
Kevin Rosseel, U.S. EPA SunWise Program
Chet Wayland, U.S. EPA AirNow Project
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CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: TOOLS FOR COMMUNICATING
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKS TO THE PUBLIC 1-1
CHAPTER 2 HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK 2-1
2.1 Road Map 2-1
2.2 Frequently Asked Questions 2-1
CHAPTER 3 DATA VISUALIZATION AND DATA INTERPRETATION
TOOLS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
COMMUNICATION 3-1
3.1 Introduction 3-1
3.2 Data Visualization Tools 3-1
3.2.1 How Can Maps Be Used for Environmental
Risk Communication? 3-1
3.2.2 How Can Color-Coding Show Environmental
Quality Conditions? 3-2
3.2.3 How Are Icons (or Images) Used in Environmental
Risk Communication? 3-3
3.2.4 How Are Graphs Used to Show Time-Relevant
Environmental Data? 3-4
3.2.5 Geographic Information Systems 3-4
3.2.6 What Are Simulations and How Are They Used
for Environmental Risk Communication? 3-5
3.3 Data Interpretation Tools 3-5
3.3.1 What Are Environmental Indexes? 3-6
3.3.2 Publications 3-9
3.4 What's the Best Way To "Get the Word Out"?—
Distribution Methods 3-10
in
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CHAPTER 4 CASE STUDIES: DEVELOPING AND USING
DATA VISUALIZATION AND DATA
INTERPRETATION TOOLS 4-1
4.1 Introduction 4-1
4.2 AIRNow Project 4-1
4.2.1 Project History 4-1
4.2.2 Effective Methods 4-2
4.2.3 Key Accomplishments 4-6
4.2.4 Lessons Learned 4-7
4.2.5 Future Plans 4-8
4.3 The River Index Project 4-9
4.3.1 Project History 4-9
4.3.2 Effective Methods 4-10
4.3.3 Lessons Learned 4-16
4.4 Lake Access Project 4-16
4.4.1 Project Description 4-16
4.4.2 Effective Methods 4-17
4.4.3 Key Accomplishments 4-23
4.4.4 Lessons Learned 4-23
CHAPTER 5 GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING AND USING DATA
VISUALIZATION AND INTERPRETATION TOOLS
FOR RISK COMMUNICATION 5-1
REFERENCES
IV
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1
INTRODUCTION: TDDLS FDR
COMMUNICATING ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH RISKS TO THE PUBLIC
Communicating environmental health risks to the public has increasingly become a responsibility
of local and state officials and private groups involved in environmental monitoring. People have
come to expect access to more information about local air and water quality, for example, and
advances in environmental monitoring and computer technology (such as the Internet) have made time-
ly—sometimes daily—communication of environmental conditions possible. The experiences of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state governments, and some local governments and private
organizations in providing such time-relevant environmental risk communication can help other munici-
palities, states, and private groups develop or expand their own local environmental risk communication
programs.
This handbook reflects the experiences of a variety of projects that have been part of EPA's
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) Program, which
was active from 1996 to 2002. A key goal of the EMPACT Program was to facilitate the process of
providing the public with time-relevant environmental information, including information on any
health risks associated with certain environmental conditions. Achieving this goal involved helping
communities identify and use effective ways to collect, manage, and distribute timely environmental
and health risk information; it also involved sharing the experiences of various municipalities that
have successfully accomplished these objectives.
Local and state EMPACT projects have been involved in a variety of environmental monitoring and
risk communication activities, such as air quality monitoring and beach, lake, and river monitoring.
In the course of these activities, certain tools and combinations of tools have proven to be effective for
environmental risk communication, particularly data visualization and data interpretation tools. Data
visualization tools graphically depict, in this context, environmental health risks or environmental
quality conditions. Data interpretation tools describe complex scientific concepts in relatively simple
terms (as index values, for example); this can help people understand the potential health risks associat-
ed with exposure to certain environmental conditions (such as air pollution). Some projects have devel-
oped such tools on a national scale, and some of these tools are available "as is" or are easily adaptable
for use by localities to report local environmental conditions. Examples include EPA's AIRNow project
for air quality and the EPA Sun Wise project on UV radiation exposure from the sun. Other tools were
developed on a more regional or local scale; some of these tools could be adopted by other communi-
ties (such as beach flags indicating local water quality, or the use of color-coded indexes or maps).
This handbook discusses a wide variety of data visualization and data interpretation tools that munic-
ipalities involved in EMPACT projects have used successfully in environmental risk communication
programs. The handbook explains what the tools are and how they can be used, and also presents a
number of case studies of projects using such tools. It also provides some basic guidelines for develop-
ing and using data visualization and data interpretation tools. EPA hopes that sharing this informa-
tion will help other states and municipalities establish environmental risk communication programs
and expand existing programs to incorporate timelier, more effective risk communication methods.
INTRODUCTION 1-1
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2
HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK
This handbook provides both general and detailed information on how to use a wide variety
of data visualization and data interpretation tools for effective environmental risk communi-
cation. The handbook is intended for local and state officials, environmental groups, and
others who are responsible for communicating environmental conditions and associated health risks
to the public. The handbook is organized as described below.
2. 1 ROAD MAP
Overview of data visualization
and data interpretation tools,
including maps, color-coding,
icons, graphs, geographic
information systems,
simulations, indexes, and
publications: see Chapters.
Case study presentations of
three projects that have suc-
cessfully incorporated many
different data visualization and
data interpretation tools into
their programs: see Chapter 4.
Guidelines for developing and
using effective risk communi-
cation tools: see Chapter 5.
2.2 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Whether you are just beginning to consider developing an environmental risk communication
program or are in the process of expanding your program, the following frequently asked questions
may be useful.
Q: What are data visualization and data interpretation tools, and why are they important?
A: Data visualization tools present information primarily through images (such as maps, icons,
and pie charts) rather than words. Data interpretation tools (such as indexes) describe complex
scientific concepts in relatively simple terms. Both of these tools can be particularly powerful in
communicating information about environmental quality conditions (such as water quality) and
environmental health risks.
Q: What is time-relevant risk communication?
A: The term "time-relevant" refers to the goal of providing real-time (such as daily or near-daily)
environmental information. Providing time-relevant information can be particularly important
when one seeks to communicate environmental risks, because such risks depend on conditions
(such as air or water quality) that can change each day. The Internet and other data visualization
and data interpretation tools often make it possible to communicate environmental risk informa-
tion fairly quickly.
Q: What are some of the most effective ways to inform the public about environmental risks?
A: According to the experience of some environmental risk communication projects, the most effec-
tive ways to disseminate environmental risk information may include establishing a Web site that
displays a variety of data visualization tools (e.g., maps, color-coded charts), arranging for local
news media to present your information, establishing a telephone hotline, and developing a col-
lection of printed materials. Many other outreach methods may also be effective, such as setting
up kiosks at strategic locations to distribute information (sometimes on onsite computers), giv-
ing presentations to local officials and others, and incorporating the information into school sci-
ence curriculums.
HOW TD USE THIS HANDBOOK
2-1
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Q: Why is it sometimes desirable to make special presentations to children, senior citizens, and people
with certain health problems?
A: Children, senior citizens, and people with certain illnesses are often uniquely sensitive to the
kinds of environmental problem that time-relevant monitoring typically addresses, such as
ozone pollution and UV radiation. Therefore, it is sometimes worthwhile to tailor special mate-
rials for these audiences, since their issues and concerns may differ significantly from those of
the general population.
Q: How can our program avoid jargon and complex language in the materials we develop on environ-
mental risks?
A: One solution is to use graphic images as much as possible to convey your message in your materi-
als. When you need to use language, first think about the literacy and education levels of your
audience, and then tailor your language so that it will be comprehensible to the vast majority of
that audience. With some effort and good writing skills, it is usually possible to express a complex
concept clearly and in relatively simple terms. Where literacy and education vary dramatically, you
may want to develop several editions of your written materials for different reading levels. Also,
focus groups and interviews with members of your target audience can play an important role in
identifying any jargon or overly complex language.
2-2
CHAPTER 2
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3
DATA VISUALIZATION AND DATA
INTERPRETATION TOOLS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK COMMUNICATION
3.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter describes specific data visualization and data interpretation tools that can often improve
risk communication by presenting environmental risk information in more "user-friendly" ways.
Examples of each tool from actual EMPACT projects are provided. If you are considering using
some of these tools for environmental risk communication, check to see whether any data visualiza-
tion or data interpretation tools already exist that can meet your needs or be modified to do so.
Some municipalities and organizations have successfully used tools developed by other projects.
Experience has shown that the most effective tools are simple to understand and use, provide
consistent messages, and reflect a uniform system that aligns with or complements already existing
systems. For example, if you use color-coding, use colors that are commonly used, understood, and
associated with particular messages (e.g., green for "go," red for "stop"). Also, your tools will be
more effective if they can be adapted to fit a variety of presentation formats (e.g., Web sites,
brochures, presentations) and the requirements of the media (e.g., print, television, radio).
Section 3.2 describes a variety of data visualization tools, and Section 3.3 describes some important
data interpretation tools. Section 3.4 summarizes the ways that risk information can be distributed
to your audiences (e.g., the Internet, newspapers, television). The ways in which projects have
developed and used several of these tools, often in conjunction with one another (e.g., a color-
coded index) are described throughout this chapter and in Chapter 4.
3.2 DATA VISUALIZATION TOOLS
In this handbook, data visualization tools are any graphic representation of data to communicate
health risks or other aspects of environmental quality. Presenting data in a visual format can
enhance your audience's understanding of and interest in the data. Data visualization tools
discussed below include maps, color-coding, icons, graphs, geographic information systems (GIS),
and simulations.
3.2.1 HDW CAN MAPS BE USED FDR
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK COMMUNICATION?
Maps are one of the most basic and familiar data visualization tools that can be used to communi-
cate time-relevant environmental quality information for particular locations. A map showing envi-
ronmental quality data can be based on specific geographic information (as in Figure 3-1) or
it can illustrate environmental quality conditions on a broader conceptual scale, as in Figure 3-2.
If kept simple (e.g., clutter-free) and accompanied by a good key that explains the symbols it uses,
a map can be one of the easiest data interpretation and visualization tools to develop and/or use.
Figures 3-1 and 3-2 below illustrate how one EMPACT project, the Sun Wise Project, has success-
fully used different types of maps in its risk communication efforts. Sun Wise staff developed the
maps to be intuitive and consistent with other map-reporting systems, such as the EMPACT
AIRNow map for ozone (see Chapter 4 for a discussion of the AIRNow project). Many other
EMPACT projects have also developed and used maps (see Chapter 4 for examples). TheAIRNow
project, for example, uses animated maps that depict the formation and movement of ozone
throughout the course of the day; the colors on the map change as the ozone concentrations
change.
DATA VISUALIZATION AND DATA INTERPRETATION TOOLS 3-1
-------
l/,5.
Figure 3-1. Daily UV Index map (site-specific). This Figure 3-1
map illustrates, on a daily basis, the levels of ultravio-
let (UV) radiation in the atmosphere at specific geo-
graphic locations nationwide. (Overexposure to UV
radiation can cause immediate effects such as sun-
burn and long-term problems such as skin cancer
and cataracts.) Forecast UV levels are superimposed
on the map so that users can obtain an idea of the
UV radiation levels to which they could be exposed.
Specific geographic locations for which environmen-
tal quality are available are generally easy to locate on
the map, and a simple key explains the map's num-
bering system and color-coding. The key also trans-
lates numerical UV Index levels into different color-
coded exposure categories of minimal, low, moderate,
high, and very high exposure. See Section 3.3.1 for
more information about the UV Index. Sources: U.S.
EPA, 2002a (http://www.epa.gov/sunwise); U.S. EPA,
2002b (http://www.epa.gov/oei); National Weather
Service, 2002 (http://www.nws.noaa.gov).
Figure 3-2. Daily UV Index contour map. This map
shows another way to communicate UV exposure
levels. Rather than indicating specific locations (as
Figure 3-1 does), this map uses color-coded areas to
identify UV levels in general regions of the country
on a daily basis. Source: U.S. EPA, 2002a
(http://www. epa.gov/sunwise).
3.2.2 HOW CAN COLOR-CODING
SHOW ENVIRONMENTAL
DUALITY CONDITIONS?
Like maps, color-coding is already familiar to many
people, and thus its message can be easily under-
stood. The use of color-coding to indicate "good" or
"poor" environmental quality conditions (and ranges
between those extremes) has been combined success-
fully with maps, graphs, indexes, icons, and other
tools for risk communication. Appropriate choices of
colors (and ranges of colors) can enhance a viewer's
understanding. For example, using generally univer- http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindexcontour.html
sally known color-coding schemes, such as green to
represent "go" (e.g., the air quality in a particular area today is good, with little or no risk) and red
to represent "stop" (e.g., the air quality in this location today is unhealthy, and people may experi-
ence health effects) is recommended.
http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindexmap.html
Figure 3-2
US-
Daily UV Index Countour
Map
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CHAPTER 3
-------
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Figure 3-3 is an example of using color- Figure 3-3
coding in maps. Examples of color-coding
used in conjunction with other data visual-
ization tools can be found throughout this
handbook. Chapter 4 discusses how specif-
ic projects use color-coding.
Figure 3-3. Color-coding used to indicate
dissolved oxygen levels. Using a combina-
tion of mapping and color-coding, the
Connecticut Department of Environmental
Protection developed a system to express
dissolved oxygen levels, which serve as one
indicator of water quality. The colors
selected range from blue for excellent dis- http://www.dep.state.ct.us/wtr/lis/monitoring/hyaug01 jpg
solved oxygen levels that support marine
life to black for severely impaired waters with very low dissolved oxygen levels. Additional clearly
differentiated colors (green, yellow, orange, and red) indicate intermediate levels of water quality
conditions. Source: University of Connecticut, 2002 (http://www.mysound.uconn.edu/index.html).
3.2.3 HOW ARE ICONS (OR IMAGES) USED IN
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK COMMUNICATION?
The term "icon" is used here in a very general sense to describe any visual cue, or image, that is
used to communicate information—anything from a physical placard (e.g., a beach closure symbol
or sign) to a symbol on a computer screen. Although words may added, an icon should ideally be
able to convey at least its basic meaning without relying on language. For example, the Charles
River/Boston Harbor project uses two icons, as shown in Figure 3-4, to indicate whether water
quality conditions in certain areas of the river or harbor are suitable for boating or whether health
risks exist. These symbols are used both on the program Web site and on actual flags that are post-
ed at boat houses along the Charles River. Another beach water quality program, the Southeastern
Wisconsin Beach Health Program, uses an icon of a swimmer and an icon of a crossed-out swim-
mer to indicate the concepts of open and closed swimming beaches (see Chapter 5 and
http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/pls/beachhealth}. Other examples of icons used to indicate environmental
quality or health risks are included in Chapter 4.
Figure 3-4. Icons used in beach flagging
program. The Charles River/Boston Harbor
project uses different-colored flags with an
icon of a boat on its Web site (and actual
flags at various sites on the river, including
boat launches) to quickly and easily commu-
nicate water quality and health risks to recre-
ational water users. Blue flags indicate that
water quality conditions are suitable for
boating on the river, while red flags, with a
line through the boat, indicate potential
health risks from boating at a particular
place and time. Source: Charles River
Watershed Association, 2002
(http:I Iwww. crwa. org/wq/daily/2002/daily. html).
Figure 3-4
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-------
3.2.4 HOW ARE GRAPHS USED TD SHOW
TIME-RELEVANT ENVIRONMENTAL DATA?
Graphs are another commonly used and relatively easy-to-understand data visualization tool.
They are often used to convey information about how several variables are related or compare.
EMPACT projects such as Lake Access (see Chapter 4) and the Boulder Area Sustainability
Information Network (http://bcn.boulder.co.us/basin) allow users to generate graphs as needed by
specifying which variables they want plotted, as shown in Figure 3-5, and also how they would like
them plotted. For example, the Lake Access Web site lets users plot variables as changing bands of
color rather than as lines.
Figure 3-5
Figure 3-5. Use of a graph to plot several water
quality parameters. Using a "profile plotter"
application, users of the Lake Access project Web
site can choose from a number of different water
quality variables to plot, including temperature,
pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and
turbidity. This particular graph shows tempera-
ture, pH, and dissolved oxygen concentrations at
various depths in a particular lake at 4:00 a.m.
on October 22, 2001, in the form of a lake pro-
file line plot. Graphing these and other water
quality variables can reveal how water quality
changes over time and depth. Source: Lake
Access, 2002 (www.lakeaccess.org).
3.2.5 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
GIS are effective data visualization tools for displaying, analyzing, and modeling spatial or
geographic information. A GIS can be used to generate maps, animations, and two- and three-
dimensional models once detailed data are input into the system by skilled staff. (This process can
be labor-intensive and fairly expensive.) Two key advantages of GIS are that it allows users to
quickly overlay and view several different data layers simultaneously, such as open-space lands,
water resources, and population, and that it lets users view and compare different future scenarios
(such as future land uses) and their possible impacts (e.g., on environmental resources). State envi-
ronmental agencies and private organizations are increasingly developing GIS maps that include
environmental and related features, such as hydrology, land uses, zoning codes, soils, topography,
political boundaries, watershed boundaries, and transportation data. These maps may be readily
available for display and use, including through the Internet. Often users can retrieve information,
generate maps (including customized maps), and query data simply by clicking on a map feature.
However, some GIS maps are relevant for only particular geographic locations. Once developed,
GIS maps are relatively easy to use and understand by local officials and the public. Figure 3-6
shows a color-coded GIS map that focuses on land uses and water quality.
3-4
CHAPTER 3
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Figure 3-6. GIS map of land use in a watershed.
This map displays land uses within two watersheds.
The map is color-coded to identify the different
types of land uses (e.g., agricultural, residential,
commercial, industrial, forest, wetlands) surround-
ing the lake. GIS maps like this one can help local
officials and the public understand how land use
changes affect water quality in their communities.
(This image was produced by the Lake Access proj-
ect; see Chapter 4 for more information on Lake
Access.) Source: U.S. EPA, 2000.
Figure 3-6
3.2.6 WHAT ARE
SIMULATIONS AND
HDW ARE THEY USED
FDR ENVIRONMENTAL
RI5K COMMUNICATION?
Some EMPACT projects, such as the Tulsa Air and Water Quality Information System, use game-
like simulations to convey information about environmental risk. Tulsa's simulation is entitled
Smog City and is based on a model developed by the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality
Management District (see Chapter 4). Smog City contains a variety of controls for which a num-
ber of factors affecting smog formation may be set, as shown in Figure 3-7. These factors include
temperature, population, presence of inversion layers, and cloud cover. An animated rendition of
Smog City changes to reflect the user's settings. The output of the simulation is an imaginary plot
of the typical smog profile (more specifically, a plot of ozone concentrations throughout the day)
for the simulated city. Although simulations do not convey time-relevant data about the state of
the real world, they do convey principles and conditions that can be useful to people in their real-
world decision-making.
Figure 3-7
Figure 3-7. Tulsa's "Smog City" simulation.
When users select representative emission levels from
sources including vehicles, industry, and consumer
products, as well as weather conditions (temperature
and cloud cover) and population level, a simulation of
resulting smog (ozone levels) appears that reflects the
conditions selected. Source: Tulsa Air and Water Quality
Information System, 2002.
3.3 DATA INTERPRETATION
TOOLS
Data interpretation tools such as indexes translatecom-
plex scientific concepts into relatively simple systems
that can facilitate the users' understanding of technical
data and related health risks. This section mainly discusses indexes, giving examples of indexes used
by EMPACT projects. It also touches briefly on publications, a common and traditional communi-
cation tool.
http://www.e-tulsa.org/smogcity/runsmogcity.html
DATA VISUALIZATION AND DATA INTERPRETATION TOOLS
3-5
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3.3.1 WHAT ARE ENVIRONMENTAL INDEXES?
Indexing is a data interpretation tool that involves expressing one or more quantitative measure-
ments as part of a scale—for instance, a scale ranging from poor to excellent. An environmental
index might range, for example, from 0 (representing low risk of exposure) to 100 (representing a
high exposure risk). Or, instead of a health risk, one or more environmental conditions might be
represented (e.g., dissolved oxygen levels as one indication of water quality). The development of
an index often also involves establishing "weighting factors" (i.e., giving the more important vari-
ables more weight than less important variables) as well as an equation for combining all the rele-
vant data values into the index scale.
When you develop or use indexes, related color-coding schemes or other data visualization and
data interpretation tools, you will often need to decide where "good" (or "low risk") ends and
"poor" (or "high risk") begins, as well as how additional intermediate ranges are to be determined.
These key junctures are "cutoff" points that identify the important data ranges in the overall index
scheme. In the context of environmental risk communication, basing cutoff points and ranges on
scientific information is recommended whenever possible so that the index reflects actual risk levels
(as is the case for many of the indexes discussed as examples in this chapter and Chapter 4).
Index values and their meanings can be calculated and reported in a number of different ways,
such as reporting the highest single number based on measurements of several different pollutants
(as in the Air Quality Index discussed below); mathematically combining the ratings of different
parameters into a single index value (as in the River Index described in Chapter 4); or expressing
the different index ranges as multiples or percentages of measurements or standards generally used.
A number of EMPACT projects use indexes as key data interpretation tools for risk communica-
tion, including the Sun Wise Program and the AIRNow project. These two projects' use of indexes
is described below; see also Chapter 4, which provides a detailed, step-by-step review of how the
River Index was developed. Some of these indexes might be directly applicable and useable for
your location, such as the UV Index used by the Sun Wise program and the Air Quality Index used
by AIRNow. Other existing indexes might be useful if modified for your location or program
objectives. The examples provided below and in Chapter 4 provide an overview of how environ-
mental indexes are developed, what they are based on, and how they are used.
3.3. 1. 1 THE EPA SUNWISE PROGRAM AND THE UV INDEX
The EPA Sun Wise Program uses the National Weather Service's (NWS's) Ultraviolet Index
(or UV Index), which provides a daily forecast of the expected risk of overexposure to the sun.
The Index predicts the next day's UV radiation levels on a 0 to 10+ (up to 15) scale, where 0 indi-
cates a minimal likely level of exposure to UV rays and 10+ means a very high level of exposure.
The higher the UV Index, the greater the dose rate (the amount of UV skin- and eye-damaging
radiation to which a person will be exposed), and the less time it takes before skin damage occurs.
(For more background information on the UV Index, visit
http:llwww. cpc. ncep. noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/uv_index/index. html.}
The NWS develops the UV Index by using a computer model to first calculate the UV dose rate,
then adjust the result for important effects likely to influence this rate. For UV radiation, such
effects include elevation and cloud cover at specific locations. The resulting value is the next day's
UV Index forecast. The Sun Wise Program also allows users to enter their ZIP code to get a UV
forecast specifically for that location. The UV Index used in the Sun Wise Program includes the
cutoff ranges listed in Table 3-1.
3-s CHAPTER 3
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TABLE 3-1. UV INDEX SCALE RANGES
Oto2
3 to 4
5 to 6
7 to 9
10+
Low
Moderate
High
Very High
Wear a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses to protect
your eyes. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and
wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
Use sunscreen if you work outdoors and remember to
protect sensitive areas like the nose and the rims of the
ears. Sunscreen prevents sunburn and some of the sun's
damaging effects on the immune system. Use a lip balm
or lip cream containing a sunscreen. Lip balms can help
protect some people from getting cold sores.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers made from tightly
woven fabrics. UV rays can pass through the holes of
loosely knit fabrics.
Avoid being in the sun as much as possible. Wear
sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of all UV rays
(both UVA and UVB). Wear a hat with a wide brim.
Source: Climate Prediction Center, 2000
3.3. 1.2 THE AIRNOW PROGRAM AND THE AIR QUALITY INDEX
The EMPACT AIRNow project uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) developed by EPA to communi-
cate the level of health concern associated with different concentrations of certain air pollutants.
The AQI ranges from 0 ("good" air quality) to 500 ("hazardous" air quality). The higher the Index
value, the greater the health concern.
The reported Index value reflects the single pollutant with the highest value. Exposure to multiple
pollutants is not reflected due to a lack of data on associated health effects. To facilitate risk com-
munication, reporting of the AQI has shifted in recent years: instead of numbers, the colors with
which the Index values are associated are reported.
The AQI is divided into six color-coded ranges, as shown in Table 3-2. These correspond to the
color scheme used in AIRNow's ozone map (see Chapter 4). The use of uniform colors that are
easily understandable by the general public to support a nationally uniform index was an impor-
tant goal that was successfully achieved (though debate occurred regarding which particular colors
to use).
DATA VISUALIZATION AND DATA INTERPRETATION TOOLS
3-7
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TABLE 3-2. AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI) SCALE RANGES
AND CORRESPONDING COLORS
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
Purple
Maroon
51 to 100
101 to 150
151 to 200
201 to 300
301 to 500
Moderate
Unhealthy for sensitive groups
Unhealthy
Very unhealthy
Hazardous
Generally, the different AQI ranges (or cutoff points) are defined by different populations known
to exhibit noticeable health problems at these different ranges. (See the AIRNow case study in
Chapter 4 for a more detailed discussion of the cutoff points and populations). Including Index
ranges for sensitive groups provides useful information for these populations, while not alarming
the general public (Stone, 2000).
EPA used focus groups, discussions with state and local agencies and the news media, and public
comment to help decide cutoff ranges and corresponding colors for the AQI. Some people suggest-
ed additional or different colors, shades, or categories than were finally selected. For fine particu-
late matter (PM2.5), EPA lowered the cutoffs in response to public comment. Because the scientif-
ic basis for setting standards for particulate matter is not very precise, there was a legitimate reason
for the public to question where the lines should be drawn. Even the name of the index may be
important. For example, the AQI was previously called the "Pollutant Standards Index"; this name
was changed to the "Air Quality Index" because focus groups and others much preferred a name
that reflected air quality rather than air pollution (Stone, 2000).
3.3.1.3
IF YOU'RE
USING AN
CONSIDERING
INDEX...
DEVELOPING OR
In choosing an index that would be a useful tool in your environmental risk communication
efforts, consider what other organizations might partner with you in developing and launching the
index, think about the limitations of the index you are investigating (e.g., what it cannot commu-
nicate), and decide whether that index meets the specific needs of your program. These factors are
discussed below.
Partners. Working with other relevant organizations can be important when you seek to develop
or use an environmental index that meets your needs. For the UV Index, NWS has worked with
EPA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meteorologists, health and medical profes-
sionals, and the World Meteorological Organization to ensure consistency among different UV
Indexes. For the AQI, EPA staff worked with state and local air agencies and regional organizations
for 2 years, attended many meetings and conferences nationwide, and held eight focus groups
throughout the country.
3-a
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What Index Meets Your Needs? If you are interested in using an index as an indicator of environ-
mental quality and/or exposure risk, first do some research to find out if an index already exists
that may address your needs. If an index suitable for your purposes does not exist and you decide
to develop your own index or modify an existing one:
• Make sure to include people on your index development team who know the science behind
the concepts involved. Also have the index validated—that is, tested to make sure that its
results are indeed useable for their intended purpose.
• Try to achieve some consistency with similar or related indexes to minimize confusion
regarding the meaning of colors and numbers in risk communication efforts.
• Include as many key factors as possible in your index development process that could
influence the results and accuracy of the index. If any important factors are not accounted
for, let the user know what they are and how they might influence the index results.
Communicate What the Index Does Not Do
It may be important to communicate certain caveats about environmental indexes to the public.
For example, the UV Index's users are informed that because the Index is a forecast, it will not
always be exactly correct (though it is very reliable, with an 84 percent accuracy rate to within +/-
2 percentage points). Also, users should be told if the index does not account for any potentially
important factors. For the UV Index, the effects of air pollutants, haze, and surface reflection from
snow, water, and sand are not included. These factors can result in higher actual UV exposure
under these environmental conditions than the UV Index value indicates. In addition, the UV Index
is not intended for individuals who are very sensitive to the sun, such as people with lupus ery-
thematosus or other sun-sensitive diseases, or people taking certain medications that result in sun
sensitivity.
• Determine the needed frequency of reporting of your index. For many projects, daily report-
ing may be needed so that the public can use the information in a timely manner, but the fre-
quency should also reflect realistic expectations. For example, for the AQI, reporting is
required daily; however, "daily" is defined as a minimum of 5 days a week, since there is con-
cern that some state and local agencies may not be able to provide AQI reports on weekends
(Stone, 2000).
• Solicit feedback from a broad audience during development of the index, including the pub-
lic. Expect people to disagree about the semantics of what to call intermediate categories on
the borderline between "good" and "poor." For example, should there be one intermediate
category? Two? Four? Bear in mind that you may never achieve complete consensus on index
cutoffs and ranges. EPA has found that between 4 and 10 ranges are usually adequate to com-
municate variability in environmental quality and health effects, based on a review of different
countries' use of indexes (Stone, 2000).
3.3.2 PUBLICATIONS
Almost all EMPACT projects develop and use publications to communicate their risk information
to the public or other more specific audiences. They use a variety of formats, such as pamphlets,
fact sheets, handbooks, and flyers. While publications cannot provide time-relevant (e.g., daily)
data, they do provide information about how to interpret the data and what associated health risks
from certain environmental conditions might be. Guidance for developing publications (as well as
other types of written text) appropriate for different types of readers is provided in Chapter 5.
DATA VISUALIZATION AND DATA INTERPRETATION TOOLS
3-9
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3.4 WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TD "BET THE
WORD OUT?"—DISTRIBUTION METHODS
Even the best risk communication tools will not be effective unless your audience knows about
them. Thus, establishing a good distribution system is important. After clearly identifying your tar-
get audience(s), you might want to do some research on how your audience typically receives
information. Some common sources of public information are:
• Television
• Newspapers
• The Internet
• Meetings
• Schools
Then, choose one or more distribution methods that are likely to reach the most people in your
target audience. A Web site may be an excellent way to distribute your risk information if your
audience is likely to have access to the Internet; if not, you might want to choose another distribu-
tion method in addition to, or instead of, a Web site.
3-1 D
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4
CASE STUDIES: DEVELOPING AND USING DATA
VISUALIZATION AND DATA INTERPRETATION TOOLS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter shows how three particular EMPACT projects have successfully used a variety of the
data visualization and data interpretation tools discussed in Chapter 3, often integrating several tools
into their programs. The AIRNow Project (Section 4.2) provides hourly air quality conditions and
daily forecasts for many areas across the country using color-coded maps, an index, a telephone hot-
line, the media, and printed publications, among other tools. The River Index Project (Section 4.3)
primarily uses an index system to report on the water quality of various river segments surrounding
Dayton, Ohio, including an indication of whether river conditions are favorable for recreational
activities. The River Index incorporates color-coding into its risk communication efforts to facilitate
the public's understanding of the index values. The discussion of the River Index also includes a
detailed explanation of how the index was developed.
The Lake Access Project (Section 4.4) uses color-coded maps, an index, charts, GIS, kiosks, and
three-dimensional animation, among other tools, to provide near-real-time water quality information
to different audiences, with information ranging from simple to more complex, as selected by the
user. All of these projects rely in part on their Web sites, in addition to other tools, for effective risk
communication. Understanding how these projects use this wide range of risk communication tools
"in real life" will hopefully be useful to other projects that are considering developing or expanding
their own environmental risk communication programs.
4.2 AIRNOW PROJECT
4.2.1 PROJECT HISTORY
The AIRNow project, launched in 1998, offers daily air quality forecasts as well as real-time air quality
data for over 200 cities across the United States in a visual, easy-to-understand format. AIRNow, serving
as a central clearinghouse for data collected from state and local agencies, reviews the data for quality
assurance and transfers the information to the public via its Web site, http:lIwww.epa.gov/airnow. It also
provides links to more detailed state and local air quality Web sites. The AIRNow project was initially
funded by EMPACT and was developed in partnership with state and local air quality agencies.
The AIRNow project collects data from existing local and state ozone monitoring networks. These net-
works are equipped with data loggers and modems that collect and transmit measurements to state host
computers. In areas where ozone monitoring networks are not well established, special-purpose moni-
tors are used. Each participating state agency's host computer is linked to a central EPA database called
the Data Management Center (DMC). The DMC manages and quality-checks the data and sends
them out for use in making ozone maps, which are posted on the AIRNow Web site.
The AIRNow project uses the AQJ as one of its primary risk communication tools. Under the Clean
Air Act, EPA is required to establish a nationally uniform index for reporting air quality. In 1976, EPA
established the Pollutant Standard Index (PSI), which provided information on pollutant concentra-
tions for ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
In 1998, EPA adopted several important revisions to the PSI and changed its name to "Air Quality
Index." Other changes included providing uniform categories, colors, and descriptors for air quality;
revising the ozone and particulate matter standards to address new scientific findings; and adding a cat-
egory to characterize air quality deemed to be "unhealthy for sensitive groups." Most significantly, the
new AQI was useful as a forecasting tool, whereas PSI values had only been reported as historical data
for previous days.
CASE STUDIES 4-1
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The development of the AQI and AIRNow coincided with the rapid growth of the Internet. This
fortuitous timing enabled AIRNow tools to quickly become widely adopted for air quality risk
communication.
4.2.2 EFFECTIVE METHODS
The AIRNow program successfully integrates several risk communication tools, including color-
coded geographic maps, an index, a recorded telephone hotline, and traditional printed materials,
as shown in Table 4-1. These tools provide information that is relatively easy to understand for
people with little prior knowledge about air pollution and its risks. The information alerts the
public about air quality during the ozone season through a Web site with a memorable URL
(http://www. epa.gov/airnow) and weather reporting by media outlets. The data are also used by local
agencies. The following subsections describe some of the risk communication tools used by
AIRNow, particularly the AQI and real-time ozone maps.
4.Z.Z. 1 THE AIR QUALITY INDEX
The AQI serves as the foundation for AIRNow. It is a tool developed by EPA (see Chapter 3)
to provide timely and easy-to-understand information on local air quality and associated health
concerns.
TABLE 4-1. SUMMARY OF AIR Now COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS
Product/Event
Still-frame and
animated ozone maps
Targeted Audience
Distribution Mechanism
Data Interpretation and Presentation Tools
• General public
• People with sensitivity
to ozone exposure
• Al RNow Web site; Web sites of state and local air
pollution agencies
• Television, via local weather broadcasts in a
handful of local markets
The Air Quality Index
(AQI)
• General public
• People with sensitivity
to exposure to pollutants
covered by the AQI
• Al RNow Web site; Web sites of state and local air
pollution agencies
• Newspapers
Interactive AQI
calculator
I AIRNow Web site
Various publications:
Air Quality Guide for Ozone,
Guideline for Developing an
Ozone Forecasting Program,
Guideline for Reporting of
Daily Air Quality, Ozone and
Your Health, and Report of
Eight Focus Groups.. .1
•AIRNow Web site
• General public
• People with sensitivity
to exposure to pollutants
covered by the AQI
Web Sites and Other Internet Applications
• General public
Internet
Publications
• General public
• State and local air
pollution agencies
• State and local public
health agencies
• Al RNow Web site
Other Outreach and Education Products or Information Dissemination Techniques
Satellite forum
State and local air
pollution and public
health agencies
Broadcast via EPA's Air Pollution Distance
Learning Network
1 U.S. EPA, 1999a-d, 1998.
4-2
CHAPTER 4
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The AQI converts raw measurements of the six pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act (ozone,
fine and coarse particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide) into a
number on a scale of 0 to 500. The scale is subdivided into categories such as "good," "moderate",
"unhealthy," and "hazardous." Converting the measurements involves using standard conversion
scales developed by EPA, as described below:
• The AQI value of 100, which is the upper bound of the "moderate" category, corresponds to
health-based national air quality standards (the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or
NAAQS) established for each of these pollutants. These standards, and the corresponding
Index value of 100, reflect scientifically peer-reviewed information on health effects.
• The Index value of 50, which is the upper bound of the "good" category, is defined in one of
three ways: (a) the level of the annual standard (if an annual standard has been established for
that pollutant); (b) a concentration equal to one-half the value of the short-term standard
used to define an Index value of 100; or (c) the concentration at which the risk to the public
becomes very small (e.g., the 8-hour ozone average), and/or the magnitude of the health
effects becomes highly uncertain.
• Between the Index values of 100 and 500, a linear relationship generally exists between
increasing values and increasingly severe health effects associated with pollutant levels. For
example, the value for ozone of 150 (the upper bound for the "Unhealthy for Sensitive
Groups" category) corresponds to an ozone concentration of 0.10 parts per million (ppm),
based on a risk assessment conducted for the ozone NAAQS that indicated that this is the
level at which exposures are associated with an increase in the number of individuals who
could experience effects (including possible respiratory effects in the general population
and a greater likelihood of respiratory symptoms and breathing difficulty in sensitive groups)
(Stone, 2000).
Originally, EPA based the AQI for ozone (the focus of the EMPACT AIRNow project) on a 1-
hour standard. Since 1997, the Index has been based instead on an 8-hour standard, because
research has found that the original 1-hour standard was not adequately protective of human
health. The 1-hour standard limited ozone levels to 0.12 ppm averaged over a 1-hour period; the
new 8-hour standard requires that a community's ozone levels be no higher than 0.08 ppm when
averaged over an 8-hour period.
An ozone measurement of 0.08 ppm (which is the NAAQS for ozone) corresponds to a "moderate"
AQI value of 100 for ozone; carbon dioxide levels between 4.5 and 9.4 ppm correspond to "mod-
erate" AQI values between 51 to 100. A similar measurement-to-index value conversion process is
conducted for all six NAAQS pollutants individually; the highest individual pollutant value is then
reported as the AQI for that local area for a particular day. Information may also be reported for
any other pollutant with an Index value above 100.
AIRNow associates each of the six AQI categories with a color (also used in ozone mapping), and
the level of health concern associated with each AQI category is summarized by a descriptor. Table
3-2 (in Chapter 3) outlines these categories and descriptors; Table 4-2 explains how they relate to
the l-to-500 scale. Table 4-3 explains what types of health effect are associated with each of the six
categories and what individuals can do to avoid these effects.
4. Z. Z. Z OZONE MAPS
The AIRNow ozone maps present the AQI in a visual, easy-to-understand format. The maps use
the categories and color scheme developed for the AQI and delineate geographic concentrations of
ground-level ozone so that individuals can easily determine the quality of the air in their immediate
vicinity.
CASE STUDIES 4-3
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TABLE 4-2.
AQI COLOR-CODED INDEX RANGES AND
RISK COMMUNICATION OF HEALTH CONCERNS
Air Quality Index Rating
and Associated Color
Good (green)
Moderate (yellow)
Unhealthy for sensitive
groups (orange)
Unhealthy (red)
Very unhealthy (purple)
Hazardous (maroon)
When the AQI value for your community is between 0 and 50, air
quality is considered satisfactory in your area.
When the AQI value for your community is between 51 and 100,
air quality is acceptable in your area. (However, people who are
extremely sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms.)
Some people are particularly sensitive to the harmful effects of
certain air pollutants. For example, people with asthma may be
sensitive to sulfur dioxide and ozone, while people with heart disease
may be sensitive to carbon monoxide. Some groups of people may
be sensitive to more than one pollutant. When AQI values are between
1 01 and 1 50, members of sensitive groups may experience health
effects. Members of the general public are not likely to be affected
when the AQI is in this range.
When AQI values are between 151 and 200, everyone may begin to
experience health effects. Members of sensitive groups may
experience more serious health effects.
AQI values between 201 and 300 trigger a health alert for everyone.
AQI values over 300 trigger health warnings of emergency conditions.
Such values rarely occur in the United States.
Consider Focus Groups for Public Feedback
In developing the AQI and ozone maps, EPA conducted a series of eight focus groups around the country
which evaluated the effectiveness of these tools for risk communication. The groups examined how effec-
tively the map, cautionary statements, and an ozone health effects booklet (Smog—Who Does it Hurt?)
conveyed information to the general public and targeted audiences. Four different versions of the map
were tested.
4-4
CHAPTER 4
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TABLE 4-3. HEALTH EFFECTS AND PROTECTION MEASURES
ASSOCIATED WITH AQI CATEGORIES
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CASE STUDIES
4-5
-------
The map shows that ozone levels ranged from good
to very unhealthy across the region
A Map Generator (MapGen) system produces both still-frame images of ozone concentrations, includ-
ing hourly snapshots of data, and animated maps illustrating the movement of ground-level ozone over
time. MapGen enables users to customize the maps based on their data and outreach needs. Users of
MapGen can also customize maps to show supporting information such as geographic features, identify-
ing text, and images. During the ozone season (May through September for most areas), the ozone
maps are updated daily every hour. The software developed under this project is publicly available at no
cost. Figure 4-1 shows an image composed using MapGen.
Figure 4-1 Figure 4-1. Ozone map generated with MapGen.
Source: U.S. EPA, 2002c (http://www.epa.gov/airnow).
The AIRNow project is staffed by contractors and
operates on a 24/7 basis. An automated quality con-
trol procedure processes reports that come in from the
local, state, and EPA offices. Program staff also con-
duct additional quality assurance reviews of the data.
A night staff ensures 24-hour-a-day accessibility of the
system. AIRNow also has contacts at the state and
local levels who provide technical support to fix prob-
lems with particular ozone monitors. The continuous
monitoring provided by AIRNow obviates the need
for local EPA offices to constandy check their ozone
measuring instruments.
Full implementation of the automated real-time ozone mapping system in the eastern United States
began in 1998. The map will ultimately include all of the contiguous United States and feature addi-
tional pollutants (e.g., paniculate matter).
4.Z.Z.3 OTHER RISK COMMUNICATION TOOLS USED BY
THE AIRNOW PROGRAM
The AIRNow Web site includes an interactive AQI calculator that enables the user to convert ambient
ozone concentrations (parts per billion or parts per million) to AQI values and vice versa. The
AIRNow program also operates an online "WebBoard" that provides technical assistance and facilitates
information sharing by program participants. The site posts question-and-answer sessions, contains a
comprehensive search feature, and hosts a chat room related to ozone mapping. Off the Web,
AIRNow provides conventional printed materials, such as fact sheets, booklets, and reports.
4.2.3 KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Many innovative ozone outreach efforts have been implemented around the country using AIRNow
communication tools. The project has placed a special focus on working with weather service providers
for inclusion of the ozone maps in local television weather forecasts. The maps are also being used by
local media in feature coverage of local and regional Ozone Action Day programs. AIRNow tools are
also being integrated into science and health curricula, and are used for hodines that provide recorded
information about current and forecasted ozone levels.
The AIRNow Web site gets over 3 million hits a month. On national cable television, The Weather
Channel and CNN include AQI forecasts on their morning and evening weather forecasts during the
ozone season and are working with EPA to make this a year-round information product. The Weather
Channel's Web site, http://www.weather.com, includes air quality forecasts on its health page every day,
year-round. (Figure 4-2 shows an example of www.weather.com's air quality information.) Also, the
national newspaper USA Today publishes AQI information during the summer and is working to
make this a year-round feature.
4-6
CHAPTER 4
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Figure 4-2. The Weather Channel's online air
quality display. Source: Image courtesy of The
Weather Channel, 2002 (http://unvw.weather.com).
In addition to their widespread use in daily news-
paper, television, and radio weather reporting, the
AQI and other AIRNow products are the pri-
mary risk communication tools used in regional
and local "Ozone Action Days" to inform the
media and the public of health concerns associat-
ed with poor air quality.
4.2.4 LESSONS LEARNED
In developing and implementing AIRNow risk
communication tools, EPA and participating
state air quality programs have learned some
valuable lessons that have contributed to their success:
Figure 4-2
.1 ..,.,r, Jtf,.—,
v
www.weather.com
It was important to get broad public feedback in creating and refining the AQI. Although
achieving consensus is always desirable, the Agency learned that complete consensus was
unlikely to occur. Semantic arguments were common, especially about defining or characteriz-
ing the "gray" areas on the borderline between "good" and "bad" air quality.
A positive (rather than negative) focus was found to be very important for effective risk
communication. For example, EPA's research showed that people overwhelmingly preferred
the name "Air Quality Index" to "Pollutant Standards Index."
EPA also learned that it is important to offer enough categories (e.g., 4 to 10) to display
variability in air quality and health effects information. State and local air agencies are not
required to display categories they do not use.
In refining the AQI, EPA learned the importance of keeping the Index as simple as possible,
but consistent with the health message.
EPA also learned to use short, media-ready statements. This is the genesis of the sensitive
groups statements (for example, for ozone: "children and people with asthma are the groups
most at risk").
It is important to use plain language (e.g., "unhealthy" rather than "unhealthful."). (See
Chapter 5.)
Developing an appropriate and intuitive color-coding scheme is vital in public risk education.
AQI has become very well understood in just 2 years because the color scheme works so well.
In developing the AQI and AIRNow risk communication tools, it was (and continues to be)
important to consider other contemporary visualization tools, such as weather maps, used by
national print and broadcast media.
A lesson learned by the Sacramento Air Quality Management Division in getting ozone maps
on television was the importance of cultivating strong working relationships with local broad-
cast meteorologists. In addition to pushing for broadcast of the maps, Division staff provided
the meteorologists with information on all types of air quality issues, made themselves avail-
able to television station staff for their weather-related news and reports, and helped the sta-
tions develop feature stories. See the box below for more information on the Sacramento
ozone mapping project.
CASE STUDIES
4-7
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The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission was able to render more accurate and
timely maps by using 1-hour running averages. A high modem-to-monitor ratio also proved
to be important in ensuring fast data transmission. See the box below for more on the Texas
ozone mapping project.
In establishing its monitoring system, Texas learned that the density of the monitoring net-
work is critical to producing useful and accurate ozone maps. Hence, the system uses one
modem for every four monitoring stations.
Sacramento Works the Media
The Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (AQMD) in Sacramento, California, has successfully
integrated AIRNow risk communication tools into local weather reports. AQMD has a long history of work-
ing with the region's television meteorologists to familiarize them with the AQI and regional air quality
issues. When ozone mapping became available in 1996, it proved to be a valuable new outreach tool.
Since 1998, two Sacramento television stations have regularly aired AQMD's animated ozone maps and
forecasts during weather segments on the stations' combined nine daily newscasts. AQMD has consis-
tently sought feedback from the meteorologists to ensure that the maps serve their needs. AQMD's Web
site, http://www.sparetheair.com, provides animated ozone maps ("Ozone Movies") that are updated
hourly during the ozone season (May 1 through October 31). The local all-news radio station also regu-
larly broadcasts air quality forecasts within weather and traffic reports.
Ozone Movie Archive
Ic: P*\i hiehK-htnl in «irime«; M4 «M IMII oat amnr mimilo
In n.f'Uin rv;M.-ti a f LXiX'i J 111) AQI It nhtjilll i fur -H-IHIH-. .
\ In nil hud al It-nil HIM: vlu nuL-h nr > mci! 151 AQI 11 uh.,
www.eparetheaf com
Source: Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, 2002.
4.2.5 FUTURE PLANS
The AIRNow program is integrating new technologies into its risk communication tools. For
example, EPA is working toward using a CIS map rather than standard maps for different metro-
politan areas. The plan is to introduce a CIS map of the whole country that enables users to zoom
in on a specific area. This will make it possible for each user to more easily localize the map and
access more specific, local air quality information.
4-B
CHAPTER 4
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Timeliness and Accuracy in Texas
In 1994, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) upgraded its 20-year-old air
quality monitoring technology. Of paramount concern was the need to provide accurate and immediately
useful information to the public, especially during the ozone season, which is longer in Texas than in most
other parts of the country. The new system purchased by Texas collects data every 5 minutes and trans-
mits the data to regional hub computers. Every 15 minutes the hubs transmit data to the central office. In
accordance with EPA rules, the central office averages 12 5-minute data reports to derive hourly averages.
TNRCC is currently mapping southeastern Texas (covering the Houston, Galveston, and Brazoria region)
and the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and will start mapping El Paso during the summer of 2002. TNRCC is
working with the government in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to include monitoring on that side of the border
and anticipates that the El Paso map will be bilingual.
In creating ozone maps from the data collected, TNRCC uses 1-hour running averages to improve the pres-
entation of air quality changes over time. TNRCC is widely recognized as providing some of the fastest
(and therefore most accurate) real-time air quality updates among participants in the AIRNow program.
Animated Ozone Concentre lions
Suutb-
-------
Official work on the River Index Project proceeded in January 1999 as a collaboration between
many different partners: the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Miami
Conservancy District, the consulting firm CH2M Hill, Inc., the City of Dayton, Wright State
University, the Yellow Spring Instrument Company, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The River
Index Project has collected data from six Dayton-area automated monitoring sites over the last 3
years (1999, 2000, and 2001). The project's data collection season runs for the period of time in
which the public is likely to make use of the rivers — roughly from the beginning of summer
through early fall.
4.3.2 EFFECTIVE METHODS
4.3.2. 1 OVERVIEW OF THE RIVER PROJECT INDEXES
An innovative risk communication tool of the River Index Project is its indexing system, which
synthesizes a wide array of water quality data. The indexing system converts measurements into a
single, easy-to-understand rating, which is disseminated to the public on the Web site
http-.llwww. riverindex. org.
A key concern for the River Index Project as it developed its index and other risk communication
tools was that the tools meet, and be perceived as meeting, the highest professional and scientific
standards. Yet generating a river quality index involved making judgement calls about where to set
cutoffs between different categories of environmental quality (i.e., between "excellent" and "good"
river quality). Also necessary were judgement calls about how to weight and combine an array of
dissimilar measurements into a single measurement of river quality. To this end, the River Index
Project recruited eight internationally recognized water quality experts to serve on a review panel
that supervises the project's activities.
Drawing on their own expertise and that of a peer review panel, the staff of the River Index Project
developed two indexes to convey information about local rivers:
• A water quality index, which synthesizes and summarizes information about the following
river water measurements:
- Dissolved oxygen - Specific conductivity
- E. coli - Temperature
.
• A river index, which includes all the parameters of the water quality index plus two additional
physical parameters:
- Flow rate
- Turbidity
While the water quality index focuses on those issues pertaining to the health of the river ecosys-
tem, the river index provides a broader sense of whether conditions are right for recreational use of
a river. Flow rate is a particularly important parameter for determining river safety. A very high
flow rate not only indicates strong, potentially dangerous currents, it warns of possible flooding.
For the sake of safety, the river index is set up to automatically take the "poor" rating (regardless of
how good the other parameters are) if flow rate approaches a level characteristic of flood activity.
Under these circumstances, the River Index Web site also displays a special flood warning.
4.3.Z.Z COMMUNICATING THE INDEX
General vs. Specific Ratings. The River Index is a mathematical procedure for "rating" a stretch of
water in terms of its current suitability for recreational pursuits. The system does not specify which
particular recreational activities are likely to be safe or advisable — it simply states whether or not
4-1 D CHAPTER 4
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the river conditions are favorable for recreation in general. The developers of the River Index
originally considered issuing use-based advisories (e.g., the river is or is not safe for boating, swim-
ming, fishing, etc.) but ultimately decided against this strategy because they felt it called for overly
subjective judgements and exposed the project to an undesired level of legal liability. It remains the
responsibility of individual users to make their own judgments about whether or not a particular
river activity is wise. The River Index Web site also provides the raw data upon which its general
rating was founded, which may help the user make such decisions.
River Index Maps and Icons
On the main page of its Web site, the River Index Project displays a schematic map of the Miami River
Valley, centered on the city of Dayton, Ohio. The purpose of this map is to provide an "at-a-glance" sum-
mary of water quality for all the rivers covered by the project. The most prominent features of the map are
the area's rivers and streams, colored light blue. Certain river segments are labeled on the map. The
background color of each segment's label changes to match the river's current water quality index—a key
on the map reminds the viewer of what each color means. The map also displays the boundaries of local
counties.
One prominent feature of this map is the cartoon-like icon of a "happy fish." The happy fish serves as a
navigational icon and a recurrent design element throughout the Project's Web site. On various other
pages of the Web site, there are small, click-able icons of happy fish that return the user to the River Index
home page. This iconography not only makes it easier to refer back to the summary map, but also gives
visual and thematic cohesion to the entire Web site.
^ Tie May 29 10 00-;5 axe J
Source: River Index Project, 2002.
What the Ratings Mean. Each of the six monitoring sites may have a different river index "rating,"
depending on how many points have been assigned to it in the indexing process. Table 4-4 sum-
marizes the different ratings.
CASE STUDIES
4-1 1
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TABLE 4-4. RATING SYSTEM USED IN THE RIVER INDEX
Rating
Excellent
Number of
Total Points
32-40
Meaning
"Overall measurements indicate high water quality.
Conditions highly favorable for recreation."
Good
25-31
"Most measurements meet or exceed Water Quality Standards.
Conditions favorable for recreation."
Fair
18-24
"Some measurements meet or exceed Water Quality Standards.
Conditions marginally favorable for recreation."
Poor
11-17
"Measurements indicate some water quality problems.
Conditions generally not favorable for most recreation."
Color-Coded Index Ratings. Each of the index ratings is paired with a color. Table 4-5 summarizes
the color relationships used by River Index and their cultural connotations. The color scheme cho-
sen by the River Index Project amplifies and coincides with the explanatory text for each rating.
This is particularly important because some people may not bother to read and/or think about the
carefully crafted text (included in Table 4-4) that explains each rating. These people may simply
note the color of the rating and make their conclusions about the river based on their intuitive
understanding of that color. Other people might read the explanatory language but be confused
about its practical significance (e.g., about the difference between "favorable" and "highly favor-
able"). The cultural connotations of a color help to communicate the level of risk reflected by the
different ratings.
TABLE 4-5. COLOR-CODING SYSTEM USED IN THE RIVER INDEX
Rating Color
Cultural Significance of Color
Excellent
Green
In traffic signals, the green light says "go ahead." Similarly, this rating
entices the index user to "go ahead" and use the river for recreation.
Green also connotes environmental well-being. It suggests that the river
is not only good for recreation, but also ecologically healthy.
Good
Blue
Unlike the other three colors, blue is not used in traffic signals. "Good"
therefore lacks the directive impact that the other ratings possess.
In aesthetic terms, however, it is widely accepted as the normal color of
water. Even though "good" is not the best possible rating, the color blue
reassures the index user that the water is still clean and safe.
Fair
Yellow
Yellow is the caution light in traffic signals. Without forbidding passage,
it exhorts the viewer to exercise discretion and maintain a heightened
state of awareness. Similarly, a yellow rating encourages the River Index
user to think twice about his or her plans for using the river. The color
encourages the user to learn more about the specific nature of the river's
problems.
Poor
Red
In traffic, the color red commands the viewer to stop. In an
environmental context, it also conveys an impression of danger,
emergency, and authority. The color red anchors "poor" at the bottom
of the ranking system and it indicates that there is, at present, a serious
problem with the river. The color encourages users to avoid the river
altogether until the situation improves.
4-1 2
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Averaging Index Values. Since some of the factors that contribute to the calculation of the river
index change hourly, the river index itself must be updated frequently. It is updated every 8 hours,
using an average of the previous 8 hourly automated readings and the most recent manual read-
ings. Web site visitors can "drill down" to the most recent automated readings from the monitoring
stations if they wish. One reason for updating the index only every 8 hours (rather than hourly) is
to prevent it from fluctuating in a seemingly random and confusing manner. It is conceivable that,
depending on the value of particular water parameters, the river index might be on the borderline
between two different readings—for example, "good" and "fair." If the index were updated every
hour, insignificant variation (i.e., "noise") in a river's water quality parameters might cause its rat-
ing to flip-flop between good and fair. This phenomenon might undermine public confidence in
the index's reliability. This pitfall is avoided by reliance on averaged data, which are more likely to
reflect significant changes in water quality.
Another Data Visualization Tool: Dials
Before the widespread use of digital readouts, scientific instruments typically presented their readings
by means of analog dials. In automobiles, these dials remain the principal technology for communi-
cating real-time information (e.g., speed, RPMs, oil pressure) to the driver. Thus, for many people the
idea of reading a value off of a dial is quite intuitive.
In the River Index Project, each dial has four sections, one for each of the four ratings. The needle of
the dial always points to the middle of a section of the dial. All the sections of the dial are labeled (poor,
fair, good, excellent) but only the one that the needle is pointing to is "lit up" with color. These dials
do not represent continuous variation in index values: since the needle simply "jumps" from one state
to the next, the dial would not distinguish between a "good" rating that was very close to "fair" and
one that was very close to "excellent." An interested user could make this distinction by looking at the
actual numerical score for the index; but the fact that the dial does not visually distinguish between
different scores within a single rating might convey the message that the distinction is unimportant.
http://www.riverindex.org
4.3.2.3 CALCULATING THE RIVER INDEX
Except for the special case of flood danger, the procedure for determining the River Index is
described below.
Step 1: Rate individual water quality parameters. Each of the water quality parameters that con-
tribute to the River Index can have a different value. The River Index rates these parameters as
either poor (1 point), fair (2 points), good (3 points), or excellent (4 points).
Let us take the case of dissolved oxygen as an example. According to Ohio EPA regulations and
the judgement of several water quality experts, dissolved oxygen levels greater than 9 milligrams per
liter (mg/1) are "excellent," levels between 5 and 9 mg/1 are "good," levels between 2 and 5 mg/1 are
"fair," and any value below 2 mg/1 is "poor." Therefore, a reading of 5.6 mg/1 of dissolved oxygen
would translate into 3 points, as shown in Table 4-6.
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TABLE 4-6. EXAMPLE OF RATING SYSTEM FOR
INDIVIDUAL WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS
Dissolved Oxygen Level (mg/l)
>9
5-9
2-5
<2
Parameter Rating
Excellent (4 points)
Good (3 points)
Fair (2 points)
Poor (1 point)
Rating Parameters Are Based on Science
For pH, for which a central value is the best and extremes on either end are poor, the River Index splits
the pH parameter into an upper and lower range. Above pH 7, a lower pH garners more points; below pH
7, a higher pH garners more points.
Range
Excellent
(4 points)
Gtwd
(3 points)
Fair
(2 points)
Poor
(1 point)
Upper (pH>7)
Lower (pH<7)
7-8
7-8
8-8.4
6.5-7
8.5-9
6-6.4
>9
<6
Thus, valuation may be different for different parameters, based on scientific information. For dissolved
oxygen (DO), an "excellent" rating of 4 is based on DO levels > 9, since the higher the DO level, the bet-
ter the water quality. For pH, an "excellent" rating of 4 is based on pHs between 7 and 8, since a pH above
or below this range is either too acidic or too basic.
Step 2: Weight and add the point values of the different parameters. On a basic level, the next step
involves simply adding up all the different points from the different water quality parameters. The
advantage of the point system is that it puts the parameters in a standardized form—there are only
four possible values per parameter, and the larger the sum total, the better the water quality.
An element of complexity is introduced, however, when one acknowledges that not all the water
quality parameters are equally important to the final quality of the river. To resolve this complexity,
the River Index staff developed a system for weighting points assigned to different parameters, as
shown in Table 4-7. The point value obtained in Step 1 for each parameter is multiplied by that
parameter's weighting factor to arrive at the final score for a particular parameter at a specific time
and place, which will range from a minimum score of 11 to a maximum score of 40. In other
words:
Point value of each parameter x weighting factor for each parameter = final value for each parameter
4-1 4
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TABLE 4-7. WEIGHTING FACTORS USED To INDICATE
THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF PARAMETERS
Parameter
Dissolved oxygen
E. coll
pH
Specific conductivity
Water temperature
Flow
Turbidity
Weighting Factor
3
1
1
1
1
2
1
Thus: Total point score for river water quality = (dissolved oxygen value x 3) + (E. coli value x 1) + (pH value x 1) +
(specific conductivity value x 1) + (water temperature value x 1) + (flow value x 2) + (turbidity value x 1)
Step 3: Assign a final rating based on the total score from the individual parameters. There remains
the task of assigning a river segment a "poor," "fair," "good," or "excellent" water quality rating,
based on its total point value. Table 4-8 shows the cutoff ranges used in the River Index that
correspond to these water quality ratings.
TABLE 4-B. OVERALL RIVER WATER QUALITY RATING
AND CORRESPONDING CUTOFF RANGES
Water Quality Rating Cutoff Ranges (Points)
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
^^^^BS^^^^H
25-31
18-24
11-17
One important caveat about the River Index's rating system is that it has a limited ability to convey
information about extreme deviations from the norm in any particular parameter. Say, for example,
that a river somehow became extremely acidic (e.g., pH 4). Out of a possible 40 points, the river
would lose 3 for the low pH. If all the other water quality parameters were in reasonable shape, the
final rating for an acidic, nearly lifeless river would be "excellent."
This of course, is a highly unlikely scenario since there is no practical reason why the pH of a river
near Dayton would suddenly drop in such an extreme fashion. The scenario merely serves to
demonstrate the logical limitations inherent in an empirically weighted, linear indexing system. As
mentioned earlier, the River Index Project has addressed this limitation by instituting a safety over-
ride to prevent extremely high flow levels from getting "hidden" in the index's scoring process. Any
organization developing a similar data interpretation tool in another context should consider
whether that tool's parameters could range to plausible extremes beyond which the tool would
cease giving reasonable output.
CASE STUDIES
4-1 5
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4.4.3LESSDNS LEARNED
The River Index Project has been successful in disseminating its daily river ratings through the
media as well as its Web site. Local newspapers ran stories about the project and some listed the
daily index on their weather page. Several television weather reports expressed some interest in dis-
playing river quality information, but the nature of TV reporting made this somewhat difficult
(e.g., TV weather reports would prefer to receive river index information as an immediately avail-
able, "prepackaged" video signal). Weekend TV weather reports did include the river index as a
recreational advisory.
Feedback from the public was modest but almost always positive. Anglers, in particular, were a
major audience for the information. The employees of a nearby vehicle manufacturing plant took a
particular interest in monitoring the quality of nearby rivers. The River Index Project sponsored a
pre-survey and a 2-year progress survey of their target audiences' knowledge of river conditions.
These surveys, conducted using random phone interviews, revealed that audience awareness of
Dayton's rivers has increased slightly over the time period in which the River Index Project operat-
ed. However, the survey did not reveal widespread awareness of the River Index Project or the
indexes themselves. This was the case in spite of the fact that the river indexes had been
announced in the area news media, advertised on buses, and incorporated into a professionally
designed Web site. In hindsight, the staff of the River Index Project concluded that they should
have employed a marketing expert when they first presented the river indexes to the public. They
felt that the project would have benefitted from more extensive "brand-building" to increase public
awareness and media interest in it. The River Index Project continues to evaluate and revise its
program to make it more meaningful and cost-effective.
4.4 LAKE ACCESS PROJECT
4.4.1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Lake Access water quality monitoring project was initiated in the state of Minnesota to deliver
near-real-time data to a variety of audiences. The project aims to provide public officials, scientists,
and the general public with information that will help them make sound decisions regarding water
quality issues. The project team developed a series of data visualization tools that present scientific
measurements in easy-to-understand formats such as charts or three-dimensional images. These
tools allow data that were once available to and used mainly by scientists to be accessible and use-
ful to the general public.
The Lake Access team developed interactive data presentation tools with the goal of giving users
control of the data. The different audiences for Lake Access data have different specific needs and
interests. For example, a public official might be interested in determining the effects that phos-
phorus contamination from fertilizers have on local lakes, while a fisherman might be interested in
knowing the oxygen content in certain areas of a lake to help determine where fish will most likely
be located. Thus, the Lake Access project made many of its tools "user-controlled" (see Chapter 5)
to allow more flexibility in manipulating and presenting data.
The project team uses Remote Underwater Sampling System (RUSS) devices to collect time-rele-
vant information from four locations in Minnesota. RUSS units collect data on five water quality
variables:
• Conductivity: The amount of dissolved salts, or ions, in water.
• Turbidity: An indication of how clear the water is.
4-1 s CHAPTER 4
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• Dissolved oxygen: A certain amount of oxygen is necessary for the survival of aquatic
organisms.
• Water temperature.
• pH: In water, the pH level determines the solubility and availability of chemical constituents,
including heavy metals.
These RUSS units are also used in lakes elsewhere in the country. The Lake Access project aims to
work with these other monitoring programs, such as those at Lake Onondaga in Syracuse, New
York; Lake Washington, Seattle; and elsewhere in Minnesota. The project team also collects other
types of information from additional monitoring stations, and integrates the non-RUSS data with
the RUSS data.
The Lake Access project is a cooperative effort of the Suburban Hennepin Regional Park District;
the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District; the University of Minnesota Water on the Web
Investigators (i.e., the Natural Resources Research Institute, the University of Minnesota-Duluth
Department of Education, and Minnesota Sea Grant); and Apprise Technologies, Inc., which holds
the license to RUSS technologies. Many of the key features on the Lake Access Web site, such as
the data visualization tools, were developed under a grant from The National Science Foundation's
Advanced Technology Education Program.
4.4.2 EFFECTIVE METHODS
The Lake Access project's data visualization and interpretation tools include color maps, charts,
and three-dimensional animation to convey and manipulate water quality profiles collected by
RUSS units and from manual sampling. Although these tools are designed to work with data gen-
erated by RUSS technology, they could also be set up to work with data collected from different
monitoring systems in other communities. The Lake Access project team also uses the Carlson
Trophic State Index to rate water quality. A summary of the data visualization and interpretation
tools developed or used by Lake Access is shown in Table 4-9, and some of the tools are discussed
below.
Some of the Lake Access data visualization and interpretation tools deliver numerical data (Lake
Access Live) or offer users simple graphs and charts created in Microsoft Excel. Others offer more
sophisticated tools, such as CIS, that allow users to manipulate data. Most of the tools use color
and graphical interfaces to enable users to "see" the information.
4.4.2. 1 CARLSON TROPHIC STATE INDEX
The Lake Access project uses the Carlson Trophic State Index, which measures a water body's
eutrophication—the process by which lakes are enriched with nutrients, which increases the
production of aquatic plants and algae, removes oxygen, and diminishes water quality. The Index,
which is used by many organizations to set water quality goals, combines various measurements
(e.g., transparency, phosphorus concentration) into a rating of water quality that ranges from 0
to 100 (0 indicates clear water; 50 to 60 indicates mild concentration of nutrients, decreased
transparency, and "threatened" quality; and 100 indicates algal scums and summer fish kills).
CASE STUDIES 4-17
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TABLE 4-9.
SUMMARY OF LAKE ACCESS DATA VISUALIZATION
AND DATA INTERPRETATION TOOLS
Tool Group
Data visualization tools
(DVToolkit includes Profile
Plotter, Color Mapper, and
Depth Versus Time Profiler)
Lake Access Live: near-real-
time display of numeric data;
Profile Plotter; Color Mapper;
Depth Versus Time Profiler
Primary Uses
• Explore lake data as they vary with depth and
over time.
' Create animated water quality profiles.
• Feed real-time data to Web site.
' Investigate correlations between water quality
variables and trends.
Geographic information
systems (CIS)
Several, including Arclnfo;
ArcView; GeoMedia; and
Maplnfo Professional
• Integrate and model spatial data (e.g., water quality
and land use).
' Develop Internet mapping applications.
Data interpretation tool
Carlson Trophic State Index
Measure lake quality with a single index.
Lake Access Web Site
Color maps; charts;
DVToolkit; CIS maps
Interactive capabilities to develop custom maps.
Spreadsheet programs
Microsoft Excel; Lotus 1-2-3
• Display raw data.
• Investigate correlations between water quality
variables and trends.
• Create summary graphs of data.
The Lake Access Web site (described below) shows the data in sample color-coded graphs. For
example, blue represents clear water, while green indicates degrees of eutrophication. For water
quality between 40 and 45, a light green shade is visible, and at 80, the shade is dark green. The
site provides an in-depth discussion of the Index, and lets users access Index information for the
four Minnesota lakes showcased in this project.
4.4.2.2 LAKE ACCESS WEB SITE
The Lake Access Web site (http://www.lakeaccess.org) is the project's primary avenue of disseminating
information through visually interactive tools (e.g., color maps and charts of temperature and pH levels
in lakes). The site's design features a rolling banner that presents time-relevant data from RUSS units in
three lakes, as shown in Figure 4-3. The site also features a history page about one of the lakes, provid-
ing the user with background on the many influences that have affected the lake over time.
Figure 4-3. The Lake Access Web site's front Fi9ure 4"3
page for lake data. Visitors to the Web site
can access the tools available through the
Internet or they can download the
DVToolkit. With the DVToolkit saved on
his or her hard drive, the user can open the
data tools in a Web browser without having
to connect to the site. Users must download
the kit again if they want to access updated
information. The Lake Access team updates
the DVToolkit whenever it receives new
RUSS data. When using the toolkit online,
the user receives near-real-time data via the
Water on the Web server (http://wow.nrri.umn.edu/wow/).
It may take a while to load these data, but the toolkit runs quickly once they are loaded.
4-1 B
CHAPTER 4
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In addition to the interactive toolkit, the site offers users an interactive GIS mapping feature, with maps
showing land use and land cover, as well as information on soils, roads, political boundaries, and other
data layers that can be used in conjunction with the water quality data, such as the graph shown in
Figure 4-4.
... - !".:- |- -, •• ., • - 1 ::,: 1 . , - • - PH
- 3m la^i H«d i nr-i ir»3oS» cMfcr*on
•93
30
9*
90
7i
7 or
at
3
?
Figure 4-4. Water Quality Trends. Graphs can be very useful data visualization tools—for example,
to indicate trends over time. The graph above shows average pH values in the surface layer of Lake
Independence, part of the Lake Access project, over time. The vertical bars over the data points
represent the range of values measured for a particular day. Source: Lake Access, 2002.
Communicating Information to Specific Audiences
The Lake Access Web site is organized to present data to four distinct groups: swimmers, boaters,
anglers, and land owners. For different users, the site offers different information that varies from sim-
ple to complex. For example, if users click on the "Swimmers" link, the site takes them to a page that
shows the water temperature for Lake Independence, explains the risks of exposure to certain types
and levels of bacteria, and describes the illness "swimmer's itch." For fishers, the link takes users to
a page depicting the oxygen concentrations in Lake Minnetonka, Halstead Bay. Data are presented in
color graphs, in which green indicates ample oxygen, and black or darker colors represent areas of
depleted oxygen.
The "Lake Data" section of the site provides more complex information and leads users to the
DVToolkit. The section explains how RUSS data are collected, tells how the team ensures the quality
of the data, and provides a link to EPA's guidance on quality assurance measures. The "Lake Data"
section also explains important terms, such as conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity.
Use of Color Coding. The DVToolkit, as well as the Excel-based graphs and charts, uses color to
help convey the data to the user. For example, the Color Mapper uses intuitive colors that range
from blue (to indicate cold) to red (to indicate hot) when measuring lake temperature, and colors
ranging from green (for "good") to black (for "poor") when measuring oxygen concentration.
Intuitive colors make it easier for users to understand data. For example, when using the Color
Mapper, users can see changes in oxygen concentration in the background color. When oxygen
concentration reaches 5 on the Color Mapper, the color fades to brown, then to blue when the
CASE STUDIES
4-1 9
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concentration reaches 3, then to black. For temperature, the color is blue until about 10 degrees
Celsius, after which it turns green, then yellow at 20 degrees Celsius, and finally red at 25 degrees
Celsius. These colors function the same way on the Depth Versus Time (DxT) Profiler and most
other Lake Access data visualization and interpretation tools.
The only tool that deviates from these color codes is the Profile Plotter, which features the six Lake
Access variables as lines plotted on a graph. Each category is assigned its own color, and these col-
ors do not represent changes in data, only the category itself (e.g., temperature). Figure 4-5 shows
examples from the Profile Plotter and Color Mapper.
Figure 4-5. Screens from the Lake Access Profile Plotter and Color Mapper. Source: Lake Access, 2002.
4.4.2.3 ANIMATION
Lake Access also employs sophisticated animation and two- and three-dimensional graphics to con-
vey water quality information to the public. Animation techniques are powerful visualization tools
to help individuals understand technical data. The Lake Access Profile Plotter conveys water quali-
ty over time. Users can animate the profiles to see daily, monthly, and annual changes. The Color
Mapper conveys the same information using a different graphical method: while the Profile Plotter
uses color-coded line graphs with multiple lines designated by the user, the Color Mapper uses a
single line with a color-coded background that represents another variable, allowing the user to
understand the correlation between two different variables (such as pH and temperature). The
Color Mapper can also be animated to show how the data change over time.
4.4.2.4 TWO- AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL VISUALIZATION
The Lake Access team wanted users to be able to display and analyze data in two or three dimen-
sions. Accordingly, the DxT Profiler allows users to select a time period and a variable (such as
oxygen concentration) and allows them to add grid lines, show the actual data points, and interpo-
late data by depth and time, as shown in Figure 4-6. This kind of flexibility in mapping informa-
tion allows users to create sophisticated analyses of water quality data. In addition, the tool is used
to create image files of the graphs for the Lake Access Web site.
The Lake Access project also uses movie files to display data. Many Web sites use movie files (e.g.,
MPEGs, AVIs) to showcase video clips of items such as movies and news programs, but movie files
can also be used to animate data. This unique method for displaying and conveying data is
extremely useful for demonstrating how lake temperature changes throughout the year. By using a
combination of color, motion, and easy-to-understand charts, the animation provides users with a
good idea of where and when lake temperature is affected.
4-ZD
CHAPTER 4
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The Lake Access team created an AVI animation of a chart depicting the change in lake temperature
over time. The animation starts off with an image of a lake moving along the X axis of a chart, with
the X axis representing time and the Y axis representing the lake's depth. The dates displayed change
as the picture moves along the X axis, as does the color of the lake. The user can see how the water
nearer the surface heats up during the summer months (and that the temperature at the lake bottom
remains relatively unchanged), and how the entire lake reaches a uniform temperature in the winter
months. A question mark appears in the lower portion of the image to indicate periods in which no
data were collected. Once the image reaches the end of the axis, it becomes a three-dimensional
image displaying the lake's various temperatures, as well as lake depth. It then rotates into the DxT
plane, linking the animation to the output of the DxT Profiler and displaying a profile of the lake's
temperature change over time.
Figure 4-6. Example of Lake Access three-dimensional lake cross-section x time animation. Source:
Host et al., 2000.
4.4.Z.5 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
GIS maps provide power and flexibility in using data. At the Lake Access Web site, under "Land
Use/GIS," users can see multiple land and water features for the Minnehaha Creek Watershed and
Hennepin Park District, as shown in Figure 4-7. This Web-based capability uses ArcView Internet
Map Server (IMS) to distribute GIS data. Users can zoom in and out of maps and perform queries
to gather information about different map elements. The IMS allows users to turn off different
kinds of map layers such as roads and water bodies. The IMS screen has three sections:
• A toolbar for performing map operations
• An interactive legend that turns off different layers
• A frame that shows the map itself
CASE STUDIES
4-2 1
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Hmill-fill) I'jiik !>!•.!iii. I
• . -
d
y^
•
;;>.•• *>!••' l-_|"H
sdhifcM »i*i flri In
•!*. ItmrfHW* 0*uri
arT i fiirt *•!• i na a
.1
%
Figure 4-7. A GIS map from the Lake Access Web site. Source: Lake Access, 2002.
The DVToolkit and the GIS mapping function, all freely and easily accessible via the Lake Access
Web site, are valuable data visualization tools that offer users the power to display different aspects
of water quality that interest them. Using the color-coded and graphical displays created by these
tools can help local officials and water users make decisions based on actual, near-real-time water
quality data.
4.4.Z.B OUTREACH
To effectively market the Lake Access tools to local officials and the general public, Lake Access
project coordinators worked with naturalists, teachers, museum officials, and others. After dis-
cussing target audiences, key messages, and the types of outreach materials they thought should
be developed, the project team created a variety of materials, including a Web site, a printed
brochure, and a survey. Kiosks were developed to reach those without Internet access.
Brochure and Survey. The Lake Access project released a "plain English" brochure describing the
components of the project. The brochure, a two-page, four-color publication entitled Seeing Below
the Surface, targets both the general public and those decision-makers interested in water quality
data, explains how the data are collected through RUSS units, and provides easy-to-follow infor-
mation on the data visualization tools available through the project's Web site.
The Lake Access project also conducted a survey to ascertain the public's general knowledge
of lakes and water quality and land-use issues in the Hennepin County area in Minnesota.
Administered to 450 randomly selected addresses, the survey included a cover page explaining the
Lake Access project, a postcard that residents could return if they wanted to participate in a focus
group, and a questionnaire covering lake use, level of concern about lake water quality, and pre-
ferred ways of receiving Lake Access project information. Forty percent of the residents responded
to the survey, and the results revealed that residents were generally somewhat concerned about or
interested in the lake and water quality.
Kiosks. The Lake Minnetonka Regional Parks Visitor's Center, the Eastman Nature Center, the
Science Museum of Minnesota, and the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth set up kiosks for users
without Internet access. The kiosks feature the same information as that found on the Lake Access
4-22
CHAPTER 4
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Web site. Using a touch-screen computer at the kiosks, users can access the same time-relevant data
from the RUSS units.
Presentations. The Lake Access team also gives presentations to local officials. After using simple
visual tools, such as pie charts, to explain water quality data, the team encourages officials and
other interested parties to visit the Web site to explore its DVToolkit and GIS mapping features.
4.4.3 KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Local officials typically rely on scientists and engineers for water quality advice because of the tech-
nical nature of the subject. By making highly technical data accessible and comprehensible to a lay
audience, Lake Access more directly involved the public in decision-making about water quality
issues.
4.3.3. 1 LAKE MINNETONKA
The Lake Access project has not only helped educate people about local water quality issues, but
also saved tax dollars. For example, a consulting group had recommended an $8 million project to
eliminate "external loading" (phosphates that enter a water body) of phosphates into Lake
Minnetonka. After data were analyzed, however, it was apparent that external loading was not as
critical as "internal loading" (existing phosphates that have settled to the bottom of the lake and
dissolve in the water). The $8 million project would not have addressed this problem. The Lake
Access team used the project's data visualization tools to persuade local decision-makers to consider
these facts, and the $8 million project did not proceed.
4.3.3.2 PHOSPHORUS RUNOFF
The Lake Access team also demonstrated the negative impacts on water quality from the use of
phosphorus-containing lawn fertilizers. High phosphorus concentrations in a lake promote rapid
growth of algae and other plant life, adversely affecting water quality. Public education through the
Lake Access data visualization and interpretation tools has prompted legislative activity to restrict
the use of phosphorus fertilizers.
4.4.4 LESSONS LEARNED
• The Lake Access team learned that traditional graphing techniques, such as simple pie charts
and bar graphs, are quite effective in communicating environmental information to the pub-
lic. Lake Access uses a variety of more innovative data visualization tools in its outreach to
environmental managers and elected officials, but it sometimes relies on the more traditional
tools for its public outreach efforts.
• The Lake Access team's partnership with a local university (the University of Minnesota)
greatly facilitated the design and maintenance of the Lake Access Web site. Major research
universities often have large, highly trained information technology departments; by partner-
ing with the University, the Lake Access project gained access to knowledgeable Web designers
at a reasonable cost.
• The Lake Access project planners found that the continual development of new data presenta-
tion and interpretation features is a major part of the labor involved in maintaining the Lake
Access Web site. The Web site staff spend about 50 percent of their time maintaining existing
data presentation components and about 50 percent developing and bringing new data pres-
entation tools online.
Lake Access is starting a new project to analyze phosphorus runoff. The tool will use a GIS
mapping function for evaluating a Minnesota watershed that drains into Lake Medicine. This
new model will be based on a pre-existing one called the Source Loading and Management Model.
The new model will be available on the Lake Access Web site once it is complete.
CASE STUDIES 4-23
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5
GUIDELINES FDR DEVELOPING AND USING
DATA VISUALIZATION AND INTERPRETATION
TOOLS FOR RISK COMMUNICATION
The following guidelines may help the staff of new or expanded environmental risk communication
programs to effectively develop and use the risk communication tools described in this handbook
and other outreach materials. Many of these guidelines are "common sense" but may be overlooked
as communications materials are developed.
Use data visualization as much as possible, and minimize the use of lengthy text.
When using text, use language that is appropriate for your audience.
It is often possible to use data visualization tools such as icons, maps, graphs, or
other visual tools in place of language to convey risk information. These visual
tools are useful because they tend to transcend cultural boundaries and differing
educational levels more easily than language does. Thus, your message may be
understood by more people through data visualization than through text. For
example, the icon on the left may be universally understood without words.
Some information, however, may be too complex to present without any language. When develop-
ing written communications, be sure to use a level of language that accurately represents your par-
ticular audience. For example, you may want a brochure written at an elementary school reading
level, with simple explanations of technical information, when addressing the general public or a
more targeted audience that may have little or no knowledge about the subject matter. For a more
specialized audience with some knowledge and education about a particular subject, you may want
to develop text written at a junior high school or higher reading level, with more detailed technical
information. If a brochure is for both the general public and a more educated audience, the more
advanced text might be placed is a separate section or in a sidebar.
universal colors and images whenever possible.
Some colors schemes and images are almost universally recognized, such as red for
"stop," green for "go," and yellow for "caution." Also, the icon of a circle with a
line through it is now well known to mean "don't do this"; superimposing this
symbol on a picture of a swimmer is a quick and easy way to communicate "don't
swim here" to a wide audience with varying degrees of education whose members
may speak different languages.
Using tools such as standardized icons and color-coding can increase the usefulness of your risk
communication materials.
GUIDELINES
5-1
-------
When communicating risk information, include actions that people can take to
minimize their health risks.
Communicating environmental risks usually involves informing people about the potential health
effects that might be associated with exposure to certain environmental conditions, such as skin
cancer and cataracts from overexposure to UV radiation from the sun; gastrointestinal illness from
ingesting beach water contaminated with high levels of certain types of bacteria; or lower IQin
children who have ingested backyard soil contaminated with significant levels of lead.
It is equally important to let people know what actions they can take to avoid such risks, such as
avoiding time in the sun on certain days, refraining from swimming in a particular beach area for a
day or two, or obtaining state advice about whether they should get their backyard soil cleaned up.
These risk avoidance actions should ideally be communicated simultaneously with the risk expo-
sure information.
the best communication style: "Telling" or "User-Controlled'
Often one of the first steps in a risk communication/outreach program is determining who your
audience is (deciding on your "target audience"), analyzing their information needs, and choosing
the best communication style to fit those needs. For example, will your risk communication strate-
gy involve primarily "telling" a large segment of the general public some relatively simple informa-
tion, or will it involve giving a more specialized, knowledgeable audience some control in selecting
the different types of information they are seeking? The latter might involve setting up a relatively
more complicated environmental database that allows some "user control." Some projects use a
combination of these two styles, first providing general information in a "telling" style, then pre-
senting more detailed information (or, on a Web site, links to such information).
THE "TELLING" STYLE DF RISK C D M M U N I CATI D N
When your strategy involves providing ("telling") relatively simple risk information to people with
little prior knowledge about a subject, some of the guidelines described above for risk communica-
tion are particularly important, such as using visual tools and relatively simple language. For exam-
ple, the designers of the Southeastern Wisconsin Beach Health Web site, which provides informa-
tion about beach water quality conditions and closures, established a system for presenting relative-
ly simple data about beach water quality. All visitors to this Web site initially receive essentially the
same type of information (e.g., beach quality on specific days at particular beaches) presented in
essentially the same way. (For users with a more detailed interest in water quality trends or specific
test results, the Web site also provides a "user-controlled" section; after specifying particular data
sets and time periods, more advanced users can obtain detailed laboratory results presented in tab-
ular form.) Even when using the "telling" mode of communication, it may be useful to provide an
option to display the Web site in a language other than English.
Risk communicators (including Web site designers) seeking to "tell" information to the public
should avoid overestimating the amount of effort that their audience is willing to expend in pur-
suit of this information. Ideally, for a Web site, the user should not be required to do more than
type in a single, memorable URL and then make one or two obvious clicks of the mouse in order
to view the risk information.
5-2
CHAPTER 5
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Examples of EMPACT projects that follow the "telling" style of risk communication include:
Sun Wise, AIRNow, Miami Valley River Index, and Southeastern Wisconsin Beach Health, some of
which are discussed below.
SunWise. The Sun Wise program provides a wide range of educational resources designed to inter-
est children in the issue of UV exposure and help them gauge current UV levels in their home
areas. The SunWise program uses some traditional outreach methods, such as classroom exercises
and colorful brochures, but it also uses some innovative materials, such as hand-held UV monitor-
ing devices and UV-sensitive frisbees that change color depending on how long they are exposed to
the sun. These educational materials prime students for the "telling" component of the SunWise
program, which involves providing NWS predictions of local UV intensity. Students can obtain
these predictions directly from the SunWise Web site or through other media, such as television or
newspaper weather reports.
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Dally UV Index Contour Map
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http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html
http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindexcontour.html
GUIDELINES
5-3
-------
Southeastern Wisconsin Beach Health. This program's Web site initially provides the answer to a
basic question of interest to a large number of people in the Milwaukee/Racine, Wisconsin, area
each summer: Which beaches are open for swimming? As soon as a user opens the Web site, he or
she is presented with a list of local beaches. A color-coded icon (either a blue swimmer or a red
crossed-out swimmer) provides an immediate visual indication of whether a particular beach is
open for swimming. (This Web site also provides more "user-controlled" information elsewhere on
the Web site.)
Find as* ifeeuf
atthi
Beachhealth
,g
Latest nrsllafote bf act- WKS-
Welcome to ihe Southeastern
Wisconsin Beach Health website
i Mi* dtlty water qualify eonrlHIotts ai bujith&t I
i n. ,•,..•'ih^K. Rjcin*, Fax Point, Shwewced, wniCeflsD Bay,
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
st^ison will begm JraHf i5, 2002.
http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/pls/beachhealth
THE "USER-CDNTRDLLED" STYLE DF RISK
COMMUNICATION
Some projects serve a smaller audience (e.g., a subset of the public, local health officials, etc.) that
is likely to have specific and detailed interests in particular aspects of a project's environmental
data. The risk communication/outreach strategies for these projects may be most useful if they give
users more control over what information they obtain and how their data are presented. For exam-
ple, the Lake Access project presents information about how water quality in certain lakes varies
with depth and over time. Someone with an interest in such specialized data may have a fair
amount of education on the topic and be willing to expend some energy in pursuing the informa-
tion. It is also reasonable to assume that the precise nature of such an informed user's interest
would be difficult for a risk communicator to anticipate. Therefore, it would make sense to pro-
vide greater complexity and flexibility in using data visualization and interpretation tools than in
the "telling" risk communication style described above.
Examples of EMPACT projects that follow the "user-controlled" style of presentation include:
Lake Access, Boulder Area Sustainability Network (BASIN), Des Moines Waterworks, and the
Monitoring Your Sound (MYSound) project for Long Island Sound, as discussed below.
5-4
CHAPTER 5
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Boulder Area Sustainability Network. The BASIN Web site provides public access to a wide range
of data sets collected from the watershed of Boulder, Colorado. These data sets provide time-rele-
vant information about snowpack levels, stream flow, water quality, and toxic releases in the
Boulder area. Users of the BASIN Web site can generate graphs of different water quality parame-
ters by specifying the date and parameters that they are interested in viewing. They can compare
the behavior of different parameters by choosing to view those parameters on a single Web page.
Boulder Creek Watershed
COB Water Quality
MDiiitoriiiE Sites
Water quality data is collected monthly' by the City of Boulder at IS location 5 along Boulder Crock.
Vltw data jg a preflli along Ihr North Boulder CrctkBuuMcr Crttk syilcm
Vltw data m annual ttrat itrfei at a particular locadom
Vltw data as graphs of water quality parameters on a map
VlfWi 111* SSI \\nli-r (JlMtily IllllfV l'4llll|llJli-il till r;Hll Ml.mill :M<\ M:ilintl HI «;[lr I-llril
Boulder Crcek/North Boulder Crwk Water Quality Profiles
To sec graphs of waler quality in Boulder Crccfc from upstream lo downstream, use Has form. Select the parameter
I, rnomfi, y«a> and iiidicalc if you also want lo *« a tlata tabb.
T Watta- Temperature r Sfrtam Flow (B'pH (Aciditj-)
r Specific Conductance r Alkalinity r Hardness
r Turbitlily r Total Dissolved Sofitb r Tola) Suspended Solids
r Nilrate a«
-------
Monitoring Your Sound. The MYSound Web page
provides information about dissolved oxygen and other
water quality variables at various sampling locations along
Long Island Sound. Much of the information is provided
in the format of an instrument display panel. Users of the
MYSound Web page view current information by select-
ing which sampling buoy they wish to receive data from
and then selecting what kinds of data they are interested
in from that buoy (as well as whether they would prefer
to view the data in graphical or text format).
http://www.mysound.uconn.edu
CONCLUSION
The projects discussed in this handbook illustrate the wide range of data visualization and data
interpretation tools and techniques available for environmental risk communication, including
time-relevant environmental information. We hope that you have found these tools interesting and
useful for adaptation to your own risk communication efforts. We also hope that this handbook
stimulates further research and encourages development of additional tools to communicate envi-
ronmental risk.
Table 5-1 lists the addresses of the project Web sites discussed in this handbook; visit these sites if
you wish to explore the projects' risk communication messages further. The Reference list includes
additional resources. Also, an overview of environmental risk communication can be found in
EPA's publication Considerations in Risk Communication: A Digest of Critical Information (order no.
EPA/625/R-02/004). Ordering information for other titles in this series can be found in the order
booklet EPA/625/N-02/001 or at the EPA Web site: http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl.
TABLE 5- 1
WEBSITES a F
HANDS DDK
PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS
Web Site Name URL
EPAAIRNow
Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network
Charles River Basin Flagging Program 2002
Des Moines Water Works EMPACT Project
Smog City
Lake Access
Miami Valley River Index
MYSound
Southeastern Wisconsin Beach Health
Spare the Air
EPA SunWise School Program
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission:
Air Monitoring
http://www.epa.gov/airnow
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/basin
http://www.crwa.org/wq/daily/2002/daily.html
http://www.dmww.com/empact.asp
http://www.e-tulsa.net
http://www.lakeaccess.org
http://www.riverindex.org
http://www.mysound.uconn.edu
http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/pls/beachhealth
http://www.sparetheair.com
http://www.epa.gov/sunwise
http://www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/air/monops/index.html
5-6
CHAPTER 5
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REFERENCES
Charles River Watershed Association. 2002. Charles River Basin flagging program 2002.
Climate Prediction Center. 2000. UV Index: how to use it! National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service.
Host, G.E., N.R, Will, R.P. Axler, C.J. Owen, and B.H. Munson. 2000. Interactive technologies
for collecting and visualizing water quality data. URISA Journal 12(3):39-45.
Lake Access. 2002.
National Weather Service. 2002. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
River Index Project. 2002. Miami Valley River Index,
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. 2002. Ozone movie archive.
Stone, S. 2000. Structure of the Air Quality Index (AQI). In: Air Quality Index and Emission
Inventory for Delhi: Abstracts. June 6-8, New Delhi. Centre for Science and Environment, India
Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. 2002. Animated ozone concentrations.
Tulsa Air and Water Quality Information System. 2002.
University of Connecticut. 2002. MYSound.
U.S. EPA. 1998. Report of eight focus groups on the Ozone Map, the Pollutant Standards Sub-
Index for Ozone, and the Ozone Health Effects Booklet. Report prepared by Eastern Research
Group, Inc. Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA. 1999a. Air quality guide for ozone. EPA/456/F-99/002. Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA. 1999b. Guideline for developing an ozone forecasting program. EPA/454/R-99/009.
Research Triangle Park, NC.
U.S. EPA. 1999c. Guideline for reporting of daily air quality—Air Quality Index (AQI).
EPA/454/R-99/010. Research Triangle Park, NC.
U.S. EPA. 1999d. Ozone and your health. EPA/452/F-99/003. Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA. 2000. Delivering timely water quality information to your community: the Lake
Access-Minneapolis project. EPA/625/R-00/013. Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA. 2002a. Sun Wise school program,
U.S. EPA. 2002b. Office of Environmental Information,
U.S. EPA. 2002c. AIRNow.
Weather Channel. 2002. Air quality forecast,
REFERENCES
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Cover
Research and Development
Environmental Information
EPA/625/R-02/011
www.epa.gov/empact
September 2002
Risk Communication in Action:
Environmental Case Studies
The Cross Program Handbook
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook
s>EPA
Risk Communication in
Action: Environmental
Case Studies
Continue »
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Table of Contents
Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION: Tools for Communicating Environmental Health Risks to the Public
2.0 How to Use this Handbook
2.1 Road Map
2.2 Frequently Asked Questions
3.0 Data Visualization and Data Interpretation: Tools for Environmental Risk Communication
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Data Visualization Tools
3.2.1 How Can Maps Be Used for Environmental Risk Communication?
3.2.2 How Can Color-Coding Show Environmental Quality Conditions?
3.2.3 How Are Icons (or Images) Used in Environmental Risk Communication?
3.2.4 How Are Graphs Used to Show Time-Relevant Environmental Data?
3.2.5 Geographic Information Systems
3.2.6 What Are Simulations and How Are They Used for Environmental Risk Communication?
3.3 Data Interpretation Tools
3.3.1 What Are Environmental Indexes?
3.3.2 Publications
3-4 What's the Best Way To "Get the Word Out"?—Distribution Methods
4.0 Case Studies: Developing and Using Data Visualization and Data Interpretation Tools
4.1 Introduction
4.2 AIRNow Project
4.2.1 Project History
4.2.2 Effective Methods
4.2.3 Key Accomplishments
4.2.4 Lessons Learned
4.2.5 Future Plans
4.3 The River Index Project
4.3.1 Project History
4.3.2 Effective Methods
4.3.3 Lessons Learned
4.4 Lake Access Project
4.4.1 Project Description
4.4.2 Effective Methods
4.4.3 Key Accomplishments
4.4.4 Lessons Learned
5.0 Guidelines for Developing and Using Data Visualization and Interpretation Tools for Risk Communication
References
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Table of Contents
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Acknowledgements
Acknowledgments
Dr. Dan Peterson (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], National Risk Management Research Laboratory)
served as principal author of this handbook. Co-authors included Linda Stein, David Berol, Judy Usherson, and Adam
Parez of Eastern Research Group, Inc., an EPA contractor. EPA would like to thank the following people for their input
during the development of this handbook:
John Barten, Suburban Hennepin Regional Park District (Lake Access Project)
Scott Hammond, Miami River Index Project
Kevin Rossel, U.S. EPA SunWise Program
ChetWayland, U.S. EPA AirNow Project
Disclaimer
This document has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and approved for publication.
Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation of their use.
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Chapter 1 & 2
1. INTRODUCTION: TOOLS FOR COMMUNICATING
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKS TO THE PUBLIC
Communicating environmental health risks to the public has increasingly become a responsibility of local and state
officials and private groups involved in environmental monitoring. People have come to expect access to more
information about local air and water quality, for example, and advances in environmental monitoring and computer
technology (such as the Internet) have made timely—sometimes daily—communication of environmental conditions
possible. The experiences of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state governments, and some local
governments and private organizations in providing such time-relevant environmental risk communication can help
other municipalities, states, and private groups develop or expand their own local environmental risk communication
programs.
This handbook reflects the experiences of a variety of projects that have been part of EPA's Environmental Monitoring
for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) Program, which was active from 1996 to 2002. A key goal of the
EMPACT Program was to facilitate the process of providing the public with time-relevant environmental information,
including information on any health risks associated with certain environmental conditions. Achieving this goal involved
helping communities identify and use effective ways to collect, manage, and distribute timely environmental and health
risk information; it also involved sharing the experiences of various municipalities that have successfully accomplished
these objectives.
Local and state EMPACT projects have been involved in a variety of environmental monitoring and risk communication
activities, such as air quality monitoring and beach, lake, and river monitoring. In the course of these activities, certain
tools and combinations of tools have proven to be effective for environmental risk communication, particularly data
visualization and data interpretation tools. Data visualization tools graphically depict, in this context, environmental
health risks or environmental quality conditions. Data interpretation tools describe complex scientific concepts in
relatively simple terms (as index values, for example); this can help people understand the potential health risks
associated with exposure to certain environmental conditions (such as air pollution). Some projects have developed
such tools on a national scale, and some of these tools are available "as is" or are easily adaptable for use by localities
to report local environmental conditions. Examples include EPA's AIRNow project for air quality and the EPA SunWise
project on UV radiation exposure from the sun. Other tools were developed on a more regional or local scale; some of
these tools could be adopted by other communities (such as beach flags indicating local water quality, or the use of
color-coded indexes or maps).
This handbook discusses a wide variety of data visualization and data interpretation tools that municipalities involved in
EMPACT projects have used successfully in environmental risk communication programs. The handbook explains what
the tools are and how they can be used, and also presents a number of case studies of projects using such tools. It
also provides some basic guidelines for developing and using data visualization and data interpretation tools. EPA
hopes that sharing this information will help other states and municipalities establish environmental risk communication
programs and expand existing programs to incorporate timelier, more effective risk communication methods.
2. HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK
This handbook provides both general and detailed information on how to use a wide variety of data visualization and
data interpretation tools for effective environmental risk communication. The handbook is intended for local and state
officials, environmental groups, and others who are responsible for communicating environmental conditions and
associated health risks to the public. The handbook is organized as described below.
2.1 ROAD MAP
Overview of data visualization
and data Interpretation tools,
Including maps, color-coding.
Icons, graphs, geographic
Information systems,
simulations, Indexes, and
publications: see Chapter 3.
Case study presentations of
three projects that have suc-
cessfully Incorporated many
different data visualization and
data Interpretation tools Into
their programs: see Chapter 4.
Guidelines for developing and
using effective risk communi-
cation tools: see Chapter 5.
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Chapter 1 & 2
2.2 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Whether you are just beginning to consider developing an environmental risk communication program or are in the
process of expanding your program, the following frequently asked questions may be useful.
Q: What are data visualization and data interpretation tools, and why are they important?
A: Data visualization tools present information primarily through images (such as maps, icons, and pie charts) rather
than words. Data interpretation tools (such as indexes) describe complex scientific concepts in relatively simple terms.
Both of these tools can be particularly powerful in communicating information about environmental quality conditions
(such as water quality) and environmental health risks.
Q: What is time-relevant risk communication ?
A: The term "time-relevant" refers to the goal of providing real-time (such as daily or near-daily) environmental
information. Providing time-relevant information can be particularly important when one seeks to communicate
environmental risks, because such risks depend on conditions (such as air or water quality) that can change each day.
The Internet and other data visualization and data interpretation tools often make it possible to communicate
environmental risk information fairly quickly.
Q: What are some of the most effective ways to inform the public about environmental risks?
A: According to the experience of some environmental risk communication projects, the most effective ways to
disseminate environmental risk information may include establishing a Web site that displays a variety of data
visualization tools (e. g., maps, color-coded charts), arranging for local news media to present your information,
establishing a telephone hotline, and developing a collection of printed materials. Many other outreach methods may
also be effective, such as setting up kiosks at strategic locations to distribute information (sometimes on onsite
computers), giving presentations to local officials and others, and incorporating the information into school science
curriculums.
Q: Why is it sometimes desirable to make special presentations to children, senior citizens, and people with certain
health problems?
A: Children, senior citizens, and people with certain illnesses are often uniquely sensitive to the kinds of environmental
problem that time-relevant monitoring typically addresses, such as ozone pollution and UV radiation. Therefore, it is
sometimes worthwhile to tailor special materials for these audiences, since their issues and concerns may differ
significantly from those of the general population.
Q: How can our program avoid jargon and complex language in the materials we develop on environmental risks?
A: One solution is to use graphic images as much as possible to convey your message in your materials. When you
need to use language, first think about the literacy and education levels of your audience, and then tailor your language
so that it will be comprehensible to the vast majority of that audience. With some effort and good writing skills, it is
usually possible to express a complex concept clearly and in relatively simple terms. Where literacy and education vary
dramatically, you may want to develop several editions of your written materials for different reading levels. Also, focus
groups and interviews with members of your target audience can play an important role in identifying any jargon or
overly complex language.
Table of Contents | Next »
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Chapter 3
3. DATA VISUALIZATION AND DATA INTERPRETATION
TOOLS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RISK COMMUNICATION
3.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter describes specific data visualization and data interpretation tools that can often improve risk
communication by presenting environmental risk information in more "user-friendly" ways. Examples of each tool from
actual EMPACT projects are provided. If you are considering using some of these tools for environmental risk
communication, check to see whether any data visualization or data interpretation tools already exist that can meet
your needs or be modified to do so. Some municipalities and organizations have successfully used tools developed by
other projects.
Experience has shown that the most effective tools are simple to understand and use, provide consistent messages,
and reflect a uniform system that aligns with or complements already existing systems. For example, if you use color-
coding, use colors that are commonly used, understood, and associated with particular messages (e.g., green for "go,"
red for "stop"). Also, your tools will be more effective if they can be adapted to fit a variety of presentation formats (e.g.,
Web sites, brochures, presentations) and the requirements of the media (e.g., print, television, radio).
Section 3.2 describes a variety of data visualization tools, and Section 3.3 describes some important data interpretation
tools. Section 3.4 summarizes the ways that risk information can be distributed to your audiences (e.g., the Internet,
newspapers, television). The ways in which projects have developed and used several of these tools, often in
conjunction with one another (e.g., a color coded index) are described throughout this chapter and in Chapter 4.
3.2 DATA VISUALIZATION TOOLS
In this handbook, data visualization tools are any graphic representation of data to communicate health risks or other
aspects of environmental quality. Presenting data in a visual format can enhance your audience's understanding of and
interest in the data. Data visualization tools discussed below include maps, color-coding, icons, graphs, geographic
information systems (GIS), and simulations.
3.2.1 HOW CAN MAPS BE USED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RISK COMMUNICATION?
Maps are one of the most basic and familiar data visualization tools that can be used to communicate time-relevant
environmental quality information for particular locations. A map showing environmental quality data can be based on
specific geographic information (as in Figure 3-1) or it can illustrate environmental quality conditions on a broader
conceptual scale, as in Figure 3-2. If kept simple (e.g., clutter-free) and accompanied by a good key that explains the
symbols it uses, a map can be one of the easiest data interpretation and visualization tools to develop and/ or use.
Figures 3-1 and 3-2 below illustrate how one EMPACT project, the SunWise Project, has successfully used different
types of maps in its risk communication efforts. SunWise staff developed the maps to be intuitive and consistent with
other map-reporting systems, such as the EMPACT AIRNow map for ozone (see Chapter 4 for a discussion of the
AIRNow project). Many other EMPACT projects have also developed and used maps (see Chapter 4 for examples).
The AIRNow project, for example, uses animated maps that depict the formation and movement of ozone throughout
the course of the day; the colors on the map change as the ozone concentrations change.
Figure 3-1. Daily UVIndex map (site-specific). This
map illustrates, on a daily basis, the levels of ultraviolet
(UV) radiation in the atmosphere at specific geographic
locations nationwide. (Overexposure to UV radiation can
cause immediate effects such as sunburn and long-term
problems such as skin cancer and cataracts.) Forecast
UV levels are superimposed on the map so that users
can obtain an idea of the UV radiation levels to which
they could be exposed. Specific geographic locations for
which environmental quality are available are generally
easy to locate on the map, and a simple key explains the
map's numbering system and color-coding. The key also
translates numerical UV Index levels into different color
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Chapter 3
Figure 3-1
coded exposure categories of minimal, low, moderate,
high, and very high exposure. See Section 3.3.1 for more
information about the UV Index. Sources: U.S. EPA,
2002a (http://www.epa.gov/sunwise): U.S. EPA, 2002b
(http://www.epa.gov/oei): National Weather Service, 2002
(http://www. nws. noaa.gov).
Figure 3-2. Daily UV Index contour map. This map
shows another way to communicate UV exposure levels.
Rather than indicating specific locations (as Figure 3-1
does), this map uses color-coded areas to identify UV
levels in general regions of the country on a daily basis.
Source: U.S. EPA, 2002a (http://www.epa.gov/sunwise).
11 tt |.': WWW t- p a. >;i o v.;s u n wi s&''uv i n d ex ma p. h tin I
3.2.2 HOW CAN COLOR-CODING SHOW
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CONDITIONS?
Like maps, color-coding is already familiar to many
people, and thus its message can be easily understood.
The use of color-coding to indicate "good" or "poor"
environmental quality conditions (and ranges between
those extremes) has been combined successfully with
maps, graphs, indexes, icons, and other tools for risk
communication. Appropriate choices of colors (and
ranges of colors) can enhance a viewer's understanding.
For example, using generally universally known color-
coding schemes, such as green to represent "go" (e.g.,
the air quality in a particular area today is good, with little
or no risk) and red to represent "stop" (e.g., the air quality
in this location today is unhealthy, and people may
experience health effects) is recommended.
Figure 3-3 is an example of using color coding in maps.
Examples of color-coding used in conjunction with other
data visualization tools can be found throughout this
handbook. Chapter 4 discusses how specific projects use
color-coding.
Figure 3-3. Color-coding used to indicate dissolved
oxygen levels. Using a combination of mapping and color-
coding, the Connecticut Department of Environmental
Protection developed a system to express dissolved oxygen
levels, which serve as one indicator of water quality. The
colors selected range from blue for excellent dissolved
oxygen levels that support marine life to black for severely
impaired waters with very low dissolved oxygen levels.
Figure 3-2
litt|v / iiww.epa.sov/synwisi/ijvindixc on tour, htm I
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Figure 3-3
., 1- , i -,-j • ,-- -'• If- -••-•..',.- .
Additional clearly differentiated colors (green, yellow, orange,
and red) indicate intermediate levels of water quality
conditions. Source: University of Connecticut, 2002
(http://www.mysound.uconn.edu/index.html).
3.2.3 HOW ARE ICONS (OR IMAGES)
USED IN ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
COMMUNICATION?
- -^
,-w dc(t statext uv.vlrlis/niDnilor iinj.'hyaugO1 ipg
The term "icon" is used here in a very general sense to describe any visual cue, or image, that is used to communicate
information—anything from a physical placard (e.g., a beach closure symbol or sign) to a symbol on a computer screen.
Although words may added, an icon should ideally be able to convey at least its basic meaning without relying on
language. For example, the Charles River/Boston Harbor project uses two icons, as shown in Figure 3-4, to indicate
whether water quality conditions in certain areas of the river or harbor are suitable for boating or whether health risks
exist. These symbols are used both on the program Web site and on actual flags that are posted at boat houses along
the Charles River. Another beach water quality program, the Southeastern Wisconsin Beach Health Program, uses an
icon of a swimmer and an icon of a crossed-out swimmerto indicate the concepts of open and closed swimming
beaches (see Chapters and http://infotrek.er.usas.aov/pls/beachhealthV Other examples of icons used to indicate
environmental quality or health risks are included in Chapter 4.
Figure 3-4. Icons used in beach flagging
program. The Charles River/Boston Harbor project
uses different-colored flags with an icon of a boat
on its Web site (and actual flags at various sites on
the river, including boat launches) to quickly and
easily communicate water quality and health risks to
recreational water users. Blue flags indicate that
water quality conditions are suitable for boating on
the river, while red flags, with a line through the
boat, indicate potential health risks from boating at a
particular place and time. Source: Charles River
Watershed Association, 2002
(http://www.crwa.org/wq/daily/2002/daily.html).
3.2.4 HOW ARE GRAPHS USED TO
SHOW TIME-RELEVANT
ENVIRONMENTAL DATA?
Fiaure 3-4
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Chapter 3
shows temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen concentrations at
various depths in a particular lake at 4:00 a.m. on October 22,
2001, in the form of a lake profile line plot. Graphing these and
other water quality variables can reveal how water quality changes
overtime and depth. Source: Lake Access, 2002
(http://www. lakeaccess.org).
3.2.5 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Fiaure 3-D
d
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dd
CIS are effective data visualization tools for displaying, analyzing, and modeling spatial or geographic information. A
CIS can be used to generate maps, animations, and two-and three dimensional models once detailed data are input
into the system by skilled staff. (This process can be labor-intensive and fairly expensive.) Two key advantages of CIS
are that it allows users to quickly overlay and view several different data layers simultaneously, such as open-space
lands, water resources, and population, and that it lets users view and compare different future scenarios (such as
future land uses) and their possible impacts (e.g., on environmental resources). State environmental agencies and
private organizations are increasingly developing CIS maps that include environmental and related features, such as
hydrology, land uses, zoning codes, soils, topography, political boundaries, watershed boundaries, and transportation
data. These maps may be readily available for display and use, including through the Internet. Often users can retrieve
information, generate maps (including customized maps), and query data simply by clicking on a map feature. However,
some GIS maps are relevant for only particular geographic locations. Once developed, GIS maps are relatively easy to
use and understand by local officials and the public. Figure 3-6 shows a color-coded GIS map that focuses on land
uses and water quality.
Figure 3-6. GIS map of land use in a watershed. This map
displays land uses within two watersheds. The map is color-coded
to identify the different types of land uses (e.g., agricultural,
residential, commercial, industrial, forest, wetlands) surrounding the
lake. GIS maps like this one can help local officials and the public
understand how land use changes affect water quality in their
communities. (This image was produced by the Lake Access
project; see Chapter 4 for more information on Lake Access.)
Source: U.S. EPA, 2000.
3.2.6 WHAT ARE SIMULATIONS AND HOW ARE
THEY USED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
COMMUNICATION?
Figure 3-6
- "—
Some EMPACT projects, such as the Tulsa Air and Water Quality Information System, use game like simulations to
convey information about environmental risk. Tulsa's simulation is entitled Smog City and is based on a model
developed by the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (see Chapter 4). Smog City contains a
variety of controls for which a number of factors affecting smog formation may be set, as shown in Figure 3-7. These
factors include temperature, population, presence of inversion layers, and cloud cover. An animated rendition of Smog
City changes to reflect the user's settings. The output of the simulation is an imaginary plot of the typical smog profile
(more specifically, a plot of ozone concentrations throughout the day) for the simulated city. Although simulations do not
convey time-relevant data about the state of the real world, they do convey principles and conditions that can be useful
to people in their real world decision-making.
Figure 3-7. Tulsa's "Smog City" simulation. When users select
representative emission levels from sources including vehicles, industry,
and consumer products, as well as weather conditions (temperature
and cloud cover) and population level, a simulation of resulting smog
(ozone levels) appears that reflects the conditions selected. Source:
Tulsa Air and Water Quality Information System, 2002.
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Figure 3-7
3.3 DATA INTERPRETATION TOOLS
Data interpretation tools such as indexes translate complex scientific
concepts into relatively simple systems that can facilitate the users'
understanding of technical data and related health risks. This section httpvAvvwe-tulsaorg.-'smogcit^Tunsrnogcilyhtml
mainly discusses indexes, giving examples of indexes used by
EMPACT projects. It also touches briefly on publications, a common and traditional communication tool.
3.3.1 WHAT ARE ENVIRONMENTAL INDEXES?
Indexing is a data interpretation tool that involves expressing one or more quantitative measurements as part of a scale
—for instance, a scale ranging from poor to excellent. An environmental index might range, for example, from 0
(representing low risk of exposure) to 100 (representing a high exposure risk). Or, instead of a health risk, one or more
environmental conditions might be represented (e.g., dissolved oxygen levels as one indication of water quality). The
development of an index often also involves establishing "weighting factors" (i.e., giving the more important variables
more weight than less important variables) as well as an equation for combining all the relevant data values into the
index scale.
When you develop or use indexes, related color-coding schemes or other data visualization and data interpretation
tools, you will often need to decide where "good" (or "low risk") ends and "poor" (or "high risk") begins, as well as how
additional intermediate ranges are to be determined. These key junctures are "cutoff" points that identify the important
data ranges in the overall index scheme. In the context of environmental risk communication, basing cutoff points and
ranges on scientific information is recommended whenever possible so that the index reflects actual risk levels (as is
the case for many of the indexes discussed as examples in this chapter and Chapter 4).
Index values and their meanings can be calculated and reported in a number of different ways, such as reporting the
highest single number based on measurements of several different pollutants (as in the Air Quality Index discussed
below); mathematically combining the ratings of different parameters into a single index value (as in the River Index
described in Chapter 4): or expressing the different index ranges as multiples or percentages of measurements or
standards generally used.
A number of EMPACT projects use indexes as key data interpretation tools for risk communication, including the
SunWise Program and the AIRNow project. These two projects' use of indexes is described below; see also Chapter 4.
which provides a detailed, step-by-step review of how the River Index was developed. Some of these indexes might be
directly applicable and useable for your location, such as the UV Index used by the SunWise program and the Air
Quality Index used by AIRNow. Other existing indexes might be useful if modified for your location or program
objectives. The examples provided below and in Chapter 4 provide an overview of how environmental indexes are
developed, what they are based on, and how they are used.
3.3.1.1 THE EPA SUNWISE PROGRAM AND THE UV INDEX
The EPA SunWise Program uses the National Weather Service's (NWS's) Ultraviolet Index (or UV Index), which
provides a daily forecast of the expected risk of overexposure to the sun. The Index predicts the next day's UV radiation
levels on a 0 to 10+ (up to 15) scale, where 0 indicates a minimal likely level of exposure to UV rays and 10+ means a
very high level of exposure. The higher the UV Index, the greater the dose rate (the amount of UV skin- and eye-
damaging radiation to which a person will be exposed), and the less time it takes before skin damage occurs. (For more
background information on the UV Index, visit
http://www.cpc. ncep.noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/uv_index/index. html.)
The NWS develops the UV Index by using a computer model to first calculate the UV dose rate, then adjust the result
for important effects likely to influence this rate. ForUV radiation, such effects include elevation and cloud cover at
specific locations. The resulting value is the next day's UV Index forecast. The SunWise Program also allows users to
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enter their ZIP code to get a UV forecast specifically for that location. The UV Index used in the SunWise Program
includes the cutoff ranges listed in Table 3-1.
Table 3-1. UV Index Scale Ranges
Index Exposure
Number Level
Protective Actions Recommended for Outdoor Activity
Oto2
3 to 4
5 to 6
7 to 9
10+
Minimal
Low
Moderate
High
Very High
People with very sensitive skin and infants should always be protected from prolonged sun
exposure.
Wear a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses to protect your eyes. Use a sunscreen with an SPF
of at least 15 and wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
Use sunscreen if you work outdoors and remember to protect sensitive areas like the nose and
the rims of the ears. Sunscreen prevents sunburn and some of the sun's damaging effects on
the immune system. Use a lip balm or lip cream containing a sunscreen. Lip balms can help
protect some people form getting cold sores.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers made from tightly woven fabrics. UV rays can pass
through the holes of loosely knit fabrics.
Avoid being in the sun as much as possible. Wear sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of
all UV rays (both UVA and UVB). Wear a hat with a wide brim.
Source: Climate Prediction Center, 2000
3.3.7.2 THE AIRNOW PROGRAM AND THE AIR QUALITY INDEX
The EMPACT AIRNow project uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) developed by EPA to communicate the level of health
concern associated with different concentrations of certain air pollutants. The AQI ranges from 0 ("good" air quality) to
500 ("hazardous" air quality). The higher the Index value, the greater the health concern.
The reported Index value reflects the single pollutant with the highest value. Exposure to multiple pollutants is not
reflected due to a lack of data on associated health effects. To facilitate risk communication, reporting of the AQI has
shifted in recent years: instead of numbers, the colors with which the Index values are associated are reported.
The AQI is divided into six color-coded ranges, as shown in Table 3-2. These correspond to the color scheme used in
AIRNow's ozone map (see Chapter 4). The use of uniform colors that are easily understandable by the general public
to support a nationally uniform index was an important goal that was successfully achieved (though debate occurred
regarding which particular colors to use).
Table 3-2. Air Quality Index (AQI) Scale Ranges and Corresponding Colors
Color AQI Value Health Descriptor
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
Purple
Maroon
Oto 50
51 to 100
101 to 150
151 to 200
201 to 300
301 to 500
Good
Moderate
Unhealthy for sensitive groups
Unhealthy
Very unhealthy
Hazardous
Generally, the different AQI ranges (or cutoff points) are defined by different populations known to exhibit noticeable
health problems at these different ranges. (See the AIRNow case study in Chapter 4 for a more detailed discussion of
the cutoff points and populations). Including Index ranges for sensitive groups provides useful information for these
populations, while not alarming the general public (Stone, 2000).
EPA used focus groups, discussions with state and local agencies and the news media, and public comment to help
decide cutoff ranges and corresponding colors for the AQI. Some people suggested additional or different colors,
shades, or categories than were finally selected. For fine particulate matter (PM2.5), EPA lowered the cutoffs in
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response to public comment. Because the scientific basis for setting standards for particulate matter is not very precise,
there was a legitimate reason for the public to question where the lines should be drawn. Even the name of the index
may be important. For example, the AQI was previously called the "Pollutant Standards Index"; this name was changed
to the "Air Quality Index" because focus groups and others much preferred a name that reflected air quality rather than
air pollution (Stone, 2000).
3.3.7.3 IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING DEVELOPING OR USING AN INDEX...
In choosing an index that would be a useful tool in your environmental risk communication efforts, consider what other
organizations might partner with you in developing and launching the index, think about the limitations of the index you
are investigating (e.g., what it cannot communicate), and decide whether that index meets the specific needs of your
program. These factors are discussed below.
Partners. Working with other relevant organizations can be important when you seek to develop or use an
environmental index that meets your needs. For the UV Index, NWS has worked with EPA, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, meteorologists, health and medical professionals, and the World Meteorological Organization
to ensure consistency among different UV Indexes. For the AQI, EPA staff worked with state and local air agencies and
regional organizations for 2 years, attended many meetings and conferences nationwide, and held eight focus groups
throughout the country.
What Index Meets Your Needs? If you are interested in using an index as an indicator of environmental quality and/or
exposure risk, first do some research to find out if an index already exists that may address your needs. If an index
suitable for your purposes does not exist and you decide to develop your own index or modify an existing one:
• Make sure to include people on your index development team who know the science behind the concepts
involved. Also have the index validated—that is, tested to make sure that its results are indeed useable for their
intended purpose.
• Try to achieve some consistency with similar or related indexes to minimize confusion regarding the meaning of
colors and numbers in risk communication efforts.
• Include as many key factors as possible in your index development process that could influence the results and
accuracy of the index. If any important factors are not accounted for, let the user know what they are and how
they might influence the index results.
Communicate What the Index Does Not Do
It may be important to communicate certain caveats about environmental indexes to the public. For
example, the UV Index's users are informed that because the Index is a forecast, it will not always
be exactly correct (though it is very reliable, with an 84 percent accuracy rate to within +1-2
percentage points). Also, users should be told if the index does not account for any potentially
important factors. For the UV Index, the effects of air pollutants, haze, and surface reflection from
snow, water, and sand are not included. These factors can result in higher actual UV exposure
under these environmental conditions than the UV Index value indicates. In addition, the UV Index is
not intended for individuals who are very sensitive to the sun, such as people with lupus
erythematosus or other sun-sensitive diseases, or people taking certain medications that result in
sun sensitivity.
Determine the needed frequency of reporting of your index. For many projects, daily reporting may be needed
so that the public can use the information in a timely manner, but the frequency should also reflect realistic
expectations. For example, for the AQI, reporting is required daily; however, "daily" is defined as a minimum of 5
days a week, since there is concern that some state and local agencies may not be able to provide AQI reports
on weekends (Stone, 2000).
Solicit feedback from a broad audience during development of the index, including the public. Expect people to
disagree about the semantics of what to call intermediate categories on the borderline between "good" and
"poor." For example, should there be one intermediate category? Two? Four? Bear in mind that you may never
achieve complete consensus on index cutoffs and ranges. EPA has found that between 4 and 10 ranges are
usually adequate to communicate variability in environmental quality and health effects, based on a review of
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different countries' use of indexes (Stone, 2000).
3.3.2 PUBLICATIONS
Almost all EMPACT projects develop and use publications to communicate their risk information to the public or other
more specific audiences. They use a variety of formats, such as pamphlets, fact sheets, handbooks, and flyers. While
publications cannot provide time-relevant (e.g., daily) data, they do provide information about how to interpret the data
and what associated health risks from certain environmental conditions might be. Guidance for developing publications
(as well as other types of written text) appropriate for different types of readers is provided in Chapters.
3.4 WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO "GET THE WORD OUT?"—
DISTRIBUTION METHODS
Even the best risk communication tools will not be effective unless your audience knows about them. Thus, establishing
a good distribution system is important. After clearly identifying your target audience(s), you might want to do some
research on how your audience typically receives information. Some common sources of public information are:
• Television
• Newspapers
• The Internet
• Meetings
• Schools
Then, choose one or more distribution methods that are likely to reach the most people in your target audience. A Web
site may be an excellent way to distribute your risk information if your audience is likely to have access to the Internet; if
not, you might want to choose another distribution method in addition to, or instead of, a Web site.
Table of Contents | Next »
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4. CASE STUDIES: DEVELOPING AND USING DATA
VISUALIZATION AND DATA INTERPRETATION TOOLS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter shows how three particular EMPACT projects have successfully used a variety of the data visualization
and data interpretation tools discussed in Chapters, often integrating several tools into their programs. The AIRNow
Project (Section 4.2) provides hourly air quality conditions and daily forecasts for many areas across the country using
color-coded maps, an index, a telephone hotline, the media, and printed publications, among other tools. The River
Index Project (Section 4.3) primarily uses an index system to report on the water quality of various river segments
surrounding Dayton, Ohio, including an indication of whether river conditions are favorable for recreational activities.
The River Index incorporates color-coding into its risk communication efforts to facilitate the public's understanding of
the index values. The discussion of the River Index also includes a detailed explanation of how the index was
developed.
The Lake Access Project (Section 4.4) uses color-coded maps, an index, charts, CIS, kiosks, and three-dimensional
animation, among other tools, to provide near-real-time water quality information to different audiences, with
information ranging from simple to more complex, as selected by the user. All of these projects rely in part on their Web
sites, in addition to other tools, for effective risk communication. Understanding how these projects use this wide range
of risk communication tools "in real life" will hopefully be useful to other projects that are considering developing or
expanding their own environmental risk communication programs.
4.2 AIRNOW PROJECT
4.2.1 PROJECT HISTORY
The AIRNow project, launched in 1998, offers daily air quality forecasts as well as real-time air quality data for over 200
cities across the United States in a visual, easy-to-understand format. AIRNow, serving as a central clearinghouse for
data collected from state and local agencies, reviews the data for quality assurance and transfers the information to the
public via its Web site, http://www.epa.gov/airnow. It also provides links to more detailed state and local air quality Web
sites. The AIRNow project was initially funded by EMPACT and was developed in partnership with state and local air
quality agencies.
The AIRNow project collects data from existing local and state ozone monitoring networks. These networks are
equipped with data loggers and modems that collect and transmit measurements to state host computers. In areas
where ozone monitoring networks are not well established, special-purpose monitors are used. Each participating state
agency's host computer is linked to a central EPA database called the Data Management Center (DMC). The DMC
manages and quality-checks the data and sends them out for use in making ozone maps, which are posted on the
AIRNow Web site.
The AIRNow project uses the AQI as one of its primary risk communication tools. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA is
required to establish a nationally uniform index for reporting air quality. In 1976, EPA established the Pollutant Standard
Index (PSI), which provided information on pollutant concentrations for ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon
monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. In 1998, EPA adopted several important revisions to the PSI and
changed its name to "Air Quality Index." Other changes included providing uniform categories, colors, and descriptors
for air quality; revising the ozone and particulate matter standards to address new scientific findings; and adding a
category to characterize air quality deemed to be "unhealthy for sensitive groups." Most significantly, the new AQI was
useful as a forecasting tool, whereas PSI values had only been reported as historical data for previous days.
The development of the AQI and AIRNow coincided with the rapid growth of the Internet. This fortuitous timing enabled
AIRNow tools to quickly become widely adopted for air quality risk communication.
4.2.2 EFFECTIVE METHODS
The AIRNow program successfully integrates several risk communication tools, including color coded geographic maps,
an index, a recorded telephone hotline, and traditional printed materials, as shown in Table 4-1. These tools provide
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information that is relatively easy to understand for people with little prior knowledge about air pollution and its risks.
The information alerts the public about air quality during the ozone season through a Web site with a memorable URL
(http://www.epa.gov/airnow) and weather reporting by media outlets. The data are also used by local agencies. The
following subsections describe some of the risk communication tools used by AIRNow, particularly the AQI and real-
time ozone maps.
4.2.2.7 THE AIR QUALITY INDEX
The AQI serves as the foundation for AIRNow. It is a tool developed by EPA (see Chapter 3^1 to provide timely and
easy-to-understand information on local air quality and associated health concerns.
Table 4-1. Summary of AIRNow Communication Products
Product/Event
Targeted
Audience
Data Interpretation and Presentation Tools
Still-frame and animated ozone maps
General public
People with
sensitivity to
ozone exposure
Distribution
Mechanism
AIRNow Web
site; Web sites of
state and local
air pollution
agencies
Television, via
local weather
broadcasts in a
handful of local
markets
The Air Quality Index (AIQ)
General public
People with
sensitivity to
exposure to
pollutants
covered by the
AQI
AIRNow Web
site; Web sites of
state and local
air pollution
agencies
Newspapers
Interactive AQI calculator
General public
People with
sensitivity to
exposure to
pollutants
covered by the
AQI
Web Sites and Other Internet Applications
AIRNow Web site
Publications
Various Publications:
Air Quality Guide for Ozone. Guideline for Developing an Ozone
Forecasting Program, Guideline for Reporting of Daily Air
Quality, Ozone and Your Health, and Report of Eight Focus
Groups...1
General public
General public
State and local
air pollution
agencies
State and local
public health
agencies
AIRNow Web site
AIRNow Web site
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Other Outreach and Education Products or Information Dissemination Techniques
Satellite forum
State and local
air pollution and
public health
agencies
Broadcast via
EPA's Air
Pollution
Distance
Learning Network
1 U.S. EPA, 1999a-d, 1998
The AQI converts raw measurements of the six pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act (ozone, fine and coarse
particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide) into a number on a scale of 0 to 500. The
scale is subdivided into categories such as "good," "moderate", "unhealthy," and "hazardous." Converting the
measurements involves using standard conversion scales developed by EPA, as described below:
• The AQI value of 100, which is the upper bound of the "moderate" category, corresponds to health-based
national air quality standards (the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or NAAQS) established for each of
these pollutants. These standards, and the corresponding Index value of 100, reflect scientifically peer-reviewed
information on health effects.
• The Index value of 50, which is the upper bound of the "good" category, is defined in one of three ways: (a) the
level of the annual standard (if an annual standard has been established for that pollutant); (b) a concentration
equal to one-half the value of the short-term standard used to define an Index value of 100; or (c) the
concentration at which the risk to the public becomes very small (e.g., the 8-hour ozone average), and/ orthe
magnitude of the health effects becomes highly uncertain.
• Between the Index values of 100 and 500, a linear relationship generally exists between increasing values and
increasingly severe health effects associated with pollutant levels. For example, the value for ozone of 150 (the
upper bound for the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" category) corresponds to an ozone concentration of 0.10
parts per million (ppm), based on a risk assessment conducted for the ozone NAAQS that indicated that this is
the level at which exposures are associated with an increase in the number of individuals who could experience
effects (including possible respiratory effects in the general population and a greater likelihood of respiratory
symptoms and breathing difficulty in sensitive groups) (Stone, 2000).
Originally, EPA based the AQI for ozone (the focus of the EMPACT AIRNow project) on a 1-hour standard. Since 1997,
the Index has been based instead on an 8-hour standard, because research has found that the original 1-hour standard
was not adequately protective of human health. The 1-hour standard limited ozone levels to 0.12 ppm averaged over a
1-hour period; the new 8-hour standard requires that a community's ozone levels be no higher than 0.08 ppm when
averaged over an 8-hour period.
An ozone measurement of 0.08 ppm (which is the NAAQS for ozone) corresponds to a "moderate" AQI value of 100 for
ozone; carbon dioxide levels between 4.5 and 9.4 ppm correspond to "moderate" AQI values between 51 to 100. A
similar measurement-to-index value conversion process is conducted for all six NAAQS pollutants individually; the
highest individual pollutant value is then reported as the AQI for that local area for a particular day. Information may
also be reported for any other pollutant with an Index value above 100.
AIRNow associates each of the six AQI categories with a color (also used in ozone mapping), and the level of health
concern associated with each AQI category is summarized by a descriptor. Table 3-2 (in Chapters) outlines these
categories and descriptors; Table 4-2 explains how they relate to the 1-to-500 scale. Table 4-3 explains what types of
health effect are associated with each of the six categories and what individuals can do to avoid these effects.
4.2.2.2 OZONE MAPS
The AIRNow ozone maps present the AQI in a visual, easy-to-understand format. The maps use the categories and
color scheme developed for the AQI and delineate geographic concentrations of ground-level ozone so that individuals
can easily determine the quality of the air in their immediate vicinity.
Table 4-2. AQI Color-Coded Index Ranges and Risk Communication of Health Concerns
Air Quality
Air Quality Index Range and Level of Health Concern Communicated
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Index
Rating and
Associated
Q*JL*J^B
Good
(green)
Moderate
(yellow)
Unhealthy
for sensitive
groups
(orange)
Unhealthy
(red)
Very
unhealthy
(purple)
Hazardous
(maroon)
When the AQI value for your community is between 0 and 50, air quality is considered satisfactory in
your area.
When the AQI value for your community is between 51 and 100, air quality is acceptable in your area.
(However, people who are extremely sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms.)
Some people are particularly sensitive to the harmful effects of certain air pollutants. For example,
people with asthma may be sensitive to sulfur dioxide and ozone, while people with heart disease may
be sensitive to carbon monoxide. Some groups of people may be sensitive to more than one pollutant.
When AQI values are between 101 and 150, members of sensitive groups may experience health
effects. Members of the general public are not likely to be affected when the AQI is in this range.
When AQI values are between 151 and 200, everyone may begin to experience health effects.
Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
AQI values between 201 and 300 trigger a health alert for everyone.
AQI values over 300 trigger health warnings of emergency conditions. Such values rarely occur in the
United States.
Consider Focus Groups for Public Feedback
In developing the AQI and ozone maps, EPA conducted a series of eight focus groups around the country
which evaluated the effectiveness of these tools for risk communication. The groups examined how
effectively the map, cautionary statements, and an ozone health effects booklet (Smog—Who Does it Hurt?
) conveyed information to the general public and targeted audiences. Four different versions of the map
were tested.
Table 4-3. Health Effects and Protection Measures Associated with AQI Categories
Ozone Health Effects and Protective Actions
Level
Good
What are the possible health effects?
• No health effects are expected.
Moderate
What are the possible health effects?
• Unusually sensitive individuals may experience respiratory effects from prolonged exposure to
ozone during outdoor exertion.
What can I do to protect my health?
• When ozone levels are in the "moderate" range, consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion if you
are unusually sensitive to ozone.
Unhealthy
for
Sensitive
Groups
What are the possible health effects?
• If you are a member of a sensitive group,1 you may experience respiratory symptoms (such as
coughing or pain when taking a deep breath) and reduced lung function, which can cause some
breathing discomfort.
What can I do to protect my health?
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If you are a member of a sensitive group,1 limit prolonged outdoor exertion. In general, you can
protect your health by reducing how long or how strenuously you exert yourself outdoors and by
planning outdoor activities when ozone levels are lower (usually in the early morning or evening).
You can check with your state air agency to find out about current or predicted ozone levels in
your location. This information on ozone levels is available on the Internet at
http://www.epa.aov/airnow.
Unhealthy
What are the possible health effects?
• If you are a member of a sensitive group,1 you may experience respiratory symptoms (such as
aggravated cough or pain when taking a deep breath) and reduced lung function, which can cause
some breathing difficulty.
• At this level, anyone could experience respiratory effects.
What can I do to protect my health
• If you are a member of a sensitive group, avoid prolonged outdoor exertion. Everyone else—
especially children—should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
• Plan outdoor activities when ozone levels are lower (usually in the early morning or evening).
• You can check with your state air agency to find out about current and predicted ozone levels in
your location. This information on ozone levels is available on the Internet at
httD://www.eDa.aov/airnow.
Very
Unhealthy
What are the possible health effects?
• Members of sensitive groups1 will likely experience increasingly severe respiratory symptoms and
impaired breathing.
• Many healthy people in the general population engaged in moderate exertion will experience some
kind of effect. According to EPA estimates, approximately:
o Half will experience moderately reduced lung function.
o One-fifth will experience severely reduced lung function.
o 10 to 15 percent will experience moderate to severe respiratory symptoms (such as
aggravated cough and pain when taking a deep breath).
• People with asthma or other respiratory conditions will be more severely affected, leading some to
increase medication usage and seek medical attention at an emergency room or clinic.
What can I do to protect my health?
• If you are a member of a sensitive group,1 avoid outdoor activity altogether. Everyone else—
especially children—should limit outdoor exertion and avoid heavy exertion altogether.
• Check with your state air agency to find out about current and predicted ozone levels in your
location. This information on ozone levels is available on the Internet at http://www.epa.aov/airnow.
1 Members of sensitive groups include children who are active outdoors; adults involved in moderate or strenuous
outdoor activities, individuals with respiratory disease, such as asthma and individuals with unusual susceptibility to
ozone.
A Map Generator (MapGen) system produces both still-frame images of ozone concentrations, including hourly
snapshots of data, and animated maps illustrating the movement of ground-level ozone overtime. MapGen enables
users to customize the maps based on their data and outreach needs. Users of MapGen can also customize maps to
show supporting information such as geographic features, identifying text, and images. During the ozone season (May
through September for most areas), the ozone maps are updated daily every hour. The software developed under this
project is publicly available at no cost. Figure 4-1 shows an image composed using MapGen.
Figure 4-1. Ozone map generated with MapGen. Source: U. S. EPA,
2002c (http://www.epa.gov/airnow).
The AIRNow project is staffed by contractors and operates on a 24/7
basis. An automated quality control procedure processes reports that
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Chapter 4
Figure 4-1
come in from the local, state, and EPA offices. Program staff also
conduct additional quality assurance reviews of the data. A night staff
ensures 24-hour-a-day accessibility of the system. AIRNow also has
contacts at the state and local levels who provide technical support to
fix problems with particular ozone monitors. The continuous monitoring
provided by AIRNow obviates the need for local EPA offices to
constantly check their ozone measuring instruments.
The map shows that ozone levels ranged from good
to very unhealthy across. I he region
Full implementation of the automated real-time ozone mapping system
in the eastern United States began in 1998. The map will ultimately include all of the contiguous United States and
feature additional pollutants (e.g., particulate matter).
4.2.2.3 OTHER RISK COMMUNICATION TOOLS USED BY THE AIRNOW PROGRAM
The AIRNow Web site includes an interactive AQI calculator that enables the user to convert ambient ozone
concentrations (parts per billion or parts per million) to AQI values and vice versa. The AIRNow program also operates
an online "WebBoard" that provides technical assistance and facilitates information sharing by program participants.
The site posts question-and-answer sessions, contains a comprehensive search feature, and hosts a chat room related
to ozone mapping. Off the Web, AIRNow provides conventional printed materials, such as fact sheets, booklets, and
reports.
4.2.3 KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Many innovative ozone outreach efforts have been implemented around the country using AIRNow communication
tools. The project has placed a special focus on working with weather service providers for inclusion of the ozone maps
in local television weather forecasts. The maps are also being used by local media in feature coverage of local and
regional Ozone Action Day programs. AIRNow tools are also being integrated into science and health curricula, and are
used for hotlines that provide recorded information about current and forecasted ozone levels.
The AIRNow Web site gets over 3 million hits a month. On national cable television, The Weather Channel and CNN
include AQI forecasts on their morning and evening weather forecasts during the ozone season and are working with
EPA to make this a year-round information product. The Weather Channel's Web site, http://www.weather.com.
includes air quality forecasts on its health page every day, year-round. (Figure 4-2 shows an example of
www.weather.com's air quality information.) Also, the national newspaper USA Today publishes AQI information during
the summer and is working to make this a year-round feature.
Figure 4-2. The Weather Channel's online air quality display.
Source: Image courtesy of The Weather Channel, 2002
(http://www.weather.com).
In addition to their widespread use in daily newspaper, television,
and radio weather reporting, the AQI and other AIRNow products
are the primary risk communication tools used in regional and
local "Ozone Action Days" to inform the media and the public of
health concerns associated with poor air quality.
4.2.4 LESSONS LEARNED
In developing and implementing AIRNow risk communication
tools, EPA and participating state air quality programs have
learned some valuable lessons that have contributed to their
success:
Figure 4-2
www.iveather.cam
It was important to get broad public feedback in creating and refining the AQI. Although achieving consensus is
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Chapter 4
always desirable, the Agency learned that complete consensus was unlikely to occur. Semantic arguments
were common, especially about defining or characterizing the "gray" areas on the borderline between "good"
and "bad" air quality.
• A positive (rather than negative) focus was found to be very important for effective risk communication. For
example, EPA's research showed that people overwhelmingly preferred the name "Air Quality Index" to
"Pollutant Standards Index."
• EPA also learned that it is important to offer enough categories (e.g., 4 to 10) to display variability in air quality
and health effects information. State and local air agencies are not required to display categories they do not
use.
In refining the AQI, EPA learned the importance of keeping the Index as simple as possible, but consistent with
the health message.
EPA also learned to use short, media-ready statements. This is the genesis of the sensitive groups statements
(for example, for ozone: "children and people with asthma are the groups most at risk").
It is important to use plain language (e.g., "unhealthy" rather than "unhealthful."). (See Chapters.)
Developing an appropriate and intuitive color-coding scheme is vital in public risk education. AQI has become
very well understood in just 2 years because the color scheme works so well.
In developing the AQI and AIRNow risk communication tools, it was (and continues to be) important to consider
other contemporary visualization tools, such as weather maps, used by national print and broadcast media.
A lesson learned by the Sacramento Air Quality Management Division in getting ozone maps on television was
the importance of cultivating strong working relationships with local broadcast meteorologists. In addition to
pushing for broadcast of the maps, Division staff provided the meteorologists with information on all types of air
quality issues, made themselves available to television station staff for their weather-related news and reports,
and helped the stations develop feature stories. See the box below for more information on the Sacramento
ozone mapping project.
The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission was able to render more accurate and timely maps by
using 1-hour running averages. A high modem-to-monitor ratio also proved to be important in ensuring fast
data transmission. See the box below for more on the Texas ozone mapping project.
In establishing its monitoring system, Texas learned that the density of the monitoring network is critical to
producing useful and accurate ozone maps. Hence, the system uses one modem for every four monitoring
stations.
Sacramento Works the Media
The Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (AQMD) in Sacramento, California, has successfully
integrated AIRNow risk communication tools into local weather reports. AQMD has a long history of
working with the region's television meteorologists to familiarize them with the AQI and regional air quality
issues. When ozone mapping became available in 1996, it proved to be a valuable new outreach tool.
Since 1998, two Sacramento television stations have regularly aired AQMD's animated ozone maps and
forecasts during weather segments on the stations' combined nine daily newscasts. AQMD has
consistently sought feedback from the meteorologists to ensure that the maps serve their needs. AQMD's
Web site, http://www.sparetheair.com. provides animated ozone maps ("Ozone Movies") that are updated
hourly during the ozone season (May 1 through October 31). The local all-news radio station also regularly
broadcasts air quality forecasts within weather and traffic reports.
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Source: Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, 2002.
4.2.5 FUTURE PLANS
The AIRNow program is integrating new technologies into its risk communication tools. For example, EPA is working
toward using a CIS map rather than standard maps for different metropolitan areas. The plan is to introduce a CIS map
of the whole country that enables users to zoom in on a specific area. This will make it possible for each user to more
easily localize the map and access more specific, local air quality information.
Timeliness and Accuracy in Texas
In 1994, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) upgraded its 20-year-old air
quality monitoring technology. Of paramount concern was the need to provide accurate and immediately
useful information to the public, especially during the ozone season, which is longer in Texas than in most
other parts of the country. The new system purchased by Texas collects data every 5 minutes and
transmits the data to regional hub computers. Every 15 minutes the hubs transmit data to the central office.
In accordance with EPA rules, the central office averages 12 5-minute data reports to derive hourly
averages. TNRCC is currently mapping southeastern Texas (covering the Houston, Galveston, and Brazoria
region) and the Dallas/ Fort Worth area, and will start mapping El Paso during the summer of 2002. TNRCC
is working with the government in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to include monitoring on that side of the borde
and anticipates that the El Paso map will be bilingual.
In creating ozone maps from the data collected, TNRCC uses 1-hour running averages to improve the
presentation of air quality changes over time. TNRCC is widely recognized as providing some of the fastest
(and therefore most accurate) real-time air quality updates among participants in the AIRNow program.
Animated Ozcme
nUlvL'Hiin
Hl-.-l I'JI'.'U '-I |l I'M! Jii«".i.."i-r 4
Source: Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, 2002.
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4.3 THE RIVER INDEX PROJECT River Photo
4.3.1 PROJECT HISTORY
The Miami Valley River Index Project, one of EMPACT's MetroGrant [H|
programs, provides time-relevant water quality information on some of the
rivers and creeks surrounding Dayton, Ohio. Before the project began, there
was little public awareness of the Dayton area's watershed. What public
awareness did exist tended to be unduly pessimistic about the environmental
condition of the Miami Valley's waterways. The River Index program was
founded in 1998 as a way to improve public knowledge about the condition of
these waterways and thus make them more accessible to recreational use. Some of the water-related recreational
activities that the Dayton-area public now engage in include canoeing, fishing, and bicycling along the river shorelines.
Official work on the River Index Project proceeded in January 1999 as a collaboration between many different partners:
the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Miami Conservancy District, the consulting firm CH2M Hill, Inc.,
the City of Dayton, Wright State University, the Yellow Spring Instrument Company, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The River Index Project has collected data from six Dayton-area automated monitoring sites over the last 3 years
(1999, 2000, and 2001). The project's data collection season runs for the period of time in which the public is likely to
make use of the rivers—roughly from the beginning of summer through early fall.
4.3.2 EFFECTIVE METHODS
4.3.2.7 OVERVIEW OF THE RIVER PROJECT INDEXES
An innovative risk communication tool of the River Index Project is its indexing system, which synthesizes a wide array
of water quality data. The indexing system converts measurements into a single, easy-to-understand rating, which is
disseminated to the public on the Web site http://www.riverindex.org.
A key concern for the River Index Project as it developed its index and other risk communication tools was that the tools
meet, and be perceived as meeting, the highest professional and scientific standards. Yet generating a river quality
index involved making judgment calls about where to set cutoffs between different categories of environmental quality
(i.e., between "excellent" and "good" river quality). Also necessary were judgment calls about how to weight and
combine an array of dissimilar measurements into a single measurement of river quality. To this end, the River Index
Project recruited eight internationally recognized water quality experts to serve on a review panel that supervises the
project's activities.
Drawing on their own expertise and that of a peer review panel, the staff of the River Index Project developed two
indexes to convey information about local rivers:
• A water quality index, which synthesizes and summarizes information about the following river water
measurements:
o Dissolved oxygen
o Specific conductivity
o £. co//
o Temperature
o pH
• A river index, which includes all the parameters of the water quality index plus two additional physical
parameters:
o Flow rate
o Turbidity
While the water quality index focuses on those issues pertaining to the health of the river ecosystem, the river index
provides a broader sense of whether conditions are right for recreational use of a river. Flow rate is a particularly
important parameter for determining river safety. A very high flow rate not only indicates strong, potentially dangerous
currents, it warns of possible flooding. For the sake of safety, the river index is set up to automatically take the "poor"
rating (regardless of how good the other parameters are) if flow rate approaches a level characteristic of flood activity.
Under these circumstances, the River Index Web site also displays a special flood warning.
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4.3.2.2 COMMUNICATING THE INDEX
General vs. Specific Ratings. The River Index is a mathematical procedure for "rating" a stretch of water in terms of
its current suitability for recreational pursuits. The system does not specify which particular recreational activities are
likely to be safe or advisable—it simply states whether or not the river conditions are favorable for recreation in general.
The developers of the River Index originally considered issuing use-based advisories (e.g., the river is or is not safe for
boating, swimming, fishing, etc.) but ultimately decided against this strategy because they felt it called for overly
subjective judgments and exposed the project to an undesired level of legal liability. It remains the responsibility of
individual users to make their own judgments about whether or not a particular river activity is wise. The River Index
Web site also provides the raw data upon which its general rating was founded, which may help the user make such
decisions.
River Index Maps and Icons
On the main page of its Web site, the River Index Project displays a schematic map of the Miami River
Valley, centered on the city of Dayton, Ohio. The purpose of this map is to provide an "at-a-glance"
summary of water quality for all the rivers covered by the project. The most prominent features of the map
are the area's rivers and streams, colored light blue. Certain river segments are labeled on the map. The
background color of each segment's label changes to match the river's current water quality index—a key
on the map reminds the viewer of what each color means. The map also displays the boundaries of local
counties.
One prominent feature of this map is the cartoon-like icon of a "happy fish." The happy fish serves as a
navigational icon and a recurrent design element throughout the Project's Web site. On various other
pages of the Web site, there are small, click-able icons of happy fish that return the user to the River Index
home page. This iconography not only makes it easier to refer back to the summary map, but also gives
visual and thematic cohesion to the entire Web site.
River Index Icons
Source: River Index Project, 2002.
What the Ratings Mean. Each of the six monitoring sites may have a different river index "rating," depending on how
many points have been assigned to it in the indexing process. Table 4-4 summarizes the different ratings.
Table 4-4. Rating System Used in the River Index
Rating Number of Total
Points
Meaning
Excellent
"Overall measurements indicate high water quality. Conditions highly favorable for
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Good
Fair
Poor
25-31
18-24
11-17
recreation."
"Most measurements meet or exceed Water Quality Standards. Conditions favorable
for recreation."
"Some measurements meet or exceed Water Quality Standards. Conditions marginally
favorably for recreation."
"Measurements indicate some water quality problems. Conditions generally not
favorable for most recreation."
Color-Coded Index Ratings. Each of the index ratings is paired with a color. Table 4-5 summarizes the color
relationships used by River Index and their cultural connotations. The color scheme chosen by the River Index Project
amplifies and coincides with the explanatory text for each rating. This is particularly important because some people
may not bother to read and/or think about the carefully crafted text (included in Table 4-4) that explains each rating.
These people may simply note the color of the rating and make their conclusions about the river based on their intuitive
understanding of that color. Other people might read the explanatory language but be confused about its practical
significance (e.g., about the difference between "favorable" and "highly favorable"). The cultural connotations of a color
help to communicate the level of risk reflected by the different ratings.
Table 4-5. Color-Coding System Used in the River Index
Rating Color
Cultural Significance of Color
Excellent
Green
In traffic signals, the green light says "go ahead." Similarly, this rating entices the index user to "go
ahead" and use the river for recreation. Green also connotes environmental well-being. It suggests
that the river is not only good for recreation, but also ecologically healthy.
Good
Blue
Unlike the other three colors, blue is not used in traffic signals. "Good" therefore lacks the directive
impact that the other ratings possess. In aesthetic terms, however, it is widely accepted as the
normal color of water. Even though "good" is not the best possible rating, the color blue reassures
the index user that the water is still clean and safe.
Fair
Yellow
Yellow is the caution light in traffic signals. Without forbidding passage, it exhorts the viewer to
exercise discretion and maintain a heightened state of awareness. Similarly, a yellow rating
encourages the River Index user to think twice about his or her plans for using the river. The color
encourages the user to learn more about the specific nature of the river's problems.
Poor
Red
In traffic, the color red commands the viewer to stop. In an environmental context, it also conveys
an impression of danger, emergency, and authority. The color red anchors "poor" at the bottom of
the ranking system and it indicates that there is, at present, a serious problem with the river. The
color encourages users to avoid the river altogether until the situation improves.
Averaging Index Values. Since some of the factors that contribute to the calculation of the river index change hourly,
the river index itself must be updated frequently. It is updated every 8 hours, using an average of the previous 8 hourly
automated readings and the most recent manual readings. Web site visitors can "drill down" to the most recent
automated readings from the monitoring stations if they wish. One reason for updating the index only every 8 hours
(rather than hourly) is to prevent it from fluctuating in a seemingly random and confusing manner. It is conceivable that,
depending on the value of particular water parameters, the river index might be on the borderline between two different
readings—for example, "good" and "fair." If the index were updated every hour, insignificant variation (i.e., "noise") in a
river's water quality parameters might cause its rating to flip-flop between good and fair. This phenomenon might
undermine public confidence in the index's reliability. This pitfall is avoided by reliance on averaged data, which are
more likely to reflect significant changes in water quality.
Another Data Visualization Tool: Dials
Before the widespread use of digital readouts, scientific instruments typically presented their readings by
means of analog dials. In automobiles, these dials remain the principal technology for communicating real-
time information (e.g., speed, RPMs, oil pressure) to the driver. Thus, for many people the idea of reading a
value off of a dial is quite intuitive.
In the River Index Project, each dial has four sections, one for each of the four ratings. The needle of the
dial always points to the middle of a section of the dial. All the sections of the dial are labeled (poor, fair,
good, excellent) but only the one that the needle is pointing to is "lit up" with color. These dials do not
represent continuous variation in index values: since the needle simply "jumps" from one state to the next,
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the dial would not distinguish between a "good" rating that was very close to "fair" and one that was very
close to "excellent." An interested user could make this distinction by looking at the actual numerical score
for the index; but the fact that the dial does not visually distinguish between different scores within a single
rating might convey the message that the distinction is unimportant.
httD://www.riverindex.or
4.3.2.3 CALCULATING THE RIVER INDEX
Except for the special case of flood danger, the procedure for determining the River Index is described below.
Step 1: Rate individual water quality parameters. Each of the water quality parameters that contribute to the River
Index can have a different value. The River Index rates these parameters as either poor (1 point), fair (2 points), good
(3 points), or excellent (4 points).
Let us take the case of dissolved oxygen as an example. According to Ohio EPA regulations and the judgment of
several water quality experts, dissolved oxygen levels greater than 9 milligrams per liter (mg/l) are "excellent," levels
between 5 and 9 mg/l are "good," levels between 2 and 5 mg/l are "fair," and any value below 2 mg/l is "poor."
Therefore, a reading of 5.6 mg/l of dissolved oxygen would translate into 3 points, as shown in Table 4-6.
Table 4-6. Example of Rating System for Individual Water Quality Parameters
Dissolved Oxygen Level (mg/l) Parameter Rating
>9
5-9
2-5
<2
Excellent (4 points)
Good (3 points)
Fair (2 points)
Poor (1 point)
Rating Parameters Are Based on Science
For pH, for which a central value is the best and extremes on either end are poor, the River Index splits the
pH parameter into an upper and lower range. Above pH 7, a lower pH garners more points; below pH 7, a
higher pH garners more points.
Range
Excellent Good Fair Poor
(4 points) (3 points) (2 points) (1 point)
Upper (pH>7)
Lower (pH<7)
7-8
7-8
8-8.4
6.5-7
8.5-9
6-6.4
>9
<6
Thus, valuation may be different for different parameters, based on scientific information. For dissolved
oxygen (DO), an "excellent" rating of 4 is based on DO levels > 9, since the higher the DO level, the better
the water quality. For pH, an "excellent" rating of 4 is based on pHs between 7 and 8, since a pH above
below this range is either too acidic or too basic.
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Step 2: Weight and add the point values of the different parameters. On a basic level, the next step involves simply
adding up all the different points from the different water quality parameters. The advantage of the point system is that
it puts the parameters in a standardized form—there are only four possible values per parameter, and the larger the
sum total, the better the water quality.
An element of complexity is introduced, however, when one acknowledges that not all the water quality parameters are
equally important to the final quality of the river. To resolve this complexity, the River Index staff developed a system
for weighting points assigned to different parameters, as shown in Table 4-7. The point value obtained in Step 1 for
each parameter is multiplied by that parameter's weighting factor to arrive at the final score for a particular parameter at
a specific time and place, which will range from a minimum score of 11 to a maximum score of 40. In other words:
Point value of each parameter * weighting factor for each parameter = final value for each parameter
Table 4-7. Weighting Factors Used To Indicate the Relative Importance of Parameters
Parameter Weighting Factor
Dissolved oxygen
£. co//
PH
Specific conductivity
Water temperature
Flow
Turbidity
3
1
1
1
1
2
1
Thus:
Total point score for river water quality = (dissolved oxygen value * 3) + (E. coli value * 1) + (pH value * 1) + (specific
conductivity value * 1) + (water temperature value * 1) + (flow value * 2) + (turbidity value * 1)
Step 3: Assign a final rating based on the total score from the individual parameters. There remains the task of
assigning a river segment a "poor," "fair," "good," or "excellent" water quality rating, based on its total point value. Table
4-8 shows the cutoff ranges used in the River Index that correspond to these water quality ratings.
Table 4-8. Overall River Water Quality Rating and Corresponding Cutoff Ranges
Water Quality Rating Cutoff Ranges (Points)
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
32-40
25-31
18-24
11-17
One important caveat about the River Index's rating system is that it has a limited ability to convey information about
extreme deviations from the norm in any particular parameter. Say, for example, that a river somehow became
extremely acidic (e.g., pH 4). Out of a possible 40 points, the river would lose 3 for the low pH. If all the other water
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quality parameters were in reasonable shape, the final rating for an acidic, nearly lifeless river would be "excellent."
This of course, is a highly unlikely scenario since there is no practical reason why the pH of a river near Dayton would
suddenly drop in such an extreme fashion. The scenario merely serves to demonstrate the logical limitations inherent in
an empirically weighted, linear indexing system. As mentioned earlier, the River Index Project has addressed this
limitation by instituting a safety override to prevent extremely high flow levels from getting "hidden" in the index's
scoring process. Any organization developing a similar data interpretation tool in another context should consider
whether that tool's parameters could range to plausible extremes beyond which the tool would cease giving reasonable
output.
4.3.3 LESSONS LEARNED
The River Index Project has been successful in disseminating its daily river ratings through the media as well as its Web
site. Local newspapers ran stories about the project and some listed the daily index on their weather page. Several
television weather reports expressed some interest in displaying river quality information, but the nature of TV reporting
made this somewhat difficult (e.g., TV weather reports would prefer to receive river index information as an immediately
available, "prepackaged" video signal). Weekend TV weather reports did include the river index as a recreational
advisory.
Feedback from the public was modest but almost always positive. Anglers, in particular, were a major audience for the
information. The employees of a nearby vehicle manufacturing plant took a particular interest in monitoring the quality
of nearby rivers. The River Index Project sponsored a pre-survey and a 2-year progress survey of their target
audiences' knowledge of river conditions. These surveys, conducted using random phone interviews, revealed that
audience awareness of Dayton's rivers has increased slightly over the time period in which the River Index Project
operated. However, the survey did not reveal widespread awareness of the River Index Project or the indexes
themselves. This was the case in spite of the fact that the river indexes had been announced in the area news media,
advertised on buses, and incorporated into a professionally designed Web site. In hindsight, the staff of the River Index
Project concluded that they should have employed a marketing expert when they first presented the river indexes to the
public. They felt that the project would have benefited from more extensive "brand-building" to increase public
awareness and media interest in it. The River Index Project continues to evaluate and revise its program to make it
more meaningful and cost-effective.
4.4 LAKE ACCESS PROJECT
4.4.1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Lake Access water quality monitoring project was initiated in the state of Minnesota to deliver near-real-time data
to a variety of audiences. The project aims to provide public officials, scientists, and the general public with information
that will help them make sound decisions regarding water quality issues. The project team developed a series of data
visualization tools that present scientific measurements in easy-to-understand formats such as charts or three-
dimensional images. These tools allow data that were once available to and used mainly by scientists to be accessible
and useful to the general public.
The Lake Access team developed interactive data presentation tools with the goal of giving users control of the data.
The different audiences for Lake Access data have different specific needs and interests. For example, a public official
might be interested in determining the effects that phosphorus contamination from fertilizers have on local lakes, while a
fisherman might be interested in knowing the oxygen content in certain areas of a lake to help determine where fish will
most likely be located. Thus, the Lake Access project made many of its tools "user-controlled" (see Chapter 5) to allow
more flexibility in manipulating and presenting data.
The project team uses Remote Underwater Sampling System (RUSS) devices to collect time-relevant information from
four locations in Minnesota. RUSS units collect data on five water quality variables:
• Conductivity: The amount of dissolved salts, or ions, in water.
• Turbidity: An indication of how clear the water is.
• Dissolved oxygen: A certain amount of oxygen is necessary for the survival of aquatic organisms.
• Water temperature.
• pH: In water, the pH level determines the solubility and availability of chemical constituents, including heavy
metals.
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These RUSS units are also used in lakes elsewhere in the country. The Lake Access project aims to work with these
other monitoring programs, such as those at Lake Onondaga in Syracuse, New York; Lake Washington, Seattle; and
elsewhere in Minnesota. The project team also collects other types of information from additional monitoring stations,
and integrates the non-RUSS data with the RUSS data.
The Lake Access project is a cooperative effort of the Suburban Hennepin Regional Park District; the Minnehaha Creek
Watershed District; the University of Minnesota Water on the Web Investigators (i. e., the Natural Resources Research
Institute, the University of Minnesota-Duluth Department of Education, and Minnesota Sea Grant); and Apprise
Technologies, Inc., which holds the license to RUSS technologies. Many of the key features on the Lake Access Web
site, such as the data visualization tools, were developed under a grant from The National Science Foundation's
Advanced Technology Education Program.
4.4.2 EFFECTIVE METHODS
The Lake Access project's data visualization and interpretation tools include color maps, charts, and three-dimensional
animation to convey and manipulate water quality profiles collected by RUSS units and from manual sampling.
Although these tools are designed to work with data generated by RUSS technology, they could also be set up to work
with data collected from different monitoring systems in other communities. The Lake Access project team also uses
the Carlson Trophic State Index to rate water quality. A summary of the data visualization and interpretation tools
developed or used by Lake Access is shown in Table 4-9, and some of the tools are discussed below.
Some of the Lake Access data visualization and interpretation tools deliver numerical data (Lake Access Live) or offer
users simple graphs and charts created in Microsoft Excel. Others offer more sophisticated tools, such as GIS, that
allow users to manipulate data. Most of the tools use color and graphical interfaces to enable users to "see" the
information.
4.4.2.7 CARLSON TROPHIC STATE INDEX
The Lake Access project uses the Carlson Trophic State Index, which measures a water body's eutrophication—the
process by which lakes are enriched with nutrients, which increases the production of aquatic plants and algae,
removes oxygen, and diminishes water quality. The Index, which is used by many organizations to set water quality
goals, combines various measurements (e. g., transparency, phosphorus concentration) into a rating of water quality
that ranges from 0 to 100 (0 indicates clear water; 50 to 60 indicates mild concentration of nutrients, decreased
transparency, and "threatened" quality; and 100 indicates algal scums and summer fish kills).
The Lake Access Web site (described below) shows the data in sample color-coded graphs. For example, blue
represents clear water, while green indicates degrees of eutrophication. For water quality between 40 and 45, a light
green shade is visible, and at 80, the shade is dark green. The site provides an in-depth discussion of the Index, and
lets users access Index information for the four Minnesota lakes showcased in this project.
Table 4-9. Summary of Lake Access Data Visualization and Data Interpretation Tools
Tool Group
Primary Uses
Data visualization tools (DVToolkit
includes Profile Plotter, Color Mapper,
and Depth Versus Time Profiler)
Lake Access Live: near-real-time display of
numeric data; Profile Plotter; Color Mapper;
Depth Versus Time Profiler
Explore lake data as
they vary with depth
and overtime.
Create animated
water quality profiles.
Feed real-time data
to Web site.
Investigate
correlations between
water quality
variables and trends.
Geographic information systems (GIS)
Several, including Arclnfo; ArcView;
GeoMedia; and Maplnfo Professional
Integrate and model
spatial data (e.g.,
water quality and
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Data interpretation tool
Lake Access Web Site
Spreadsheet programs
Carlson Trophic State Index
Color maps; charts; DVToolkit; CIS maps
Microsoft Excel; Lotus 1-2-3
land use).
• Develop Internet
mapping
applications.
• Measure lake quality
with a single index.
• Interactive
capabilities to
develop custom
maps.
• Display raw data.
• Investigate
correlations between
water quality
variables and trends.
• Create summary
graphs of data.
4.4.2.2 LAKE ACCESS WEB SITE
The Lake Access Web site (http://www.lakeaccess.org) is the project's primary avenue of disseminating information
through visually interactive tools (e.g., color maps and charts of temperature and pH levels in lakes). The site's design
features a rolling banner that presents time-relevant data from RUSS units in three lakes, as shown in Figure 4-3. The
site also features a history page about one of the lakes, providing the user with background on the many influences that
have affected the lake over time.
Figure 4-3. The Lake Access Web site's front page for
lake data. Visitors to the Web site can access the tools
available through the Internet or they can download the
DVToolkit. With the DVToolkit saved on his or her hard
drive, the user can open the data tools in a Web browser
without having to connect to the site. Users must
download the kit again if they want to access updated
information. The Lake Access team updates the DVToolkit
whenever it receives new RUSS data. When using the
toolkit online, the user receives near-real-time data via the
Water on the Web server (http://wow.nrri.umn.edu/wow/). It
may take a while to load these data, but the toolkit runs
quickly once they are loaded.
In addition to the interactive toolkit, the site offers users an interactive GIS mapping feature, with maps showing land
use and land cover, as well as information on soils, roads, political boundaries, and other data layers that can be used
in conjunction with the water quality data, such as the graph shown in Figure 4-4.
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Figure 4-4. Water Quality Trends. Graphs can be very useful data visualization tools—for example, to indicate trends
over time. The graph above shows average pH values in the surface layer of Lake Independence, part of the Lake
Access project, overtime. The vertical bars over the data points represent the range of values measured for a particular
day. Source: Lake Access, 2002.
Communicating Information to Specific Audiences
The Lake Access Web site is organized to present data to four distinct groups: swimmers, boaters,
anglers, and land owners. For different users, the site offers different information that varies from simple to
complex. For example, if users click on the "Swimmers" link, the site takes them to a page that shows the
water temperature for Lake Independence, explains the risks of exposure to certain types and levels of
bacteria, and describes the illness "swimmer's itch." For fishers, the link takes users to a page depicting
the oxygen concentrations in Lake Minnetonka, Halstead Bay. Data are presented in color graphs, in which
green indicates ample oxygen, and black or darker colors represent areas of depleted oxygen.
The "Lake Data" section of the site provides more complex information and leads users to the DVToolkit.
The section explains how RUSS data are collected, tells how the team ensures the quality of the data, and
provides a link to EPA's guidance on quality assurance measures. The "Lake Data" section also explains
important terms, such as conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity.
Use of Color Coding. The DVToolkit, as well as the Excel-based graphs and charts, uses color to help convey the
data to the user. For example, the Color Mapper uses intuitive colors that range from blue (to indicate cold) to red (to
indicate hot) when measuring lake temperature, and colors ranging from green (for "good") to black (for "poor") when
measuring oxygen concentration.
Intuitive colors make it easier for users to understand data. For example, when using the Color Mapper, users can see
changes in oxygen concentration in the background color. When oxygen concentration reaches 5 on the Color Mapper,
the color fades to brown, then to blue when the concentration reaches 3, then to black. For temperature, the color is
blue until about 10 degrees Celsius, after which it turns green, then yellow at 20 degrees Celsius, and finally red at 25
degrees Celsius. These colors function the same way on the Depth Versus Time (DxT) Profiler and most other Lake
Access data visualization and interpretation tools.
The only tool that deviates from these color codes is the Profile Plotter, which features the six Lake Access variables as
lines plotted on a graph. Each category is assigned its own color, and these colors do not represent changes in data,
only the category itself (e. g., temperature). Figure 4-5 shows examples from the Profile Plotter and Color Mapper.
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Figure 4-5. Screens from the Lake Access Profile Plotter and Color Mapper. Source: Lake Access, 2002.
4.4.2.3 ANIMATION
Lake Access also employs sophisticated animation and two-and three-dimensional graphics to convey water quality
information to the public. Animation techniques are powerful visualization tools to help individuals understand technical
data. The Lake Access Profile Plotter conveys water quality over time. Users can animate the profiles to see daily,
monthly, and annual changes. The Color Mapper conveys the same information using a different graphical method:
while the Profile Plotter uses color-coded line graphs with multiple lines designated by the user, the Color Mapper uses
a single line with a color-coded background that represents another variable, allowing the user to understand the
correlation between two different variables (such as pH and temperature). The Color Mapper can also be animated to
show how the data change over time.
4.4.2.4 TWO- AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL VISUALIZATION
The Lake Access team wanted users to be able to display and analyze data in two or three dimensions. Accordingly,
the DxT Profiler allows users to select a time period and a variable (such as oxygen concentration) and allows them to
add grid lines, show the actual data points, and interpolate data by depth and time, as shown in Figure 4-6. This kind
of flexibility in mapping information allows users to create sophisticated analyses of water quality data. In addition, the
tool is used to create image files of the graphs for the Lake Access Web site.
The Lake Access project also uses movie files to display data. Many Web sites use movie files (e.g., MPEGs, AVIs) to
showcase video clips of items such as movies and news programs, but movie files can also be used to animate data.
This unique method for displaying and conveying data is extremely useful for demonstrating how lake temperature
changes throughout the year. By using a combination of color, motion, and easy-to-understand charts, the animation
provides users with a good idea of where and when lake temperature is affected.
The Lake Access team created an AVI animation of a chart depicting the change in lake temperature over time. The
animation starts off with an image of a lake moving along the X axis of a chart, with the X axis representing time and
the Y axis representing the lake's depth. The dates displayed change as the picture moves along the X axis, as does
the color of the lake. The user can see how the water nearer the surface heats up during the summer months (and that
the temperature at the lake bottom remains relatively unchanged), and how the entire lake reaches a uniform
temperature in the winter months. A question mark appears in the lower portion of the image to indicate periods in
which no data were collected. Once the image reaches the end of the axis, it becomes a three-dimensional image
displaying the lake's various temperatures, as well as lake depth. It then rotates into the DxT plane, linking the
animation to the output of the DxT Profiler and displaying a profile of the lake's temperature change over time.
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Figure 4-6. Example of Lake Access three-dimensional lake cross section x time animation. Source: Host et al.,
2000.
4.4.2.5 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
GIS maps provide power and flexibility in using data. At the Lake Access Web site, under "Land Use/CIS," users can
see multiple land and water features for the Minnehaha Creek Watershed and Hennepin Park District, as shown in
Figure 4-7. This Web-based capability uses ArcView Internet Map Server (IMS) to distribute CIS data. Users can zoom
in and out of maps and perform queries to gather information about different map elements. The IMS allows users to
turn off different kinds of map layers such as roads and water bodies. The IMS screen has three sections:
• A toolbar for performing map operations
• An interactive legend that turns off different layers
• A frame that shows the map itself
Figure 4-7. A GIS map from the Lake access Web site. Source: Lake Access, 2002.
The DVToolkit and the GIS mapping function, all freely and easily accessible via the Lake Access Web site, are
valuable data visualization tools that offer users the power to display different aspects of water quality that interest
them. Using the color-coded and graphical displays created by these tools can help local officials and water users
make decisions based on actual, near-real-time water quality data.
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4.4.2.6 OUTREACH
To effectively market the Lake Access tools to local officials and the general public, Lake Access project coordinators
worked with naturalists, teachers, museum officials, and others. After discussing target audiences, key messages, and
the types of outreach materials they thought should be developed, the project team created a variety of materials,
including a Web site, a printed brochure, and a survey. Kiosks were developed to reach those without Internet access.
Brochure and Survey. The Lake Access project released a "plain English" brochure describing the components of the
project. The brochure, a two-page, four-color publication entitled Seeing Below the Surface, targets both the general
public and those decision-makers interested in water quality data, explains how the data are collected through RUSS
units, and provides easy-to-follow information on the data visualization tools available through the project's Web site.
The Lake Access project also conducted a survey to ascertain the public's general knowledge of lakes and water
quality and land-use issues in the Hennepin County area in Minnesota. Administered to 450 randomly selected
addresses, the survey included a cover page explaining the Lake Access project, a postcard that residents could return
if they wanted to participate in a focus group, and a questionnaire covering lake use, level of concern about lake water
quality, and preferred ways of receiving Lake Access project information. Forty percent of the residents responded to
the survey, and the results revealed that residents were generally somewhat concerned about or interested in the lake
and water quality.
Kiosks. The Lake Minnetonka Regional Parks Visitor's Center, the Eastman Nature Center, the Science Museum of
Minnesota, and the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth set up kiosks for users without Internet access. The kiosks feature
the same information as that found on the Lake Access Web site. Using a touch-screen computer at the kiosks, users
can access the same time-relevant data from the RUSS units.
Presentations. The Lake Access team also gives presentations to local officials. After using simple visual tools, such
as pie charts, to explain water quality data, the team encourages officials and other interested parties to visit the Web
site to explore its DVToolkit and GIS mapping features.
4.4.3 KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Local officials typically rely on scientists and engineers for water quality advice because of the technical nature of the
subject. By making highly technical data accessible and comprehensible to a lay audience, Lake Access more directly
involved the public in decision-making about water quality issues.
4.3.3.7 LAKE MINNETONKA
The Lake Access project has not only helped educate people about local water quality issues, but also saved tax
dollars. For example, a consulting group had recommended an $8 million project to eliminate "external loading"
(phosphates that enter a water body) of phosphates into Lake Minnetonka. After data were analyzed, however, it was
apparent that external loading was not as critical as "internal loading" (existing phosphates that have settled to the
bottom of the lake and dissolve in the water). The $8 million project would not have addressed this problem. The Lake
Access team used the project's data visualization tools to persuade local decision-makers to consider these facts, and
the $8 million project did not proceed.
4.3.3.2 PHOSPHORUS RUNOFF
The Lake Access team also demonstrated the negative impacts on water quality from the use of phosphorus-containing
lawn fertilizers. High phosphorus concentrations in a lake promote rapid growth of algae and other plant life, adversely
affecting water quality. Public education through the Lake Access data visualization and interpretation tools has
prompted legislative activity to restrict the use of phosphorus fertilizers.
4.4.4 LESSONS LEARNED
• The Lake Access team learned that traditional graphing techniques, such as simple pie charts and bar graphs,
are quite effective in communicating environmental information to the public. Lake Access uses a variety of
more innovative data visualization tools in its outreach to environmental managers and elected officials, but it
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sometimes relies on the more traditional tools for its public outreach efforts.
• The Lake Access team's partnership with a local university (the University of Minnesota) greatly facilitated the
design and maintenance of the Lake Access Web site. Major research universities often have large, highly
trained information technology departments; by partnering with the University, the Lake Access project gained
access to knowledgeable Web designers at a reasonable cost.
• The Lake Access project planners found that the continual development of new data presentation and
interpretation features is a major part of the labor involved in maintaining the Lake Access Web site. The Web
site staff spend about 50 percent of their time maintaining existing data presentation components and about 50
percent developing and bringing new data presentation tools online.
Lake Access is starting a new project to analyze phosphorus runoff. The tool will use a CIS mapping function for
evaluating a Minnesota watershed that drains into Lake Medicine. This new model will be based on a pre-existing one
called the Source Loading and Management Model. The new model will be available on the Lake Access Web site
once it is complete.
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5. GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING AND USING DATA
VISUALIZATION AND INTERPRETATION TOOLS FOR
RISK COMMUNICATION
The following guidelines may help the staff of new or expanded environmental risk communication programs to
effectively develop and use the risk communication tools described in this handbook and other outreach materials.
Many of these guidelines are "common sense" but may be overlooked as communications materials are developed.
Use data visualization as much as possible, and minimize the use of lengthy text. When using text, use
language that is appropriate for your audience.
It is often possible to use data visualization tools such as icons, maps, graphs, or other visual tools
in place of language to convey risk information. These visual tools are useful because they tend to
transcend cultural boundaries and differing educational levels more easily than language does.
Thus, your message may be understood by more people through data visualization than through
text. For example, the icon on the left may be universally understood without words.
Some information, however, may be too complex to present without any language. When
developing written communications, be sure to use a level of language that accurately represents your particular
audience. For example, you may want a brochure written at an elementary school reading level, with simple
explanations of technical information, when addressing the general public or a more targeted audience that may have
little or no knowledge about the subject matter. Fora more specialized audience with some knowledge and education
about a particular subject, you may want to develop text written at a junior high school or higher reading level, with
more detailed technical information. If a brochure is for both the general public and a more educated audience, the
more advanced text might be placed in a separate section or in a sidebar.
Use universal colors and images whenever possible.
Some color schemes and images are almost universally recognized, such as red for "stop," green for
"go," and yellow for "caution." Also, the icon of a circle with a line through it is now well known to
mean "don't do this"; superimposing this symbol on a picture of a swimmer is a quick and easy way
to communicate "don't swim here" to a wide audience with varying degrees of education whose
members may speak different languages.
Using tools such as standardized icons and color-coding can increase the usefulness of your risk
communication materials.
When communicating risk information, include actions that people can take to minimize
their health risks.
Communicating environmental risks usually involves informing people about the potential health effects that might be
associated with exposure to certain environmental conditions, such as skin cancer and cataracts from overexposure to
UV radiation from the sun; gastrointestinal illness from ingesting beach water contaminated with high levels of certain
types of bacteria; or lower IQ in children who have ingested backyard soil contaminated with significant levels of lead.
It is equally important to let people know what actions they can take to avoid such risks, such as avoiding time in the
sun on certain days, refraining from swimming in a particular beach area for a day or two, or obtaining state advice
about whether they should get their backyard soil cleaned up. These risk avoidance actions should ideally be
communicated simultaneously with the risk exposure information.
Determine the best communication style: "Telling" or "User-Controlled"
Often one of the first steps in a risk communication/ outreach program is determining who your audience is (deciding on
your "target audience"), analyzing their information needs, and choosing the best communication style to fit those
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needs. For example, will your risk communication strategy involve primarily "telling" a large segment of the general
public some relatively simple information, or will it involve giving a more specialized, knowledgeable audience some
control in selecting the different types of information they are seeking? The latter might involve setting up a relatively
more complicated environmental database that allows some "user control." Some projects use a combination of these
two styles, first providing general information in a "telling" style, then presenting more detailed information (or, on a Web
site, links to such information).
THE "TELLING" STYLE OF RISK COMMUNICATION
When your strategy involves providing ("telling") relatively simple risk information to people with little prior knowledge
about a subject, some of the guidelines described above for risk communication are particularly important, such as
using visual tools and relatively simple language. For example, the designers of the Southeastern Wisconsin Beach
Health Web site, which provides information about beach water quality conditions and closures, established a system
for presenting relatively simple data about beach water quality. All visitors to this Web site initially receive essentially
the same type of information (e.g., beach quality on specific days at particular beaches) presented in essentially the
same way. (For users with a more detailed interest in water quality trends or specific test results, the Web site also
provides a "user-controlled" section; after specifying particular data sets and time periods, more advanced users can
obtain detailed laboratory results presented in tabular form.) Even when using the "telling" mode of communication, it
may be useful to provide an option to display the Web site in a language other than English.
Risk communicators (including Web site designers) seeking to "tell" information to the public should avoid
overestimating the amount of effort that their audience is willing to expend in pursuit of this information. Ideally, for a
Web site, the user should not be required to do more than type in a single, memorable URL and then make one or two
obvious clicks of the mouse in order to view the risk information.
Examples of EMPACT projects that follow the "telling" style of risk communication include: SunWise, AIRNow, Miami
Valley River Index, and Southeastern Wisconsin Beach Health, some of which are discussed below.
SunWise. The SunWise program provides a wide range of educational resources designed to interest children in the
issue of UV exposure and help them gauge current UV levels in their home areas. The SunWise program uses some
traditional outreach methods, such as classroom exercises and colorful brochures, but it also uses some innovative
materials, such as hand-held UV monitoring devices and UV-sensitive frisbees that change color depending on how
long they are exposed to the sun. These educational materials prime students for the "telling" component of the
SunWise program, which involves providing NWS predictions of local UV intensity. Students can obtain these
predictions directly from the SunWise Web site or through other media, such as television or newspaper weather
reports.
UV Index
Southeastern Wisconsin Beach Health. This program's Web site initially provides the answer to a basic question of
interest to a large number of people in the Milwaukee/Racine, Wisconsin, area each summer: Which beaches are open
for swimming? As soon as a user opens the Web site, he or she is presented with a list of local beaches. A color-coded
icon (either a blue swimmer or a red crossed-out swimmer) provides an immediate visual indication of whether a
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particular beach is open for swimming. (This Web site also provides more "user-controlled" information elsewhere on
the Web site.)
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THE "USER-CONTROLLED" STYLE OF RISK COMMUNICATION
Some projects serve a smaller audience (e.g., a subset of the public, local health officials, etc.) that is likely to have
specific and detailed interests in particular aspects of a project's environmental data. The risk communication/outreach
strategies for these projects may be most useful if they give users more control over what information they obtain and
how their data are presented. For example, the Lake Access project presents information about how water quality in
certain lakes varies with depth and overtime. Someone with an interest in such specialized data may have a fair
amount of education on the topic and be willing to expend some energy in pursuing the information. It is also
reasonable to assume that the precise nature of such an informed user's interest would be difficult for a risk
communicator to anticipate. Therefore, it would make sense to provide greater complexity and flexibility in using data
visualization and interpretation tools than in the "telling" risk communication style described above.
Examples of EMPACT projects that follow the "user-controlled" style of presentation include: Lake Access, Boulder
Area Sustainability Network (BASIN), Des Moines Waterworks, and the Monitoring Your Sound (MYSound) project for
Long Island Sound, as discussed below.
Boulder Area Sustainability Network. The BASIN Web site provides public access to a wide range of data sets
collected from the watershed of Boulder, Colorado. These data sets provide time-relevant information about snowpack
levels, stream flow, water quality, and toxic releases in the Boulder area. Users of the BASIN Web site can generate
graphs of different water quality parameters by specifying the date and parameters that they are interested in viewing.
They can compare the behavior of different parameters by choosing to view those parameters on a single Web page.
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Chapter 5
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Des Moines Water Works. The Des Moines Water Works has established a Web site to provide information about the
water quality of its drinking water sources. It provides users with custom water quality reports (including some graphs)
in response to input queries. The user's input query provides information about the particular water source, laboratory
test, and time period of interest to the user.
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Monitoring Your Sound. The MYSound Web page provides information about dissolved oxygen and other water
quality variables at various sampling locations along Long Island Sound. Much of the information is provided in the
format of an instrument display panel. Users of the MYSound Web page view current information by selecting which
sampling buoy they wish to receive data from and then selecting what kinds of data they are interested in from that
buoy (as well as whether they would prefer to view the data in graphical or text format).
littp :••'• www. mysou nd. uco 11 n. edu
CONCLUSION
file:///P|/...Harvest/SentFromJeamie/2014ORD_CDProject/62^
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - Chapter 5
The projects discussed in this handbook illustrate the wide range of data visualization and data interpretation tools and
techniques available for environmental risk communication, including time-relevant environmental information. We hope
that you have found these tools interesting and useful for adaptation to your own risk communication efforts. We also
hope that this handbook stimulates further research and encourages development of additional tools to communicate
environmental risk.
Table 5-1 lists the addresses of the project Web sites discussed in this handbook; visit these sites if you wish to explore
the projects' risk communication messages further. The Reference list includes additional resources. Also, an overview
of environmental risk communication can be found in EPA's publication Considerations in Risk Communication: A
Digest of Critical Information (order no. EPA/625/R-02/004). Ordering information for other titles in this series can be
found in the order booklet EPA/625/N-02/001 or at the EPA Web site: http://www.epa.aov/ttbnrmrl.
Table 5-1. Websites of Projects Highlighted in this Handbook
Web Site Name
EPA AIRNow
Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network
Charles River Basin Flagging Program 2002
Des Moines Water Works EMPACT Project
Smog City
Lake Access
Miami Valley River Index
MYSound
Southeastern Wisconsin Beach Health
Spare the Air
EPA SunWise School Program
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission: Air Monitoring
http://www.epa.aov/airnow
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/basin
http://www.crwa.ora/wq/dailv/2002/dailv.html
http://www.dmww.com/empact.asp
http://www.e-tulsa.net
http://www.lakeaccess.ora
http://www.riverindex.org
http://www.mvsound.uconn.edu
http://infotrek.er.usas.aov/pls/beachhealth
http://www.sparetheair.com
http://www.epa.aov/sunwise
http://www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/air/monops/index.html
Table of Contents
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook
s>EPA
Risk Communication in
Action: Environmental
Case Studies
Continue »
file:///P|/..Tvest/SentFromJeamie/2014ORD_CDProject/625C03007M^
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EMPACT - Cross Handbook - References
REFERENCES
Charles River Watershed Association. 2002. Charles River Basin flagging program 2002.
http://www.crwa.org/wq/daily/2002/daily.html
Climate Prediction Center. 2000. UV Index: how to use it! National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration,
National Weather Service.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.aov/products/stratosphere/uvjndex/uvjnfo.html
Host, G.E., N.R. Will, R.P. Axler, C.J. Owen, and B.H. Munson. 2000. Interactive technologies for collecting and
visualizing water quality data. URISA Journal 12(3): 39-45.
Lake Access. 2002.
http://www.lakeaccess.org
National Weather Service. 2002. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov
River Index Project. 2002. Miami Valley River Index.
http://www.riverindex.ora
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. 2002. Ozone movie archive.
http://www.sparetheairnow.com/moviearchive.html
Stone, S. 2000. Structure of the Air Quality Index (AQI). In: Air Quality Index and Emission Inventory for Delhi:
Abstracts. June 6-8, New Delhi. Centre for Science and Environment, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. 2002. Animated ozone concentrations
http://www.tnrcc. state.tx.us/cgi-bin/monops/ozone_animation
Tulsa Air and Water Quality Information System. 2002.
http://www.e-tulsa.net/smoacitv/smoa1.html
University of Connecticut. 2002. MYSound.
http://www.mysound.uconn.edu/index.html
U.S. EPA. 1998. Report of eight focus groups on the Ozone Map, the Pollutant Standards Sub Index for Ozone, and
the Ozone Health Effects Booklet. Report prepared by Eastern Research Group, Inc. Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA. 1999a. Air quality guide for ozone. EPA/456/F-99/002. Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA. 1999b. Guideline for developing an ozone forecasting program. EPA/454/R-99/009. Research Triangle Park,
NC.
U.S. EPA. 1999c. Guideline for reporting of daily air quality—Air Quality Index (AQI). EPA/454/R-99/010. Research
Triangle Park, NC.
U.S. EPA. 1999d. Ozone and your health. EPA/452/F-99/003. Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA. 2000. Delivering timely water quality information to your community: the Lake Access-Minneapolis project.
EPA/625/R-00/013. Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA. 2002a. SunWise school program.
http://www.epa.aov/sunwise/
U. S. EPA. 2002b. Office of Environmental Information.
http://www.epa.gov/oei/
U. S. EPA. 2002c. AIRNow.
http://www.epa.gov/airnow/
Weather Channel. 2002. Air quality forecast.
http://www.weather.com/activities/health/airquality/
« Back | Table of Contents
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-------
ed States
. ironmental Protection
Planning and Implementing
a Real-time Air Pollution
Monitoring and Outreach
Program for Your Comm ~:
The AirBeat Project of Roxbur
Massachusetts
-------
Disclaimer: This document has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and approved
for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommenda-
tion of their use.
-------
EPA/625/R-02/012
November 2002
Planning and Implementing a Real-time Air
Pollution Monitoring and Outreach Program
for Your Community
The AirBeat Project of Roxbury, Massachusetts
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, OH 45268
50% Recycled/Recyclable
-—^—s\ Printed with vegetable-based ink on
( /^ X_) paper that contains a minimum of
\r |(/ 50% post-consumer fiber content
—'^ processed chlorine free
-------
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The development of this handbook was managed by Scott Hedges (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory) with the support
of Eastern Research Group, Inc., an EPA contractor. Technical guidance was provided by the AirBeat proj-
ect partners. EPA would like to thank the following people and organizations for their substantial contribu-
tions to the contents of this handbook:
George Allen, NESCAUM (formerly of the Harvard School of Public Health)
Lee Alter, Western Governors' Association (formerly of NESCAUM)
Jennifer Charles, Charles Consulting
Matthew Goode, Suffolk County Conservation District
Patrick Kwon, NESCAUM
Jerry Sheehan, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Jodi Sugerman-Brozan, Alternatives for Community & Environment
Gratitude is also expressed to the following individuals, who served as reviewers of the early drafts of
this handbook:
Norm Beloin, U.S. EPA Region I
Fred Corey, Aroostook Band ofMicmacs
James Hirtz, U.S. EPA Region VII
Swati Prakash, West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc.
Richard Wayland, U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
11
-------
r
CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1-1
1.1 About the EMPACT Program 1-2
1.2 About the AirBeat Project 1-2
1.3 About This Handbook 1-4
1.4 For More Information 1-5
CHAPTER 2 HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK 2-1
CHAPTER 3 ABOUT GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE
PARTICULATE MATTER 3-1
3.1 About Ozone 3-1
3.2 About Fine Paniculate Matter 3-2
3.3 About Black Carbon 3-4
3.4 National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter 3-5
3.5 Existing Monitoring Programs for Ozone and Particulate Matter 3-6
3.6 The Air Quality Index—A Tool for Reporting Air Quality Information 3-8
3.7 For More Information 3-9
CHAPTER 4 BEGINNING THE PROGRAM 4-1
4.1 Program Structure: Overview of a Community-Based
Air Pollution Monitoring and Outreach Program 4-1
4.2 Selecting Program Partners 4-2
4.3 Identifying Potentially Impacted Communities 4-4
4.4 Getting To Know the Community 4-5
4.5 Estimating Program Costs 4-6
CHAPTER 5 MONITORING 5-1
5.1 Overview of AirBeat's Monitoring Efforts 5-1
5.2 Key Steps in Designing and Implementing a Monitoring System 5-3
5.3 For More Information 5-12
CHAPTER 6 DATA MANAGEMENT 6-1
6.1 Introduction to Data Management 6-1
6.2 Overview of AirBeat's Data Management Efforts 6-2
6.3 Hardware Components Used to Operate the Data Management Center 6-4
6.4 Software Components Used to Operate the Data Management Center 6-5
6.5 Creating the AirBeat Web Site 6-8
6.6 Creating the Telephone Hotline 6-8
in
-------
CHAPTER 7 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 7-1
7.1
7.2
7.3
APPENDIX A
Developing an Outreach Plan 7-1
Education and Outreach Tools 7-6
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Outreach Efforts 7-14
THE PASO DEL NORTE ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING PROJECT
A-l
APPENDIX B THE ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY AIR PROJECT B-l
APPENDIX C THE ST. LOUIS REGIONAL CLEAN AIR PARTNERSHIP C-l
GLOSSARY.. . G-l
IV
-------
*ed States
ironmental Protection
Planning and Implementing
a Real-time Air Pollution
Monitoring and Outreach
Program for Your Com
•\j
The AirBeat Project of Roxbu-
Massachusetts
-------
Disclaimer: This document has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and approved
for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommenda-
tion of their use.
-------
EPA/625/R-02/012
November 2002
Planning and Implementing a Real-time Air
Pollution Monitoring and Outreach Program
for Your Community
The AirBeat Project of Roxbury, Massachusetts
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, OH 45268
50% Recycled/Recyclable
-—^—s\ Printed with vegetable-based ink on
( /^ X_) paper that contains a minimum of
\r |(/ 50% post-consumer fiber content
—'^ processed chlorine free
-------
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The development of this handbook was managed by Scott Hedges (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory) with the support
of Eastern Research Group, Inc., an EPA contractor. Technical guidance was provided by the AirBeat proj-
ect partners. EPA would like to thank the following people and organizations for their substantial contribu-
tions to the contents of this handbook:
George Allen, NESCAUM (formerly of the Harvard School of Public Health)
Lee Alter, Western Governors' Association (formerly of NESCAUM)
Jennifer Charles, Charles Consulting
Matthew Goode, Suffolk County Conservation District
Patrick Kwon, NESCAUM
Jerry Sheehan, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Jodi Sugerman-Brozan, Alternatives for Community & Environment
Gratitude is also expressed to the following individuals, who served as reviewers of the early drafts of
this handbook:
Norm Beloin, U.S. EPA Region I
Fred Corey, Aroostook Band ofMicmacs
James Hirtz, U.S. EPA Region VII
Swati Prakash, West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc.
Richard Wayland, U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
11
-------
r
CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1-1
1.1 About the EMPACT Program 1-2
1.2 About the AirBeat Project 1-2
1.3 About This Handbook 1-4
1.4 For More Information 1-5
CHAPTER 2 HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK 2-1
CHAPTER 3 ABOUT GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE
PARTICULATE MATTER 3-1
3.1 About Ozone 3-1
3.2 About Fine Paniculate Matter 3-2
3.3 About Black Carbon 3-4
3.4 National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter 3-5
3.5 Existing Monitoring Programs for Ozone and Particulate Matter 3-6
3.6 The Air Quality Index—A Tool for Reporting Air Quality Information 3-8
3.7 For More Information 3-9
CHAPTER 4 BEGINNING THE PROGRAM 4-1
4.1 Program Structure: Overview of a Community-Based
Air Pollution Monitoring and Outreach Program 4-1
4.2 Selecting Program Partners 4-2
4.3 Identifying Potentially Impacted Communities 4-4
4.4 Getting To Know the Community 4-5
4.5 Estimating Program Costs 4-6
CHAPTER 5 MONITORING 5-1
5.1 Overview of AirBeat's Monitoring Efforts 5-1
5.2 Key Steps in Designing and Implementing a Monitoring System 5-3
5.3 For More Information 5-12
CHAPTER 6 DATA MANAGEMENT 6-1
6.1 Introduction to Data Management 6-1
6.2 Overview of AirBeat's Data Management Efforts 6-2
6.3 Hardware Components Used to Operate the Data Management Center 6-4
6.4 Software Components Used to Operate the Data Management Center 6-5
6.5 Creating the AirBeat Web Site 6-8
6.6 Creating the Telephone Hotline 6-8
in
-------
CHAPTER 7 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 7-1
7.1
7.2
7.3
APPENDIX A
Developing an Outreach Plan 7-1
Education and Outreach Tools 7-6
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Outreach Efforts 7-14
THE PASO DEL NORTE ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING PROJECT
A-l
APPENDIX B THE ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY AIR PROJECT B-l
APPENDIX C THE ST. LOUIS REGIONAL CLEAN AIR PARTNERSHIP C-l
GLOSSARY.. . G-l
IV
-------
1
INTRODUCTION
Over the past 15 years, an epidemic of asthma has been occurring in
the United States. Children, in particular, have been severely
affected. EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection estimates that
4.8 million children under 18 years of age—one out of every fifteen chil-
dren—have asthma. Asthma rates have increased 160 percent in the past 15
years in children under 5 years of age.
The problem is even worse among some inner-city populations. In certain
neighborhoods of New York City, for example, one out of every five
children has asthma. In Roxbury, an urban neighborhood in the heart of
Boston, the asthma hospitalization rate is annually among the highest in
Massachusetts (in 1992, it was five times the state average). Although
people of all ages, races, and ethnic groups have been affected by asthma,
nationwide data show that the epidemic is most severe among lower income
and minority children.
These data have lead to heightened concern about the quality of air that
inner-city children are breathing—both indoors and out. In recent years,
scientists have developed a better understanding of the role that air pollu-
tants can play in exacerbating asthma symptoms and triggering asthma
attacks. Much work has been done to reduce children's exposures to indoor
air pollutants and allergens such as cigarette smoke, cockroach particles, dust mites, and animal hair since
these are considered among the most common asthma triggers. At the same time, there is growing recogni-
tion of a need for better information on children's exposures to outdoor air pollutants.
Throughout most of the United States, levels of outdoor air pollutants are much lower today than in
the past. However, in some parts of the country (particularly urban areas), outdoor air pollution is still a
concern. Pollutants of concern1 include ground-level ozone (which is formed by the chemical reaction of pol-
lutants from cars, trucks, buses, power plants, and other sources) and particulate matter (which includes dust,
dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets emitted into the air by sources such as cars, trucks, buses, factories, and
construction activities). Both of these pollutants have been linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
To protect their respiratory health, inner-city residents need timely access to air quality data. Levels of
outdoor air pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter vary from day to day and even during the course
of a single day. Access to air quality forecasts and real-time data can allow residents to reduce their exposures
when pollutant levels are high. For children and others with asthma, reducing exposures to asthma triggers
can be part of a multi-faceted approach to managing symptoms that also includes behavior changes, drug
therapy, and frequent medical follow-ups. Patient education is also key to this approach.
many urban areas, outdoor air
pollution is still a concern.
1 Another class of pollutants that can cause special threats in urban areas is air toxics, which are those air pollutants that are known or suspected
to cause cancer or other serious health problems. Air toxics are not addressed in this handbook. For more information on nationwide efforts to
monitor and reduce emissions of air toxics, visit EPAs Air Toxics Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/.
INTRODUCTION
-------
In 1999, a team of academic, community, and government organizations launched a pilot project to collect
and communicate real-time data2 on air pollution in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.
This pilot project, which became known as AirBeat, was funded with a grant from EPA's EMPACT
Program. The AirBeat project had two main goals: 1) to develop and implement real-time ambient air
pollution monitoring and data management techniques for ozone, fine particulate matter (PM2 5), and
other air quality parameters, and 2) to communicate real-time air quality data to the public in a way that
can be easily understood and used by community residents to reduce human exposure.
To meet these goals, AirBeat established an ambient air quality monitoring station in the center of Roxbury.
This station continuously collects air pollution data, which are presented in real time for public access on
the AirBeat Web site (http://www.airbeat.org/) and via a telephone hotline system (617-427-9500). The
AirBeat team also developed an extensive outreach program for educating the public about air pollution,
health effects, and precautionary measures.
This technology transfer handbook presents a case study about the AirBeat project. It describes how AirBeat
got its start, how the project's partners approached the technical and human challenges facing them, and
what lessons they learned in the process. The handbook also provides information, recommendations,
suggestions, and tips to assist other groups in developing or refining a comparable program for their own
community. These recommendations, tips, and suggestions come primarily from the AirBeat project, but
also to a limited extent from case studies, lessons learned, and recommendations gleaned from other compa-
rable environmental monitoring projects. The handbook is written primarily for community organizers,
non-profit groups, local government officials, tribal officials, and other decision-makers who will imple-
ment, or are considering implementing, air quality monitoring and outreach programs.
1.1 ABOUT THE EMPACT PROGRAM
This handbook was developed by EPA's EMPACT Program (http://www.epa.gov/empact). EPA created
EMPACT (Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking) to promote new and
innovative approaches to collecting, managing, and communicating environmental information to the
public. Working with communities across the country, the program takes advantage of new technologies
to provide community members with timely, accurate, and understandable environmental information they
can use to make informed, day-to-day decisions about their lives. EMPACT projects cover a wide range of
environmental issues, including water quality, ground water contamination, smog, ultraviolet radiation, and
overall ecosystem quality. Some projects were initiated by EPA, while others (including the AirBeat project)
were launched by EMPACT communities themselves through EPA-funded Metro Grants.
1 .2 ABOUT THE AIRBEAT PROJECT
Planning for the AirBeat project began in 1997 and 1998. EMPACT began funding AirBeat in 1999,
and that spring the project started operating its air pollution monitoring station in the center of Roxbury.
Real-time delivery of air quality data began in 2000 with the launch of the AirBeat Web site and telephone
hotline system.
AirBeat focused on the Roxbury neighborhood for two reasons. First, there has been heightened concern
over outdoor air quality in Roxbury due to high rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. And second,
there are a number of strong community organizations in Roxbury that have been working for years on a
variety of environmental health and justice issues.
^ In this handbook, the term "real time" is used to indicate that data are presented to the public almost as soon as they are collected, with only a
slight delay for data processing and quality assurance. AirBeat reports pollutant concentrations as hourly averages, with results generally made
available to the public within 15 minutes of the end of the averaging period.
1-2 CHAPTER 1
-------
Roxbury is a heavily urbanized neighborhood. Its population of 60,000 people is about 70 percent African
American and 18 percent Latino. The poverty rate is more than 30 percent in the neighborhood and 45
percent for children under 18 (U.S. Census Report, 1990). Environmental concerns in Roxbury include
high traffic volumes, vacant lots, illegal trash dumps, and pollution from autobody shops.
In the mid 1990s, concern over outdoor air quality in Roxbury began to focus on motor vehicles, especially
exhaust from diesel trucks and buses. Research conducted in 1996 revealed that there were more than 15
truck and bus depots within a one-mile radius of Roxbury, garaging more than 1,150 diesel vehicles. In
1997, local environmental and community organizations formed a coalition called Clean Buses for Boston
to pressure the regional transit agency to convert its bus fleet from diesel to cleaner alternatives. Some of
these organizations also began discussions with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
(MA DEP) aimed at establishing an ambient air quality monitoring station in Roxbury.
AirBeat's monitoring and outreach project grew out of these efforts. In 1998, MA DEP decided to set up
a monitoring station in the Dudley Square area of Roxbury (see map) to measure levels of PM2.5 in the
ambient air. The station was to be part of MA DEP's statewide monitoring network. With funding from
an EMPACT grant, the AirBeat team was able to expand the Dudley Square monitoring effort to include
continuous measurements of PM2 5, ground-level ozone, and black carbon soot (BC). (Black carbon, a
INTRODUCTION
1-3
-------
component of PM2 5, was chosen because it is a strong indicator of local diesel emissions. See Section 3.3
for more information about BC.) The team also decided to set up a state-of-the-art data management and
delivery system so that the Dudley Square monitoring station would be the first station in the common-
wealth to present air quality data to the public in real time, using a Web site (http://www.airbeat.org) and
other communication venues. In addition, the AirBeat team planned an extensive outreach program to
educate the public about the connections between air pollution and health effects.
The AirBeat project is a partnership between:
• Alternatives for Community & Environment (ACE), a Roxbury-based, non-profit environmental
justice organization that coordinates AirBeat's education and outreach efforts.
• Harvard University School of Public Health, which developed some of the innovative instrumentation
set-ups for the AirBeat monitoring station and shared responsibility for implementing the real-time
measurements.
• MA DEP, which operates 42 ambient air monitoring stations throughout Massachusetts and has
overall responsibility for the Roxbury station.
• Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), an interstate association of
air quality control agencies that managed AirBeat's data management and mapping efforts and the
development of the project's Web site and hotline.
• Suffolk County Conservation District, which acted as the lead agency, responsible for coordinating the
AirBeat project.
Chapters 4 through 7 of this handbook provide more details about the roles each of these partners played in
the AirBeat project.
Current Status and Sustainability of the AirBeat Project
Since the end of the EMPACT grant period, in 2001, AirBeat has continued to provide real-time data
on air pollution to the Roxbury community. The Dudley Square monitoring station (and all of its instru-
mentation) is maintained by MA DEP, which operates the station as part of its statewide monitoring
network with state and federal funding. AirBeat's Data Management Center runs on an automated basis
from the offices of NESCAUM, with little human oversight needed. The ongoing operation of this equip-
ment means that, for the foreseeable future, air pollution data will continue to be downloaded from the
Dudley Square monitoring station and posted to the AirBeat Web site for public access.
AirBeat outreach activities will also continue, but at a scaled-back level. Air quality is still a major
concern in Roxbury, and AirBeat information has become woven into the fabric of many of ACE's com-
munity education and empowerment initiatives in the neighborhood. So as ACE continues its work, the
AirBeat message will continue to go out to Roxbury residents.
1 -4
CHAPTER 1
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1.3 ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK
A number of communities throughout the United States have expressed interest in beginning projects
similar to AirBeat. The purpose of this handbook is to help interested communities and organizations learn
more about AirBeat and to provide them with the technical information they need to develop their own
programs. The Technology Transfer and Support Division of the EPA Office of Research and Development's
(ORD's) National Risk Management Research Laboratory initiated the development of this handbook in col-
laboration with EPA's Office of Environmental Information. ORD, working with AirBeat's project partners,
produced the handbook to leverage EMPACT's investment in the project and minimize the resources needed
to implement similar projects in new areas.
Both print and CD-ROM versions of the handbook are available for direct online ordering from ORD's
Technology Transfer Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl. A PDF version of the handbook can also be
downloaded from that site. In addition, you can order a copy of the handbook (print or CD-ROM version)
by contacting ORD Publications by telephone or mail at:
EPA ORD Publications
26 W. Martin Luther King Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45268-0001
EPA NSCEP Toll free: 1-800-490-9198
EPA NSCEP Local: 513-489-8190
Please make sure that you include the title of the handbook and the EPA document number in your
request. We hope that you find the handbook worthwhile, informative, and easy to use.
1.4 FOR MORE INFORMATION
Try the following resources for more on the issues and programs this handbook discusses:
The EMPACT Program
http:I Iwww. epa.gov/empact/
The AirBeat Web site
http://www. air beat, org
Alternatives for Community & Environment
http://www. ace-ej. org/
Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection
http://www.state. ma. m/dep/dephome. htm
NESCAUM
http:I I www. nescaum. org/
EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection
http://www. epa.gov/children/
American Lung Association
http://www. lungusa. org/asthma/
National Asthma Education and Prevention
Program, National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute
http:I I www. nhlbisupport. comlasthmalindex, html
AirBeat Contacts:
George Allen
NESCAUM
Phone: 617-367-8540 x235
Email: gallen@nescaum.org
Jodi Sugerman-Brozan
Alternatives for Community & Environment
Phone: 617-442-3343 x23
Email: jodi@ace-ej. org
Jerry Sheehan
Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection
Phone: 617-292-5500
Email: jerry.sheehan@state. ma. us
INTRODUCTION
1-5
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2
HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK
This handbook presents a case study of the AirBeat project. The handbook also provides information,
recommendations, suggestions, and tips to assist other groups in developing or refining a real-time
air pollution monitoring and public outreach project for their own community. The handbook
covers the following key steps in developing an AirBeat-type project:
Identifying target
communities and
selecting program
partners
Developing a mon-
itoring system for
making continuous
measurements of
air pollutants
Using state-of-the-
art technology for
managing data
and delivering it
to community
residents in
real time
Creating an out-
reach program to
educate residents
about air pollution
and health effects
The handbook provides simple "how to" instructions on each facet of planning and implementing an
AirBeat-type program, along with important background information on air pollution and health effects:
• Chapter 3 provides information about ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter, the two major
air pollutants that are the focus of AirBeat s monitoring efforts. The chapter covers pollutant sources
and health effects and gives an overview of existing monitoring programs that are in place nationwide
for measuring ambient concentrations of ozone and particulate matter.
• Chapter 4 describes the steps in beginning an AirBeat-type program: identifying potential target
communities, getting to know the community, selecting partners for the program, and estimating
program costs.
• Chapter 5 discusses the key steps in developing a monitoring system: preparing a quality assurance
plan; siting a monitoring station; selecting monitoring instrumentation and equipment; and installing,
operating, and maintaining the equipment.
• Chapter ^provides detailed information about data management and delivery, focusing on the
equipment and software needed to establish a data management center and such data-delivery tools
as a Web site and telephone hotline system.
• Chapter /provides guidance on education and outreach to community residents about air pollution,
health effects, and the benefits of using real-time air quality data to reduce exposures to harmful
pollutant levels. The chapter includes detailed information on outreach tools and approaches used
by the AirBeat project, along with sample outreach materials.
Haw TO USE THIS HANDBOOK
2-1
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Interspersed throughout the handbook are stories about the lessons learned in the course of the AirBeat
project. The handbook also refers you to supplementary sources of information, such as Web sites, guidance
documents, and other written materials. In addition, the handbook includes appendices that present alter-
natives to the approaches used by the AirBeat project:
• Appendix A presents a case study of the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project, an interna-
tional effort to provide the public with real-time data on air quality, traffic, and weather for a region
along the U.S.-Mexican border that is home to a rapidly growing and bilingual population.
• Appendix B gives an overview of the St. Louis Community Air Project (CAP), a multi-year commit-
ment to better understand the presence of air pollutants in St. Louis and take the necessary steps to
improve the air quality. CAP provides an excellent model for involving the local community in all
aspects of planning and implementing an air quality monitoring and outreach program.
• Appendix C describes another Missouri-based effort: the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership,
a public-private partnership formed to raise awareness of regional air quality issues and to encourage
activities to reduce emissions of air pollutants. The Partnership demonstrates how a program can cost-
effectively leverage monitoring data from existing state-run monitoring networks and deliver it to the
public in the context of an innovative education and outreach effort.
The handbook is designed for managers and decision-makers who may be considering whether to imple-
ment an AirBeat-type monitoring and outreach program in their community, as well as for organizers who
are interested in improving or refining their existing programs.
2-2
CHAPTER 2
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3
GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND
FINE PARTICULATE MATTER
This chapter provides background information about ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter
(PM2 5), the two major air pollutants that are the focus of AirBeat's monitoring efforts. Sections 3.1
and 3.2 describe the sources and health effects of these two pollutants and identify those people
most at risk from unhealthy exposures. Section 3.3 presents information about the sources and health
effects of black carbon, a component of PM2 5 that is monitored by the AirBeat project. Section 3.4 sum-
marizes the National Ambient Air Quality Standards that EPA has established for ozone and particulate
matter to protect people and the environment from adverse effects. Section 3.5 provides an overview of the
existing monitoring programs that are in place nationwide for measuring ambient concentrations of ozone,
particulate matter, and other major air pollutants. Finally, Section 3.6 introduces readers to the Air Quality
Index, a tool developed by EPA to provide people with timely and easy-to-understand information on local
air quality and whether it poses a health concern.
The information in this chapter should be useful to any person interested in air pollution and the national
strategies for monitoring pollutant levels in ambient air, whether that person be a community organizer
responsible for implementing a monitoring program or a member of the public concerned about elevated
pollutant levels in his or her community.
3.1 ABOUT OZONE
Ozone is an odorless, colorless gas composed of three atoms of oxygen. It occurs both in the Earth's upper
atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone can be good or bad, depending on where it is found:
• Good ozone (upper level). Ozone occurs naturally in the Earth's upper atmosphere—10 to 30 miles
above the Earth's surface, where it forms a protective barrier that shields people from the sun's harmful
ultraviolet rays. This barrier is sometimes called the "ozone layer."
• Bad ozone (ground level). Because of pollution, ozone can also be found in the Earth's lower atmos-
phere, at ground level. Ground-level ozone is a major ingredient of smog, and it can harm people's
health by damaging their lungs. It can also damage crops and many common man-made materials,
such as rubber, plastic, and paint.
3.1.1 SOURCES DF GROUND-LEVEL DZDNE
Ground-level ozone is not emitted directly into the air but forms when two kinds of pollutants—volatile
organic compounds and nitrogen oxides—mix in the air and react chemically in the presence of sunlight.
Common sources of volatile organic compounds (often referred to as VOCs) include motor vehicles, gas
stations, chemical plants, and other industrial facilities. Solvents such as dry-cleaning fluid and chemicals
used to clean industrial equipment are also sources of VOCs. Common sources of nitrogen oxides include
motor vehicles, power plants, and other fuel-burning sources.
3.1.2 DZDNE HEALTH EFFECTS
Ozone can affect people's health in many ways:
• Ozone can irritate the respiratory system. When this happens, you might start coughing, feel an irrita-
tion in your throat, and/or experience an uncomfortable sensation in your chest. These symptoms can
last for a few hours after ozone exposure and may even become painful.
ABOUT GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE PARTICULATE MATTER
3-1
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• Ozone can reduce lung function. When scientists refer to "lung function," they mean the volume of air
that you draw in when you take a full breath and the speed at which you are able to blow out the air.
Ozone can make it more difficult for you to breathe as deeply and vigorously as you normally would.
• Ozone can aggravate asthma. When ozone levels are high, more asthmatics have asthma attacks that
require a doctor's attention or the use of additional asthma medication.
• Ozone can aggravate chronic lung diseases, such as emphysema and bronchitis.
• Ozone can inflame and temporarily damage the lining of the lung. Ozone damages the cells that line
the air spaces in the lung. Within a few days, the damaged cells are replaced and the old cells are shed.
If this kind of damage occurs repeatedly, the lung may change permanently in a way that could cause
long-term health effects.
3.1 .3 PDPULATIDNS MOST AT RISK FROM DZDNE
In most parts of the United States, ozone pollution is likely to be a concern during the summer months,
when the weather conditions needed to form ground-level ozone—lots of sun, hot temperatures—normally
occur. Ozone pollution is usually at its worst during summer heat waves when air masses are stagnant.
Ozone levels also vary during the day, and are typically highest during late afternoon and decrease rapidly at
sunset.
Most people only have to worry about ozone exposure when concentrations reach high or very high levels.
However, some groups of people are particularly sensitive to ozone, and members of these groups are likely
to experience health effects before ozone concentrations reach high levels. People most sensitive to ozone
include:
• Children. Active children are the group at highest risk from ozone exposure. Such children often spend
a large part of their summer vacation outdoors, engaged in vigorous activities either in their neighbor-
hood or at summer camp. Children are also more likely to have asthma or other respiratory illnesses.
Asthma is the most common chronic disease for children and may be aggravated by ozone exposure.
• Adults who are active outdoors. Healthy adults who exercise or work outdoors are considered a
"sensitive group" because they have a higher level of exposure to ozone than people who are less active
outdoors.
• People with respiratory diseases, such as asthma. There is no evidence that ozone causes asthma or
other chronic respiratory disease, but these diseases do make the lungs more vulnerable to the effects
of ozone. Thus, individuals with these conditions will generally experience the effects of ozone earlier
and at lower levels than less sensitive individuals.
• People with unusual susceptibility to ozone. Scientists don't yet know why, but some healthy people are
simply more sensitive to ozone than others. These individuals may experience more health effects from
ozone exposure than the average person.
Scientists have found little evidence to suggest that either the elderly or people with heart disease have
heightened sensitivity to ozone. However, like other adults, elderly people will be at higher risk from ozone
exposure if they suffer from respiratory disease, are active outdoors, or are unusually susceptible to ozone.
3.2 ABOUT FINE PARTICULATE MATTER
Particulate matter (PM) is the general term used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in
the air. These particles and droplets come in a wide range of sizes. Some are large or dark enough to be seen
as soot or smoke. Others are so small they can be detected only with an electron microscope.
3-2 CHAPTER 3
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PM can harm people's health when it is inhaled into the lungs. PM is also the major cause of reduced visibil-
ity (haze) in many parts of the United States. Deposition of PM from the atmosphere can damage
environmental ecosystems and man-made objects such as monuments and statues.
The environmental and health effects of PM can vary, depending on the size of the particles. Because they
are less heavy, smaller particles stay in the air longer and travel farther when emitted to the atmosphere, con-
tributing to haze. Smaller particles also can be inhaled more deeply into human lungs, increasing the
potential for severe health effects. In addition, smaller particles generally include more toxic substances than
do larger particles.
Because of these differences, EPA maintains two separate ambient air quality standards for particulate matter.
One standard addresses levels of "fine" particulate matter (known as PM25), which contains particles less
than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. The other standard addresses PM10, containing particles that are less than
10 micrometers in diameter.
3.2.1 SOURCES DF FINE PARTICULATE MATTER
Particulate matter originates from many different stationary and mobile sources as well as from natural
sources. Particles larger than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (often referred to as coarse particles) are generally
emitted from sources such as vehicles traveling on unpaved roads, materials handling, and crushing and
grinding operations, as well as windblown dust. Fine particles (less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter), which
are the focus of the AirBeat project, result from fuel combustion from motor vehicles, power generation, and
industrial facilities, as well as from residential fireplaces and wood stoves. The particles originating from
these sources often include certain heavy metals and organic compounds that have been associated with
excess cancer risk.
Some fine particles are emitted directly from their sources, such as smokestacks and cars. In other cases,
gases such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds interact with other compounds
in the air to form fine particles. Their chemical and physical compositions vary depending on location, time
of year, and weather.
3.2.2 PMZ 5 HEALTH EFFECTS
When people inhale, they breathe in air along with any particles that are in the air. The air and the particles
travel into their respiratory system (the lungs and airway). Along the way, the particles can stick to the sides
of the airway or travel deeper into the lungs. If particles are small and get very far into the lungs, special cells
in the lung trap the particles and then they can't get out.
Scientific studies have linked fine particles (alone or in combination with other air pollutants), with a series
of significant health problems, including:
• Premature death.
• Respiratory related hospital admissions and emergency room visits.
• Aggravated asthma.
• Acute respiratory symptoms, including aggravated coughing and difficult or painful breathing.
• Chronic bronchitis.
• Decreased lung function that can be experienced as shortness of breath.
• Work and school absences.
GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE PARTICULATE MATTER 3-3
-------
To fully understand the potential health effects of fine particles, scientists must have information about
the chemical composition of PM2 5, which is known to vary from location to location and from season to
season. To help characterize trends in chemical composition, EPA is currently establishing a network of
PM2 5 speciation monitors across the United States. The information from this network will allow scientists
to better understand the emission sources contributing to PM2 5 and the potential for long-term health
effects (including cancer) from human exposures. For more information on EPA's PM2 5 speciation
program, go to http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/speciepg.html.
3.2.3 PDPULATIDNS MOST AT RISK FROM FINE PARTICULATE
MATTER
The following people are most at risk from exposures to PM2 5:
• The elderly. Studies estimate that tens of thousands of elderly people die prematurely each year from
exposure to ambient levels of fine particles. Studies also indicate that exposure to fine particles is asso-
ciated with thousands of hospital admissions each year. Many of these hospital admissions are elderly
people suffering from lung or heart disease.
• Individuals with preexisting heart or lung disease. Breathing fine particles can also adversely affect
individuals with heart disease, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis by causing additional medical treat-
ment. Inhaling fine particulate matter has been attributed to increased hospital admissions, emergency
room visits, and premature death among sensitive populations.
• Children. Because children's respiratory systems are still developing, they are more susceptible to envi-
ronmental threats than healthy adults. Exposure to fine particles is associated with increased frequency
of childhood illnesses, which are of concern both in the short run, and for the future development of
healthy lungs in the affected children. Fine particles are also associated with increased respiratory
symptoms and reduced lung function in children, including symptoms such as aggravated coughing
and difficulty or pain in breathing. These can result in school absences and limitations in normal
childhood activities.
• Asthmatics and asthmatic children. More and more people are being diagnosed with asthma every
year. Fourteen Americans die every day from asthma, a rate three times greater than just 20 years ago.
Children make up 25 percent of the population, but comprise 40 percent of all asthma cases.
Breathing fine particles, alone or in combination with other pollutants, can aggravate asthma, causing
greater use of medication and resulting in more medical treatment and hospital visits.
3.3 ABOUT BLACK CARBON
Black carbon (BC), an air pollutant that is monitored by the AirBeat project, is a component of PM2 5
(typically about 10 percent by mass in urban areas). BC is similar to soot and is emitted directly into the air
from virtually all combustion activities. It is especially prevalent in exhaust from diesel-burning trucks and
buses, which tend to be the primary source of BC in urban areas. Other sources of BC include coal-burning
power plants, jet fuel, forest fires, and wood-burning stoves and fireplaces.
EPA has not established a national health standard specifically for BC. The reasons are two-fold. First,
because black carbon is a component of PM2 5, BC levels in ambient air are regulated under the National
Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2 5 (see Section 3.4). Second, not enough is known about the specific
health effects of black carbon to set a national standard. However, a large number of human epidemiology
studies have shown that diesel exhaust as a whole (which contains black carbon) is associated with increases
in lung cancer and may aggravate asthma. More information on the health effects associated with diesel
exhaust can be found in EPA's Health Assessment Document for Diesel Exhaust, located online at
http://www. epa.gov/ncea/dieslexh. htm.
3-4 CHAPTER 3
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AirBeat measures BC concentrations as a surrogate for diesel exhaust. In other words, the data on BC
concentrations help the AirBeat team evaluate the degree to which diesel trucks and buses are contributing
to overall PM2 5 levels.
3.4 NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS
FDR DZDNE AND PARTICULATE MATTER
Ground-level ozone and particulate matter are regulated under the Clean Air Act, which is the comprehen-
sive federal law that regulates air emissions in the United States. The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set
standards for six "criteria" air pollutants that are commonly occurring, including ozone and particulate
matter.3 These standards are known as the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). EPA is
required to re-evaluate each NAAQS every 5 years and either affirm the current standard or promulgate
a new standard based on the currently available scientific research.
Under the Clean Air Act, EPA develops two standards for each pollutant of concern:
• A primary standard to protect public health. The primary NAAQS can be defined as the levels of air
quality that EPA has determined to be generally protective of people's health.
• A secondary standard to protect public welfare. Public welfare includes effects on soils, water, crops,
vegetation, buildings, property, animals, wildlife, weather, visibility, transportation, and other
economic values, as well as personal comfort and well-being.
For ozone, the primary and secondary standards are identical. The same is true for particulate matter.
You can find out more about the Clean Air Act and the NAAQS in EPA's Plain English Guide to the Clean
Air Act, found online at http://www. epa.govloarloaqpslpeg_caalpegcaain. html.
3.4.1 ABOUT THE NAAQS FDR DZDNE
In 1997, EPA adopted new, more stringent standards for ozone, based on research that found that the
original NAAQS for ozone, known as the 1-hour standard, was not adequately protective of human health.
The 1-hour standard limited ozone levels to 0.12 parts per million averaged over a 1-hour period. The new
standard, known as the 8-hour standard, requires that a community's ozone levels be no higher than 0.08
parts per million when averaged over an 8-hour period.
3.4.2 ABDUT THE NAAQS FDR PARTIDULATE MATTER
EPA also revised the NAAQS for particulate matter in 1997. Up to that point, federal PM standards had
applied only to particles up to 10 microns in diameter (PM10). A review of the scientific data indicated,
however, that it is the smaller (or fine) particles—less than 2.5 microns in diameter—that are largely
responsible for the health effects of greatest concern and for visibility impairment.
Based on this information, EPA issued revisions to strengthen the particulate matter standards by keeping
the existing PM10 standards and adding new standards that provide more stringent goals for fine particles
in air. The revised standards are shown in the following table.
3 The other criteria pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2).
GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE PARTICULATE MATTER
3-5
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TABLE 3-1. NAAQS FOR PM
Pollutant 24-hour Standard
i a
AN D P M
2.5
PM10
150 micrograms per cubic meter
To attain this standard, the 99th percentile of the
distribution of the 24-hour concentrations for a
period of 1 year, averaged over 3 years, must not
exceed 150 micrograms per cubic meter at each
monitor within an area.
Annual Standard
50 micrograms per cubic meter
To attain this standard, the arithmetic
mean of the 24-hour samples for a
period of 1 year, averaged over
3 consecutive years, must not exceed
50 micrograms per cubic meter.
PM2.5
65 micrograms per cubic meter
To attain this standard, the 98th percentile of the
distribution of the 24-hour concentrations for a
period of 1 year, averaged over 3 years, must not
exceed 65 micrograms per cubic meter at each
monitor within an area.
15 micrograms per cubic meter
To attain this standard, the 3-year average of
the annual arithmetic mean of the 24-hour
concentrations from single or multiple population
oriented monitors must not exceed
15 micrograms per cubic meter.
3.5 EXISTING MONITORING PROGRAMS FOR OZONE
AND PARTI CU LATE MATTER
Under the Clean Air Act, states are required to establish air monitoring networks—air quality surveillance
systems that consist of a series of carefully placed monitoring stations. Each station measures the ambient
concentrations of important air pollutants, including ground-level ozone and PM, in the immediate vicinity
of the station. States are required to report the data gathered from the monitoring stations to EPA.
Information provided by the state air monitoring networks is used for a number of purposes. Two key
objectives are:
• Determining what areas of the United States are in compliance with the NAAQS. A geographic area
that meets the primary health-based NAAQS is called an attainment area. Areas that do not meet the
primary standard are called non-attainment areas. The Clean Air Act requires each state to develop
State Implementation Plans (SIPs) describing the programs a state will use to maintain good air
quality in attainment areas and meet the NAAQS in non-attainment areas.
• Provide information to the public about local air quality. Each year, EPA issues a National Air Quality
and Emissions Trends Report, which examines trends among the six criteria pollutants. In addition,
efforts are increasingly being made to deliver timely air quality information directly to the public for
use in daily decision making. EPA's AirNow Web site (http://www.epa.gov/airnow) provides the public
with daily air quality forecasts as well as real-time air quality data for over 165 cities across the United
States. A number of local and regional programs have also been launched to deliver real-time informa-
tion to the public. The AirBeat project is just one example. See the appendices of this handbook for
summaries of other, similar programs.
Other objectives of air quality surveillance include: 1) determining source impacts, 2) determining general
background levels, 3) measuring regional transport, 4) evaluating effects such as visibility impairments and
ecosystem impacts, and 5) developing and evaluating strategies for controlling pollution levels.
3-6
CHAPTER 3
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r
3.5.1 TYPES DF MDNITDRS
Four different types of monitoring systems are used to carry out ambient air monitoring for criteria pollu-
tants under the Clean Air Act:4
• State and Local Air Monitoring Stations (SLAMS). The AirBeat monitoring station in Roxbury is
part of the SLAMS network operated by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
SLAMS stations are used to demonstrate if an area is meeting the NAAQS. A SLAMS system consists
of a carefully planned network of fixed monitoring stations, with the network size and station distribu-
tion largely determined by the needs of state and local air pollution control agencies to meet their
SIP requirements. EPA gives states and localities flexibility in determining the size of their SLAMS net-
work based on their data needs and available resources. Nationwide, the SLAMS network consists of
around 4,000 monitoring stations (see map).
STATE AND LOCAL AIR MONITORING STATIONS (SLAMS)
• National Air Monitoring Stations (NAMS). NAMS are used to supply data for national policy and
trend analyses and to provide the public with information about air quality in major metropolitan
areas. NAMS are required in urban areas with populations greater than 200,000. NAMS monitoring
stations are selected from a subset of the SLAMS network, and EPA requires a minimum of two
NAMS monitors in each of these metropolitan areas. There are two categories of NAMS monitoring
stations: stations located in areas of expected maximum ozone concentration, and stations located in
areas where poor air quality is combined with high population density.
• Special Purpose Monitoring Stations (SPMS). SPMS provide data for special studies needed by state
and local agencies to support SIPs and other air program activities. The SPMS are not permanently
established and can be adjusted easily to accommodate changing needs and priorities. The SPMS
are used to supplement the fixed monitoring network as circumstances require and resources permit.
For information on existing monitoring efforts targeted at air toxics, visit the Web site of the National Air Toxics Assessment at
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/nata/. Because the AirBeat project does not focus on air toxics, this class of pollutants is not discussed in this handbook.
GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE PARTICULATE MATTER
3-7
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• Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS). PAMS are required to obtain more compre-
hensive and representative data about ozone air pollution in ozone non-attainment areas designated as
serious, severe, or extreme. PAMS networks are used to monitor surface and upper-air meteorological
conditions and ozone precursors (these are the various pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds
and nitrogen oxides, that mix in the air and react chemically in the presence of sunlight to create
ground-level ozone).
EPA's standards for monitoring networks are found in the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR Part 58,
National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards). You can access and review these CFR
sections from the Ambient Monitoring Technology Information Center (AMTIC) Web site at
http:llwww. epa.gov/ttn/amtic/40cjr58. html.
EPA is currently revising its national air monitoring strategy. In starting new AirBeat-type programs in the
future, organizations should gather information on the latest air monitoring network designs that are in use.
3.6 THE AIR QUALITY INDEX—A TDDL FDR REPORTING
AIR QUALITY INFORMATION
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool developed by EPA to provide people with timely and easy-to-under-
stand information on local air quality and whether it poses a health concern. It provides a simple, uniform
system that can be used throughout the country for reporting levels of major pollutants regulated under the
Clean Air Act, including ground-level ozone and participate matter.
The AQI converts a measured pollutant concentration to a number on a scale of 0 to 500. The higher the
index value, the greater the health concern. For most of the criteria pollutants, the AQI value of 100 corre-
sponds to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard established for the pollutant under the Clean Air Act.
This is the level that EPA has determined to be generally protective of human health. For PM2 5, the AQI
value of 150 corresponds to the 24-hour NAAQS of 65 micrograms per cubic meter.
As shown below, the Air Quality Index scale has been divided into six categories, each corresponding to a
different level of health concern. Each category is also associated with a color.
Color
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
Air Quality Index Value Health Descriptor
OtoSO
51 to 100
101 to 150
151 to 200
Good
Moderate
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Unhealthy
The level of health concern associated with each AQI category is summarized by a descriptor:
• Good (green). When the AQI value for your community is between 0 and 50, air quality is considered
satisfactory in your area.
• Moderate (yellow). When the index value for your community is between 51 and 100, air quality is
acceptable in your area. (However, people who are extremely sensitive to ozone may experience respira-
tory symptoms.)
3-S
CHAPTER 3
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• Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange). Some people are particularly sensitive to the harmful effects
of certain air pollutants. For example, people with asthma may be sensitive to sulfur dioxide and
ozone, while people with heart disease may be sensitive to carbon monoxide. Some groups of people
may be sensitive to more than one pollutant. When AQI values are between 101 and 150, members of
sensitive groups may experience health effects. Members of the general public are not likely to be
affected when the AQI is in this range.
• Unhealthy (red). When AQI values are between 151 and 200, everyone may begin to experience
health effects. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
• Very Unhealthy (purple). AQI values between 201 and 300 trigger a health alert for everyone.
• Hazardous (maroon). AQI values over 300 trigger health warnings of emergency conditions.
AQI values over 300 rarely occur in the U.S.
For more information about the AQI, check out the EPA brochure entitled Air Quality Index—A Guide to
Air Quality and Your Health (EPA-454/R-00-005), found online at http://www.epa.gov/airnow/aqi_cl.pdf
3.6.1 HDW \S THE AIR QUALITY INDEX CALCULATED?
SLAM networks take measurements of levels of ozone, particulate matter (both PM2 5 and PM10), and
other criteria pollutants several times a day. These are then converted into corresponding AQI values using
standard conversion scales developed by EPA. For example, an ozone measurement of 0.08 parts per mil-
lion, which happens to be National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone, would translate to an AQI
value of 100.
Once the AQI values for the individual pollutants have been calculated, they are then used to calculate an
overall single index value for the local area. The single AQI value is determined simply by taking the highest
index value that was calculated for the individual air pollutants. This value becomes the AQI value reported
in a community on a given day. For example, say that on July 12, your community has an AQI rating of
115 for ozone and 72 for carbon monoxide. The AQI value that will be reported that day for your commu-
nity is 115. On days when the AQI for two or more pollutants is greater than 100, the pollutant with the
highest index level is reported, but information on any other pollutant above 100 may also be reported.
Guidelines for reporting air quality using the AQI can be found online at
http://www. epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/tl/memoranda/rg701 .pdf.
3.7 FDR MORE INFORMATION
3.7.1 EPA PUBLICATIONS DN GROUND-LEVEL DZDNE AND
PARTICULATE MATTER
Ozone and Your Health (EPA-452/F-99-003)
http://www.epa.gov/airnow/ozone-c.pdf
This short, colorful pamphlet tells who is at risk from exposure to ozone, what health effects are caused by
ozone, and simple measures that can be taken to reduce health risk.
Smog— Who Does It Hurt? (EPA-452/K-99-001)
http://www.epa.gov/airnow/health/smog.pdf
This 8-page booklet provides more detailed information than "Ozone and Your Health" about ozone health
effects and how to avoid them.
Haze—How Air Pollution Affects the View (EPA-456/F-99-001)
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/tl/fr_notices/haze.pdf
This two-page pamphlet gives a general description of what regional haze is, where it comes from, and what
is being done to reduce it.
GROUND-LEVEL OZONE AND FINE PARTICULATE MATTER 3-9
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PM—How Paniculate Matter Affects the Way We Live 6- Breathe
http:llwww. epa.govlairlurbanairlpmlindex. html
This short pamphlet describes the sources and health effects of particulate matter and summarizes EPA's
strategies for reducing PM.
3.7.2 ONLINE RESOURCES ABOUT THE NATIONAL AMBIENT
AIR QUALITY STANDARDS
EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards Web site
http-.llwww. epa.gov/oar/oaqps/
EPA's Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act (EPA-400/K-93-001)
http:llwww. epa.gov/oar/oaqps/peg_caa/pegcaain. html
EPA's Updated Air Quality Standards for Smog (Ozone) and Particulate Matter
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/naaqsfin/
EPA's Revised Ozone Standard (1997 fact sheet)
http://www. epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/naaqsfin/o3fact. html
EPA's Revised Particulate Matter Standards (1997 fact sheet)
http://www. epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/naaqsfin/pmfact. html
3.7.3 ONLINE RESOURCES ABOUT AM Bl ENT Al R MONITORING
EPA's Ambient Monitoring Technology Information Center (AMTIC) Web site
http://www. epa.gov/ttn/amtic/
EPA's AirNow Web site
http://www. epa.gov/airnow/
EPA's Monitoring Requirements for Particulate Matter (1997 fact sheet)
http-.llwww. epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/naaqsfin/pmonfact. html
Ozone Monitoring, Mapping, and Public Outreach: Delivering Real- Time Ozone Information to Your
Community (EPA-625/R-99-007)
http:llwww. epa.gov/airnow/empact/start. htm
3.7.4 EPA PUBLICATIONS ABOUT THE AIR QUALITY INDEX
Air Quality Index—A Guide to Air Quality and Your Health (EPA-454/R-00-005)
http://www.epa.gov/'airnowlaqi_cl.pdf
This booklet explains EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI) and the health effects of major air pollutants.
Guideline for Reporting of Daily Air Quality—Air Quality Index (EPA-454/R-99-010)
http:llwww. epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/tl/memoranda/rg701 .pdf
This guidance is designed to aid local agencies in reporting air quality using the AQI.
3-1 D
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4
BEGINNING THE PROGRAM
This chapter provides information and recommendations,
based on the experience of the AirBeat project, on important
first steps that you will need to take as you start your com-
munity-based air pollution monitoring and outreach program.
Section 4.1 presents a brief overview of the structure of an AirBeat-
type program and outlines the roles and responsibilities of program
partners. Section 4.2 discusses the critical process of selecting pro-
gram partners who can best help you meet your program's objectives
within your target community. Section 4.3 presents guidance on
identifying potentially impacted communities that you may want to
target with your program. Section 4.4 provides tips on getting to
know your target community in terms of the cultures and languages
of residents, their awareness of air quality issues, and other factors.
Finally, Section 4.5 offers suggestions on estimating program costs
and leveraging resources available to you.
The information in this chapter is designed primarily for managers
and decision-makers who may be considering whether to implement
AirBeat-type programs in their communities, as well as for organizers
who are interested in improving or refining existing programs.
Get to know your target community,
including the cultures and languages
of the people who live there.
4.1 PROGRAM STRUCTURE: OVERVIEW OF A COMMUNITY-
BASED AIR POLLUTION MONITORING AND
OUTREACH PROGRAM
AirBeat is a multifaceted project that engages in a variety of activities—everything from writing and distrib-
uting flyers to developing Web sites and calibrating monitoring equipment. These activities can be grouped
into four main categories, which make up the main components of the project: monitoring, data manage-
ment and delivery, education and outreach, and project management.
The following paragraphs summarize these activities to provide an overview of how the AirBeat project
works. These activities are described in much greater detail in Chapters 5 through 7.
Monitoring
During the planning stages for monitoring, a quality assurance plan is developed
by senior technical experts familiar with the monitoring technologies to be applied.5
Based on the plan, the monitoring site is then selected and the specific monitoring
equipment to be used is identified and procured. On-site installation of the monitor-
ing shelter and equipment is typically performed by a skilled field technician who
will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the equipment during the
program. After equipment installation and checkout are completed, method-specific
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), reflecting all technologies being applied,
must be developed. Monitoring activities are conducted by field technicians in
accordance with the SOPs and the monitoring schedule previously developed.
In the case of AirBeat, the two partner organizations responsible for monitoring (MA DEP and the Harvard School of Public Health) already had
well-established quality assurance (QA) programs in place. These programs included QA protocols for many of the measurement methods run at
the Dudley Square monitoring station. AirBeat s senior technical experts developed a separate QA narrative to cover the operation of measurement
methods run specifically for the AirBeat project. See Chapter 5 for more information about this narrative.
BEGINNING THE PROGRAM
4-1
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Data Management
Outreach
AirBeat's data management and delivery activities are performed by an automated
Data Management Center (DMC), which is comprised of several hardware and
software components. The DMC was developed during the EMPACT grant period
(1999 to 2001) by AirBeat's information technology experts, and continues to oper-
ate today with minimal human oversight. The DMC executes numerous functions:
downloading data files from the monitoring station via a modem-to-modem connec-
tion; storing the raw data to a database; validating data completeness and integrity;
translating data into Air Quality Index values for reporting pollutant levels; generat-
ing graphics; and delivering data to the public via the AirBeat Web site and
telephone hotline.
AirBeat's outreach efforts include two types of activities: 1) disseminating air quality
data, and 2) educating Roxbury residents about the connections between air pollu-
tion and respiratory illnesses and about the steps that people can take to reduce
harmful exposures. AirBeat has two automated systems for data dissemination—the
AirBeat Web site and telephone hotline—which are still in operation today. During
the EMPACT grant period, the AirBeat team conducted an extensive education
campaign that relied on multiple approaches and outreach tools, including fact
sheets and flyers, contextual materials posted on the Web site, press releases,
curriculum modules, workshops and presentations, and events and tours. AirBeat
also conducted direct outreach to nurses and other health care providers.
Some education and outreach efforts are still ongoing (see Section 1.2 for the
current status of the AirBeat project).
Project management under AirBeat was handled during the EMPACT grant period
by the Suffolk County Conservation District (SCCD), a body of five elected individ-
uals who volunteer their time to the agency, and Charles Consulting, a small,
independent firm that was hired to manage the day-to-day operations of the project
during the start-up phase. Management duties included project coordination, sched-
uling and facilitating meetings of the AirBeat team, and partnership building. The
management team also helped select subcontractors, wrote reports, and managed the
budget. The need for a defined project management team ended in 2001 with the
conclusion of the grant period.
The flow chart on the following page summarizes the basic structure of the AirBeat project. The chart
identifies the main activities of the project, the team members responsible for these activities, and the flow
of work and communication between team members. It also shows the flow of data.
4.2 SELECTING PROGRAM PARTNERS
As described in Chapter 1, AirBeat grew out of a partnership between several public, private, and non-profit
organizations. These included a university, a state environmental agency, a county conservation agency, an
interstate air quality association, and a community-based environmental justice organization.
Why were so many partners needed for what is essentially a small-scale program? The activities conducted
by AirBeat during the EMPACT grant period (1999 to 2001) demanded a number of specialized skills,
from communication and language skills to air monitoring training, from Internet design experience to
project management skills. Each partner played a different role in the project, based on the specific skills
and qualifications that partner had to offer.
Management
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r
STRUCTURE OF THE AIRBEAT PROJECT
Project Management
• planning & coordination
• manage budget
• build partnerships
• select subcontractors
• develop reports
I
Senior Monitoring Experts
• site selection
• QA planning
• instrumentation selection
• develop SOPs
• quality control
IT Experts
• select hardware/software
• build data management center
• develop AirBeat Website
• develop telephone hotline
Field Technicians
• instrumentation
installation,
operation, and
maintenance
Monitoring Site
measurements of:
• PM2.5
• 03
• BC
• weather
I
Outreach Team
• develop outreach materials
• press releases
• workshops & presentations
• internship program
• outreach to schools and
health care providers
Data Management Center
• download data from monitors
• validate data
• translate data into formats for
delivery to public
• generate graphics
Website & Hotline
• disseminate data to public
• maps and graphs
• provide contextual
educational material
• links to other information
=D>
Other Data
• hazecam images
• weather
• ozone maps
> = Flow of work and
communication between
project team
>= Flow of data through
automated systems
For example, the Harvard School of Public Health, a founding AirBeat partner, offered the technical skills
needed for developing innovative instrumentation set-ups for the Roxbury monitoring station. Harvard's
staff also had the expertise to develop quality assurance plans for validating monitoring data. Alternatives for
Community & Environment (ACE), the project's community partner, did not offer these kinds of technical
skills, but contributed something just as important: familiarity with the Dudley Square neighborhood and
the communication skills necessary to work closely with its residents.
In starting your own air pollution monitoring and outreach program, you'll need to assemble a team of
individuals or organizations who offer a similar range of skills and qualifications. To select partners or team
members, you should think about how each will fit into the overall program structure, and how different
partners can work together to create a successful program. You will also need to consider their relationship
to the target community. For example:
• An organization or agency that already has strong ties to the community can be ideal for conducting
outreach and education for your program. Community action programs or neighborhood health
centers can be a good choice.
BEGINNING THE PROGRAM
4-3
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• Partnering with a state or local air pollution control agency can allow you to tap into the existing
monitoring infrastructure in your area and can ease the financial burden of setting up a monitoring
station and procuring the necessary equipment and instrumentation. Agency staff can also offer your
program a wealth of monitoring expertise. Depending upon which state you live in, air pollution
monitoring may be carried out at the state level, or at the local, county, regional, tribal, or territorial
level. EPA Regional Offices also can be valuable partners in your monitoring efforts.
To find the agency (or agencies) responsible for air monitoring in your area, check out the Clean Air
World Web site (http://www.cleanairworld.org/). The Web site allows you to search by state for air
pollution control agencies, and provides contact names and information.
• A nearby college or university can help with any research components of your program, or may be able
to provide assistance and equipment for the monitoring activities.
4.3 IDENTIFYING POTENTIALLY IMPACTED
COMMUNITIES
The first step in beginning an air quality monitoring and outreach program is to identify target communi-
ties in your area that may be impacted by air pollution. There are two main approaches to doing this: using
existing air quality data, or using air pollution predictors.
4.3.1 USING EXISTING AIR QUALITY DATA
In attempting to identify potentially impacted communities, you should start by doing some research to
find out what types of air quality monitoring or testing is being (or has been) conducted in your area. Your
state or local air pollution control agency should be able to provide you with information about its own
monitoring programs and will likely know about any other local monitoring efforts (for example, air quality
testing done by nearby universities or community organizations). See Section 4.2 for tips on contacting
state and local agencies. EPA Regional Offices can also serve as a source of information.
Agency staff should also be able to point you to state publications and online resources that present any
monitoring results that are publicly available. Most states, for example, publish an annual air quality report
that summarizes monitoring results and identifies long-term air quality trends. Increasingly, states are also
posting monitoring results directly to the Internet.
On a national level, EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) publishes an annual
National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Report, which gives a detailed analysis of changes in air pollution
levels over the last 10 years, plus a summary of the current air pollution status. Among other things, the
report identifies those cities and regions of the country that have been designated non-attainment areas—
areas where air pollution levels persistently exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for criteria
pollutants. Information on non-attainment areas can also be found in EPA's "Green Book"
(http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/greenbk/index.html), an online resource published by OAQPS.
Another valuable source of information is EPA's AlRData Web site, found at
http://www.epa.gov/air/data/index.html. The AlRData site gives you access to air pollution data for the entire
United States. It presents annual summaries of air pollution data from three EPA databases:
• The AIRS (Aerometric Information Retrieval System) database, which provides data on ambient
concentrations of criteria air pollutants at monitoring sites, primarily in cities and towns.
• The NET (National Emission Trends) database, which provides estimates of annual emissions of
criteria air pollutants from point, area, and mobile sources.
• The NTI (National Toxics Inventory) database, which provides estimates of annual emissions of
hazardous air pollutants from point, area, and mobile sources.
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4.3.2 USING PREDICTORS DF AIR PDLLUTIDN
Another approach to identifying potentially impacted communities involves looking for geographic areas
where the important predictors of air pollution are present. These predictors include (but are not limited to):
• Heavy traffic flows (especially diesel traffic). Motor vehicles produce a variety of air pollutants, includ-
ing particulate matter and other pollutants that combine to form ground-level ozone. Diesel trucks
and buses, in particular, are a significant pollutant source. Most state departments of transportation
(DOTs) conduct ongoing studies to evaluate traffic flows and the types of vehicles using the roads.
Contact your state DOT to ask whether they can provide study results for your area. Communities
located near major transit corridors have a high potential for impacts from vehicle emissions.
• Industrial emissions. The presence of nearby industrial facilities (such as oil refineries, chemical plants,
power plants, and asphalt plants) can be a predictor of air pollution. You can find out where such
industries are located by contacting your state environmental agency or EPA Regional Office.
For information on emissions of toxic pollutants, try searching EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
database to identify facilities in your area that have reported releases of toxics to the environment.
The TRI is found at: http://www.epa.gov/tri/
• High density of smaller businesses that release air pollution. Many small businesses (such as gas
stations, autobody shops, and dry cleaners) produce air pollution. Though emissions from these
individual sources may be relatively small, collectively their emissions can be of concern—particularly
when large numbers are located in heavily populated areas.
• Construction activity, materials handling, and crushing and grinding operations. All of these activities
can act as a source of air pollution (coarse particulate matter, especially).
As part of the process of identifying potentially impacted communities, you might also want to gather
information on local asthma hospitalization rates and the prevalence of other respiratory illnesses. By them-
selves, high asthma hospitalization rates are not considered an indicator of outdoor air pollution. (After all,
there are other types of exposures, such as exposure to cigarette smoke and indoor air pollutants, that can
trigger asthma attacks requiring hospitalization.) However, statistics on asthma incidence can help you iden-
tify communities that are vulnerable and potentially in-need of the type of data that your program will be
generating. If these statistics show that local asthma rates are elevated, you can do additional research to
determine if the community might be impacted by outdoor air pollution.
Community concern about elevated asthma rates in Roxbury was a driving motivation in the launch of the
AirBeat project. Yet the project might never have come to fruition without the work done by Roxbury com-
munity organizations to quantify the number and types of local air pollution sources. For example, youth
associated with ACE's Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project undertook an effort to map air pollu-
tion sources in Roxbury neighborhoods. This research revealed that there were more than 15 truck and bus
depots within a one-mile radius of Roxbury, garaging more than 1,150 diesel vehicles. With this informa-
tion in hand, community leaders were able to capture the attention of state environmental officials with
their request that a monitoring station be sited in Roxbury.
4.4 BETTING TD KNOW THE COMMUNITY
Once you have identified your target community, your task is to learn more about it. Make sure you have
your target area clearly mapped and marked so that you can begin planning. Next, find out the key "statis-
tics" about the community. Some of the questions you will want to answer about the community include:
• What are the cultures and languages of the people who live there?
• What are the residents' income and education levels?
• What organizations and agencies are active in the community?
BEGINNING THE PROGRAM 4-5
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• What health care facilities are located there?
• How many children in the community suffer from asthma and other respiratory illnesses?
• What is the level of awareness among community members about air pollution issues and health
effects? What concerns do community members have about local air quality?
Information such as income and education levels can be obtained from census data; other information
about the community can be provided by your community partners (see Section 4.2) and by your local
or state department of health. All of this information will help you form a clear picture of your target
community and the best ways to reach them.
Lessons Learned: Gathering Community Input Through Public Meetings
One effective way of getting to know your target community is to hold public meetings. You can use
these meetings to present your plans for developing an air pollution monitoring and outreach program
and to gather input from community members about their air quality concerns. Once your program is
underway, public meetings provide an opportunity for alerting the community about the availability of
your real-time data and educating residents about connections between air pollution and respiratory
illnesses. AirBeat's outreach partner, Alternatives for Community & Environment, incorporated AirBeat
information into dozens of workshops for youth peer groups from community health centers and housing
developments. ACE staff also made presentations at large community events such as the Youth
Summit, which attracts roughly 200 youth participants.
One Missouri-based program, the St. Louis Community Air Project (CAP), holds monthly community
partnership meetings. These meetings give community representatives an opportunity to help direct the
CAP project, communicate to the project coordinators what resources the community would find most
useful, and learn about the most recent findings of the ongoing program research. Community input
gathered during these meetings is a driving force in the ongoing evolution of CAP. See Appendix B for
more information on the St. Louis Community Air Project.
4.5 ESTIMATING PROGRAM COSTS
Another important step for your organization to take when it is considering setting up an air pollution
monitoring and outreach program is to estimate how much your planned activities will cost. Although your
program need not be as large or ambitious as AirBeat's, you may find it helpful to know how much money
AirBeat spent.
Over its first two and a half years, AirBeat received roughly $500,000 in funding from EPA's EMPACT
Program. These funds were allocated to the five partner organizations, each of which was responsible for
specific activities involved in the startup and implementation of the project:
• Project management was handled by the Suffolk County Conservation District (SCCD). This cost
roughly $100,000, or 20 percent of the overall EMPACT budget for AirBeat. Specific management
responsibilities included coordinating and facilitating meetings, writing reports, managing the AirBeat
budget, building partnerships, and helping select subcontractors. SCCD hired an independent con-
tractor, Charles Consulting, to oversee the day-to-day operations of the project during the EMPACT
grant period.
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1 Air pollution monitoring was conducted during the grant period by two organizations: the Harvard
School of Public Health and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. HSPH staff
were responsible for selecting the innovative measurement methods used at the Dudley Square station,
developing quality assurance procedures for these methods, installing instrumentation, and operating
and maintaining the monitoring equipment during the early project phases. This cost roughly
$60,000. MA DEP held overall responsibility for the station (which is part of the state's monitoring
network) and operated and maintained the station during the later phases of the grant period. MA
DEP also purchased much of the instrumentation for the station. MA DEP's contributions to the
AirBeat monitoring effort were generally paid for out of the agency's budget, although MA DEP did
receive about $10,000 from AirBeat for the purchase of instrumentation.
Overall, roughly $70,000, or 14 percent, of the AirBeat budget went toward the monitoring efforts.
However, it should be noted that these figures don't represent the actual costs of the monitoring effort,
since many costs were paid by MA DEP.
1 Data management and delivery efforts were conducted by NESCAUM (Northeast States for
Coordinated Air Use Management). These efforts cost roughly $250,000, or 50 percent of the AirBeat
budget. Most of these funds went toward the development of an automated Data Management
Center, which downloads data files from the monitoring station, validates the data, and prepares the
data for delivery to the public. NESCAUM's other responsibilities included development of the
AirBeat Web site and telephone hotline system. Since the end of the grant period, the Data
Management Center, Web site, and telephone hotline have continued to operate in automated fashion.
1 Education and outreach efforts were conducted during the grant period by Alternatives for Community
& Environment. These cost roughly $80,000, or 16 percent of the AirBeat budget. ACE's activities
included developing fact sheets and flyers, issuing press releases, creating and teaching curriculum mod-
ules on air quality issues, delivering workshops and presentations, and staging events and tours. ACE
also conducted direct outreach to nurses and other health care providers and ran an internship program
for Roxbury youths. Some of these activities have continued since the end of the grant period.
AIRBEAT COST BREAKDOWN, 1999-2001
BEGINNING THE PROGRAM
4-7
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This breakdown represents the startup and implementation costs of a cutting-edge program over roughly
two and a half years. These costs should not be taken as completely representative of the ongoing costs of
other air pollution monitoring and outreach programs. Since the end of the EMPACT grant period, in
2001, AirBeat has continued to provide real-time data on air pollution to the Roxbury community, with
MA DEP financing the operation of the Dudley Square monitoring station as part of its statewide monitor-
ing network. AirBeat's Data Management Center, Web site, and telephone hotline operate on an automated
basis, with NESCAUM providing the little human oversight that is needed.
It is certainly possible for new programs to avoid some
of the major costs absorbed by the AirBeat project.
Here's just one example: Today, many state and local
air control agencies have the capability of providing
the public with real-time data from their monitoring
networks. In other words, these agencies have devel-
oped data management systems that can validate
continuous monitoring data, process it, and deliver it
via Web sites in real time. In 1998, at the start of the
AirBeat project, MA DEP did not have this capability.
Therefore, as described in Chapter 6, AirBeat needed
to create a Data Management Center of its own that
could perform the real-time validation and processing
functions—and this was an extremely costly task.
A new AirBeat-type program getting underway today
might be able to avoid this cost altogether if it could
download pre-processed data (rather than raw data)
from a partner agency's network. A model for this
type of cost-efficient program is the St. Louis Regional
Clean Air Partnership, described in Appendix C.
In the end, the actual costs of your program will
depend on the decisions you make in response to numerous
questions, both small and large, that will arise during the planning and implementation stages of your
program. Examples include: How many pollutants will your program monitor? Can you partner with a state
or local air control agency that is already monitoring those pollutants in your target community? Will you
need to purchase monitoring instrumentation? What other organizations will you partner with, and what
resources and areas of expertise do they bring to the table? Will your team include a qualified Internet
Technology specialist who can oversee the data management operation on a daily basis, or will you need to
subcontract this work?
During the planning of an AirBeat-type pro-
gram, one principle to keep in mind is to
always leverage existing resources. Do some
research and networking and find out what
activities are going on in your area related to
air pollution. Is there a Web site out there
already that reports ambient pollutant levels
to the public? Then think carefully if there's a
need for another one. Is there a local commu-
nity group that is educating the public on air
pollution issues? That group might make an
excellent outreach partner. Is there a profes-
sor at the local university who is mapping
pollutant sources in your area? Perhaps he or
she would be interested in contributing to
your project.
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5
MONITORING
This chapter provides general information on how to develop a monitoring system for making contin-
uous measurements of ozone, fine particulate matter (PM2 5), and black carbon soot in ambient air.
Section 5.1 gives an overview of AirBeat's monitoring efforts. Section 5.2 details the key steps in
designing and implementing a monitoring system and provides illustrative examples from the AirBeat proj-
ect. These key steps include:
• Quality assurance planning (Section 5.2.1).
• Siting a monitoring station (Section 5.2.2).
• Selecting monitoring instrumentation and equipment (Section 5.2.3).
• Installation, maintenance, and operation of monitoring equipment (Sections 5.2.4 and 5.2.5).
The information in this chapter is designed primarily for program managers and others who are interested
in the monitoring process. The chapter is meant to provide an overview of the work and considerations that
go into designing a monitoring system. The chapter is not meant to provide step-by-step instructions. Any
organization that is interested in developing an ambient air monitoring program is advised to consult with
senior technical experts before launching the process.
5.1 OVERVIEW OF AIRBEAT'S MONITORING EFFORTS
AirBeat's real-time pollution data come from a single monitoring station located in Dudley Square, a major
commercial hub in the center of Roxbury. This monitoring station is part of a statewide network of 42 moni-
toring sites operated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to gather data on ambient concentrations of
criteria pollutants. Under the Clean Air Act, every state is required to operate a similar network of monitors
(called State and Local Air Monitoring Stations, or SLAMS) to ensure that air quality meets federal standards.
See Chapter 3 of this handbook for more information on SLAMS and federal air monitoring requirements.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP), an AirBeat partner, is the agency in
charge of siting and operating the monitoring stations in the commonwealth's SLAMS network. In 1997, MA
DEP began investigating the possibility of siting a PM2 5 monitor in Roxbury to comply with new PM2 5
monitoring requirements set by EPA earlier that year (go to http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/naaqsjin/pmonfact.html
for a summary of the requirements). These requirements call for states to operate at least one PM2 5 monitor
in every metropolitan area with at least 500,000 people. The requirements also direct the states to site PM2 5
monitors in areas where there is both a likelihood of observing high PM2 5 concentrations and also a poten-
tially large affected population. Based on preliminary PM2 5 monitoring that had been carried out by various
groups, Roxbury seemed to meet the requirements for a Boston-based monitoring location.
In siting the monitor, MA DEP invited the input of several local community organizations, including
Alternatives for Community & Environment (ACE), an environmental justice organization that had advocated
the need for air quality monitoring in Roxbury. Together, they settled on the Dudley Square location. Out of
this cooperative effort, the AirBeat project was born. The driving motivation behind the project was a desire to
leverage the air quality information from the new monitoring site by making the data accessible to Roxbury
residents in real time. The final AirBeat team included MA DEP, ACE, the Suffolk County Conservation
District, and two locally based organizations with proven expertise in ambient air monitoring: the Harvard
School of Public Health and Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM).
MONITORING
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MA DEP's original intention had been to outfit the Dudley Square monitoring station with the same
instrumentation being used at the time (circa 1998) at other PM2 5 monitoring sites around the
commonwealth. This meant that the station would produce measurements of PM2 5 and two other criteria
pollutants: sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen. The PM2 5 measurements would not be continuous.
Once the other AirBeat partners became involved, the decision was made to augment the monitoring
capabilities of the Dudley Square station to address concerns that are specific to the Roxbury community.
Chief among these concerns was the suspicion that elevated concentrations of certain air pollutants, such as
ozone and particulate matter, might be contributing to Roxbury's high asthma hospitalization rate and the
incidence of other respiratory illnesses. Community members had also raised specific questions about
potential health effects associated with diesel emissions from trucks and buses (research by ACE interns
had revealed that more than 1,150 trucks and buses are garaged within 1.5 miles of Dudley Square).
To address these questions, the AirBeat team arranged to include the following monitoring capabilities at
the Dudley Square site:
• Continuous monitoring for PM2 5.
• Continuous monitoring for black carbon soot, which is a strong indicator of local diesel emissions.
Although BC is a component of PM2 5 (typically about 10 percent by mass), its temporal variation
can be very different, often peaking during morning rush hour. The Dudley Square station is the only
monitoring site in the commonwealth that measures BC.
• Continuous monitoring for ozone.6
• Meteorological monitoring to track weather conditions.
The AirBeat team also made arrangements with MA DEP to download the raw monitoring data directly
from the Dudley Square station via a modem-to-modem connection, so that AirBeat could process the data
and deliver it to the public in real time. The Dudley Square station became the first monitoring site in
Massachusetts producing real-time data that are accessible to the public online (http://www.airbeat.org)
or through a telephone hotline (617-427-9500).
In addition, the AirBeat team arranged to download images of the Boston skyline from a HazeCam located
12 miles northeast of the city. The images from the camera, posted hourly to the AirBeat Web site, are
meant to demonstrate the effects of urban air pollution on visibility, in addition to public health. See
Chapter 6 for more information on the use of HazeCam images.
In selecting the instrumentation for the Dudley Square station, the AirBeat team chose to test two innova-
tive methods for air quality monitoring. The first of these, the Continuous Ambient Mass Monitor
(CAMM), is a new tool for measuring PM2 5 concentrations in ambient air. The CAMM was tested side by
side with another, more-established PM monitor (the TEOM) and proved reliable. The AirBeat team also
tested an innovative method for monitoring BC concentrations: the Aethalometer, which provides a surro-
gate measurement of diesel emissions. Like the CAMM, the Aethalometer proved reliable, and it is the first
BC monitor capable of taking continuous measurements at unattended monitoring stations. Section
5.2.3.2, below, provides additional details about both of these innovative instruments.
Three AirBeat partners shared the work of planning, setting up and operating the project's monitoring system:
• The Harvard School of Public Health, which was responsible for selecting and setting up the innova-
tive monitors for PM2 5 and BC, developing standard operating procedures, and conducting routine
reviews.
° Along with ozone and PM2 5, the station also monitors other criteria pollutants, including carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and oxides of nitrogen,
although these data are not reported to the public by AirBeat.
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• MA DEP, which was responsible for selecting and setting up much of the station's instrumentation
consistent with other MA DEP monitoring sites, developing standard operating procedures, and man-
aging day-to-day operation and maintenance of the monitoring equipment.
• NESCAUM, which established and operated data management systems for downloading air quality
data from the Dudley Square station, validating the data, and delivering it to the public in multiple
formats.
The efforts of these three organizations are described in more detail in the following sections and in
Chapter 6.
5.2 KEY STEPS IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING
A MONITORING SYSTEM
Organizations interested in launching an AirBeat-type project should begin by contacting the agency in
their state or region that is responsible for air quality monitoring. As described in Chapter 3 of this hand-
book, every state in the United States is required to operate a network of stations for measuring
concentrations of common pollutants in ambient air. Monitoring for these pollutants is conducted in every
large city and in numerous other locations. No matter where your organization is located, your best option
for developing reliable ozone and particulate data within a reasonable budget is to tap into the existing
monitoring infrastructure(s) in your area. Using the AirBeat model, you should try to develop a partnership
with the air quality agency in your region or state. Such agencies have the resources and expertise needed to
develop and operate reliable monitoring systems, as well as insight into the availability of other environmen-
tal monitoring resources.
The following subsections provide an overview of the key steps in designing and implementing an ambient
air monitoring system for ozone and fine particulate matter. The information presented here is geared
toward the development of monitoring systems that are consistent with EPA's standards for ozone and
PM2 5 monitoring networks. The information is meant to help program managers and others understand
the monitoring process; it is not meant to be a substitute for the knowledge and expertise offered by senior
technical experts.
5.2.1 QUALITY ASSURANCE PLANNING
Planning for quality assurance activities and preparation of a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP)
are central to the success of any environmental data collection operation. The QAPP details how quality
assurance (QA)7 and quality control (QC)8 will be implemented for the complete duration of the project.
All projects involving the generation or acquisition and use of environmental measurements data must be
planned and documented prior to the start of data collection.
In a single document, the QAPP provides an overview of the entire project, describes the need for the
measurements, and defines QA/QC activities to be applied to the project, with enough detail to provide
a clear description of every aspect of the project.
The critical functions to be addressed in the QAPP are:
• Project Background and Management. This section of the QAPP should provide background
information and define the problem to be addressed and the general goals of the project. It should also
describe project organization (e.g., staffing responsibilities), quality objectives and acceptance criteria
for measurement data, special training and/or certification requirements, and plans for documentation
and record keeping.
' Quality assurance is defined as an integrated system of management activities involving planning, implementation, documentation, assessment,
reporting, and quality improvement to ensure that a process, item, or service is of the type and quality needed and expected by the client.
° Quality control is defined as the overall system of technical activities that measures the attributes and performance of a process, item, or service
against defined standards to verify that they meet the stated requirements established by the customer; operational techniques and activities that
are used to fulfill requirements for quality.
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• Technical Approach. This section of the QAPP should address the design and implementation of the
project's measurement systems. The point is to ensure that appropriate approaches/methods are
employed for performing measurements, data handling, and QC, and that these approaches/methods
are thoroughly documented. The section should also detail what measurements are expected, what the
applicable technical quality standards and/or criteria are, what the project schedule is, and what the
reporting requirements are.
• Assessment/Oversight. This section of the QAPP should describe what QA/QC steps will be taken
to ensure the effectiveness of the project and that all project facets are conducted according to plan.
Facets to cover include: (1) experimental design, (2) representativeness of the data, (3) instrument
operation and data acquisition, (4) calibration check procedures, (5) data quality indicators,
(6) systems and performance audits, and (7) peer review.
• Data Validation and Usability. The QAPP should also describe what steps will be taken to ensure that
the individual data elements conform to the criteria specified in the project's Data Quality Objectives.
Identifying Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) is one of the first steps in preparing a QAPP. DQOs are
qualitative and quantitative statements, developed using the EPA DQO Process, that clarify study objectives
and specify tolerable levels of potential errors. DQOs establish the quality and quantity of data needed to
support program decisions. An example of a DQO used by the AirBeat project for its real-time data set is:
"Precision and accuracy of better than 10% for ozone and continuous PM2 5". The project's QA plan
included detailed procedures for determining whether or not this DQO was being met.
For more information on QAPPs, see the document EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans,
available online at http://www.epa.gov/quality/qs-docs/r5-final.pdf. EPA's Guidance for the Data Quality
Objectives Process can be found at http://www.epa.gov/quality/qs-docs/g4-final.pdf
Quality Assurance Project Plans
A QAPP should demonstrate that:
• Technical and quality objectives for the project have been identified and addressed.
• Intended measurement approaches are appropriate for achieving project objectives.
• Assessment procedures are sufficient to confirm that the project's Data Quality Objectives will be met.
Any limitations on the use of the data have been identified and documented.
5.2.1.1 AIRBEAT'S GJ UALITY ASS U RANG E PLANNING
At the outset of AirBeat, two of the project's partner organizations—MA DEP and the Harvard School of
Public Health—already had well-established QA programs in place. As the operator of a statewide ambient
air monitoring network, MA DEP is required to have an EPA-approved QA program. Likewise, Harvard
had developed a QA program that was evaluated by EPA for earlier monitoring efforts.
Rather than create a new QAPP to encompass the entire AirBeat project, MA DEP and Harvard were able
to draw upon their existing QA plans. These plans included QA procedures for many of the measurement
methods run at the Dudley Square monitoring station. AirBeat's senior technical experts developed a separate
QA narrative to cover the operation of measurement methods run specifically for the AirBeat project.
These included the continuous monitoring for PM2 5, black carbon soot, and ozone.
The QA narrative, which is presented at the end of this chapter, provides background information about the
monitoring effort, defines DQOs and the procedures for determining whether or not DQOs are being met,
describes guidelines for assessing data completeness, and identifies procedures for detecting equipment failures.
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5.2.2 SITING A MONITORING STATION
To ensure that measurement data collected during any monitoring effort are appropriate for their intended
use, monitoring stations must be located to provide, to the extent practical, the most unbiased and accurate
representation of the area being characterized. The selection of an appropriate location for a given ambient
air monitoring application is dependent on:
• Project-specific DQOs.
• Method-specific specifications and recommendations.
• Monitoring site type (i.e., criteria pollutants, ozone precursors, air toxics, special application) and scale
issues (i.e., macro, micro).
• Practical limitations.
Let's look at each of these considerations in turn.
5.2.2.1 PROJECT-SPECIFIC DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES
The first step in appropriately siting a monitoring station is understanding the project-specific DQOs
associated with the monitoring effort being planned. The DQO process is described in Section 5.2.1.
5.2.2.2 METHOD-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
Most monitoring methods contain specifications and recommendations for siting the associated monitoring
instrumentation and any ancillary equipment. The siting specifications and recommendations can be quite
different from one monitoring method to another. If multiple monitoring methods are proposed for one
site location, the siting specifications of each proposed method must be compared to determine compatibil-
ity. If conflicts exist in the siting specifications for different monitoring methods, prioritization of the
targeted pollutants must be conducted. After the pollutants of interest have been prioritized, the siting spec-
ifications corresponding to the highest priority pollutant should be applied to the site location identification
process, with the potential effect on lower priority targeted pollutants documented.
5.2.2.3 MONITORING SITE TYPE AND SCALE ISSUES
As with the specific monitoring method requirements, the monitoring site types have individual specifications
and recommendations for locating a site. Examples of four primary site types are:
• Criteria pollutants—monitoring performed at locations of highest impact in areas where adherence to
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) must be documented.
• Ozone precursors—monitoring performed around areas where the NAAQS for ozone have been
exceeded.
• Air toxics—monitoring performed at locations determined to represent a snap-shot of an area or the
potential for health risk.
• Special application—monitoring performed at a location potentially impacted by a specific source(s)
for either regulatory or non-regulatory purposes.
Macro- and micro-scale siting issues must also be considered. Macro-scale issues include:
• Will the site typically be downwind of the sources of air pollution?
• Will the local air parcel represent the monitoring goals?
• Is cross contamination from other emission sources an issue?
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Micro-scale issues include:
• Can all method-specific siting criteria be met, and if not, what will be the effect on the quality of the
data generated?
• Are power and/or other required utilities accessible?
• Is there adequate space for the platform/shelter?
• Is the site free of air flow obstructions?
• Is security an issue and if so, can it be managed?
• Is the safety of field staff at an acceptable level?
5.2.2.4 PRACTICAL LIMITATIONS
Even after detailed and careful determination of where a site should ideally be located, practical limitations
may impact the ability to meet the ideal. Practical limitations include:
• Availability of, and access to, property.
• Access to power and/or telephone service.
• Security and/or liability issues.
In cases where practical limitations prevent positioning a monitoring site at the location considered ideal,
there are two alternatives: 1) the site may be positioned as close to the ideal location as possible if serious
impacts to the data will not result; or 2) another appropriate location will have to be identified.
5.2.2.5 SITING THE AIRBEAT MONITORING STATION
Prior to the initiation of the AirBeat project, the environmental group Alternatives for Community &
Environment had lobbied MA DEP to set up a monitoring site in what ACE considered to be an air pollu-
tion "Hot Spot" in Roxbury. Roxbury is a heavily urbanized neighborhood in the heart of Boston that is
impacted by local bus and truck sources, and ACE relayed to MA DEP the community concern about
exposure to diesel exhaust.
In response to these community concerns, MA DEP closed down a monitoring site located in the nearby
town of Chelsea in order to initiate monitoring in Roxbury. In the process of developing DQOs for the
planned Roxbury monitoring station, MA DEP determined that respirable particulate, or PM2 5, was the
highest priority targeted pollutant. Consequently, selection of an appropriate location for a Roxbury moni-
toring site was made based on siting considerations consistent with a top priority of performing
representative PM2 5 measurements in an inner city neighborhood environment. Roxbury presented itself
as an ideal monitoring site location because:
• Historically, Roxbury has documented high rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses that raised
widespread concern about the local air quality.
• Diesel-powered vehicles have been shown to be major contributors to PM2 5 emissions, and there are
more than 15 bus and truck depots housing more than 1,150 diesel-powered vehicles within the
Dudley Square area of Roxbury.
After evaluating adherence to the project DQOs and all of the siting specifications and recommendations
associated with the proposed monitoring methods, a suitable site location was identified in the Dudley
Square area of Roxbury, in an unused portion of a Boston Edison Electrical Substation yard. MA DEP
secured permission from the Boston Edison Company to use the substation yard and locate a monitoring
shelter, instrumentation, and ancillary equipment on their property. To ensure safety and security, MA DEP
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The Dudley Square monitoring station.
contracted to have a chain link fence installed to segregate the monitoring area from the area where active
electrical transformers were located, and to provide security for the monitoring equipment and personnel
during the study. After the fencing was installed, the monitoring shelter was erected at the site. Applicable
location/siting specifications for each of the monitoring methods were documented in the method-specific
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prepared by MA DEP and HSPH prior to the onset of monitoring
(see Section 5.2.5).
The final siting of the Dudley Square station meets
EPA's guidance for PM2 5 monitoring, which calls
for measurements to be conducted in locations where
there is both a likelihood of observing high PM2 5
concentrations and also a potentially large affected
population. For ground-level ozone, the Dudley Square
station is considered a "neighborhood-scale site,"
producing measurements that are representative of
"conditions throughout some reasonably homogenous
urban subregion, with dimensions of a few kilometers."
(This definition is from EPA's standards for monitoring
networks as published in the Code of Federal
Regulations: 40 CFR Part 58, National Primary and
Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards, accessible
online at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/40cfr58.html.}
While the ozone data from the Dudley Square
station accurately represent the concentrations that
Roxbury residents are exposed to, the data are not
representative of the ozone exposures of people who live outside of Boston's urban center—particularly those
people who live downwind from the city, with its many pollution sources. To counteract this, the AirBeat
Web site also includes regional ozone maps, which provide site visitors with information on ozone levels in
the greater Boston area (the maps are downloaded from EPA's AirNow Website at http://www.epa.gov/airnow).
5.2.3 SELECTING MONITORING INSTRUMENTATION AND/OR
EQUIPMENT
Many air pollutants can be measured using multiple, but unique, types of instrumentation and/or
equipment. It is important that the correct approach most suited to the specific needs of an individual
monitoring effort be selected. The selection process is keyed to the monitoring methods determined to be
appropriate during development of the project DQOs. Specific selection issues that should be considered are:
• Measurement of the correct parameters.
• Required quantity and quality of the data.
• Ability to measure on the correct time scale.
• Compatibility with the site design (outdoor or indoor environment).
• Compatibility with other equipment (for example, interfacing continuous emissions monitors and
meteorological instrumentation with a data acquisition system).
• Any regulatory-driven requirements.
In the case of criteria pollutants, including ozone and particulate matter, EPA has designated a number
of "reference methods" or "equivalent methods" for measuring ambient pollutant concentrations. EPA has
approved each of these methods for use in state or local air quality surveillance systems. Where determina-
tion of compliance with primary and secondary air quality standards is required, instrumentation must be
MONITORING
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certified by EPA to be a reference method or equivalent method. The equivalency designation provides that
each separate instrumental approach may be directly substituted for the corresponding reference method,
and the data obtained are acceptable for any use allowed by the reference method.
The following is an overview of the basic types of equipment needed to perform continuous air monitoring:
• Extraction equipment—used to extract a sample of a pollutant from the atmosphere for analysis.
• Analyzers—measure the pollution concentration in a sample of ambient air. Where possible, analyzers
should meet the reference method or equivalent method requirements specified by EPA to help ensure
that air quality measurements are accurate.
• Calibration units—determine the relationship between the observed and the true values of a measured
parameter. Accuracy is the extent to which measurements represent their corresponding actual values,
and precision is a measurement of the variability observed over repeated analyses. The accuracy and
precision of data derived from air monitoring instruments depend on sound instrument calibration
procedures.
• Data loggers—computerized systems that can control and record data generated from several instru-
ments at a monitoring site. With a data logger, you can interact with software using either a keyboard
or an interactive, command-oriented interface. Data loggers perform numerous functions: reviewing
collected data, producing printed reports, controlling the analyzer and other instruments, setting up
instrument operating parameters, performing diagnostic checks, setting up external events and alarms,
and defining external storage.
Data can be downloaded from the data loggers to an off-site computer through a modem connection. In
addition to the off-site computer and modem, data acquisition and processing software and a data storage
module are needed to make the data available for further processing. See Chapter 6 for more information
on data management, processing, and delivery.
5.2.3.1 INSTRUMENTATION SELECTED FDR THE DUDLEY SQUARE
MONITORING STATION
Table 5-1 provides a list of the specific instruments and equipment used at the Dudley Square monitoring
station. With a few notable exceptions, most of the instrumentation installed at the station was selected by
MA DEP. Because the Dudley Square station is part of a statewide SLAMS network and generates data that
are used for determining compliance with federal air quality standards, MA DEP relied on instruments that
have been designated by EPA as reference or equivalent methods. These include instruments for making
continuous measurements of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Because EPA
regulations currently do not allow for continuous PM2 5 monitors to be used for compliance monitoring,
MA DEP installed a Thermo Andersen RAAS2.5-300 Sequential Sampler at the site to measure 24-hour
PM2 5 concentrations. These 24-hour measurements are used for determining compliance with the 24-hour
National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2 5 (see Section 3.4.2).
Of the compliance monitors listed in the first section of Table 5-1, AirBeat uses only data from the continu-
ous ozone monitor. These ozone data are reported in real time on the AirBeat Web site. The second section
of the table lists the instruments used for gathering the real-time PM2 5 and black carbon data reported on
the site. See Section 5.2.3.2 for more information about these instruments.
When looking through the table, keep in mind that air monitoring technology is a rapidly evolving field.
Because much of the instrumentation for the Dudley Square site was selected in the period between 1998
and 1999, it does not necessarily represent the best or most up-to-date instrumentation currently available.
If you are interested in launching an AirBeat-type monitoring program and have questions about appropri-
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ate instrumentation, contact your state or local air control agency, which will have up-to-date information
on the latest EPA-certified measurement methods. Indeed, you should make every effort to engage your
state or local air control agency as a partner in your monitoring effort. If you are interested in gathering
further information on reference or equivalent methods for measuring criteria pollutants, you can also visit
the following Web page, operated by EPA's Ambient Monitoring Technology Information Center:
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/criteria.html. The Web page provides lists of EPA-approved instrumentation.
TABLE B-1 . MONITORING INSTRUMENTATION AND EQUIPMENT USED
AT DUDLEY SQUARE SITE
Ozone (03)
Fine Particulate
Matter (PM2 5)
Nitrogen Dioxide (N02)
Sulfur Dioxide (S02)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Calibration System
Calibration System
Advanced Pollution Instrumentation (API) 400 03 Analyzer (EPA Reference Method Number EQOA-0992-087)
Thermo Andersen RAAS2. 5-300 Sequential Sampler (EPA Reference Method Number RFPS-0598-0120)
TECO 42C N02 Analyzer (EPA Reference Method Number RFNA-1 289-074)
TECO 43C S02 Analyzer (EPA Equivalent Method Number EQSA-0486-060)
API 300 CO Analyzer (EPA Reference Method Number RFCA-1 093-093)
Dasibi Model 5008 Multipoint Gas Phase Titration Calibration System with a Dasibi Model 5011 Zero Air Unit
(Meets EPA monitoring requirements as defined in 40 CFR Part 53) with Protocol 1 Certified Gas Cylinders
TECO Model 146 Multipoint Gas Phase Titration Calibration System with a TECO Model 111 Zero
(Meets EPA monitoring requirements as defined in 40 CFR Part 53) with Protocol 1 Certified Gas
Air Unit
Cylinders
Instruments Used for AirBeat-Specific Measurements
Black Carbon Soot
PM2.5
PM2.5
PM2.5
Haze
AE-21 Dual Channel Aethalometer, Magee Scientific, Inc.
Met One Instrumentation 1020 Beta Attenuation Mass Monitor
Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM), Rupprecht & PatashnickCo., Inc.
Andersen Continuous Ambient Mass Monitor (CAMM)
Hazecam Automatic Camera Visibility Monitoring System, Air Resources, Inc.
Meteorological Monitors
Meteorological
Parameters
Met One Instrumentation Meteorological Station for Wind Speed, Wind Direction, Temperature, Barometric
Pressure, Relative Humidity and Solar Radiation (Meets EPA monitoring requirements as defined in
40 CFR Part 53)
Data Acquisition System
Datalogger
Computer
Modems
Data Software
Environmental Systems Corporation (ESC) Model 8816 DSM Data Acquisition Unit
HP Brio Desktop
Zoom Telephonies Models 14.4K and V34 plus
ESC E-DAS Digi-trend Software for Windows
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5.2.3.2 RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION APPLIED AT THE AIRBEAT
MONITORING SITE
As mentioned in Section 5.1, the AirBeat team chose to test two innovative methods for air quality
monitoring at the Dudley Square site: the Continuous Ambient Mass Monitor (CAMM), a new tool for
measuring PM2 5 concentrations in ambient air, and the Aethalometer, which measures concentrations of
black carbon as a surrogate for diesel emissions.
The CAMM is a new technology that was made commercially available by Andersen Instruments in the
summer of 2000. The AirBeat team tested the CAMM side by side with another, more-established PM
monitor: the Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM). (The TEOM is usually used for PM10
measurements, but can be adapted for PM2 5 monitoring by placing an impactor inlet upstream to remove
particles larger than 2.5 micrometers.) These comparative tests showed that the CAMM produced represen-
tative data. In March 2001, the TEOM was turned off, and for the following year the CAMM was used to
generate the PM2 5 data that were posted to the AirBeat Web site and updated on an hourly basis. In spring
of 2002, problems emerged with the CAMM unit and it could not be repaired by the manufacturer in a
timely manner. The CAMM was replaced by a Met One Instrumentation Beta Attenuation Mass Monitor,
which is still in use.
To supplement the core air pollution measurements
of ozone and PM2 5, AirBeat also measures aerosol
black carbon and UV-absorbing carbon using the
Aethalometer, a real-time optical absorption monitor-
ing instrument. Measurements of black carbon are
of interest because black carbon is a surrogate for
elemental carbon; mass of black carbon as reported
by the Aethalometer agrees well with integrated
elemental carbon mass samples. Hourly data from
the Aethalometer are available on the AirBeat Web
site. In urban areas, the predominant source of black
carbon is from diesel fuel used in buses, trucks, and
construction equipment. Although black carbon is a
component of PM2 5 (around 10 percent by mass,
typically), its temporal variation can be quite different, usually peaking during morning rush hour.
Real-time measurements of black carbon are thus required to evaluate the temporal variation and provide
useful information on potential health effects to residents of the area.
5.2.4 INSTALLING AND MAINTAINING MONITORING EQUIPMENT
The key to effective installation of instrumentation and equipment at a site is to plan ahead of time a layout
allowing the best use of the interior and exterior space available so that field personnel can operate the site
in an efficient and safe manner. When planning the site layout, particular consideration must be given to
adherence to any/all siting requirements (i.e., specified distances around and between collections systems,
height from ground level of sample collection intakes, acceptable instrumentation temperature ranges, etc.).
Equipment must be situated so that field technicians have the space to conveniently conduct operation and
repair activities, without disturbing the function of other instrumentation and equipment. It is essential to
plan for adequate electrical power with outlets located in close proximity to the equipment.
Safety must also be a primary consideration when planning a site layout. Placement of instrumentation and
equipment must minimize the potential for personal injury. Injury can be the result of physical, electrical,
chemical, or environmental hazards. All applicable occupational health and safety standards must be met.
The technology used to continuously monitor
fine particles is constantly evolving and being
improved. The experience of the AirBeat proj-
ect—which used three different technologies
within a two-and-a-half-year period—demon-
strates this point. Any organization planning a
new AirBeat-type project should do its home-
work before deciding upon a particular type of
monitor.
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After the instrumentation is installed and operating, a maintenance
plan should be developed to ensure continued operation. The mainte-
nance plan may be a separate document, or planning for instrument
maintenance may be a part of the Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPs) written for the monitoring program (see Section 5.2.5 for
information on SOPs). Procedures and schedules must be established
for activities intended to reduce the potential for missing data due to
monitoring instrumentation, equipment, or station malfunctions or
problems.
There are two approaches to maintenance that must be addressed—
preventive and corrective. Preventive maintenance involves
conducting planned service activities prior to, and in an effort to
avoid, failures. Based on manufacturers' recommendations, historical
information on previous application of the equipment, and sound
knowledge, the following determinations must be made:
• What are the components that must be replaced at specific
intervals and what are the intervals?
• What are the components that can receive servicing to extend their
lifetime, and what is the service and interval for service?
Computers and monitoring equipment
inside the secure shelter at the
Dudley Square station.
A schedule reflecting required service activities must be developed, and service must be conducted accord-
ingly. When developing the schedule, make sure to consider the timing of service activities so that data
collection won't be disrupted (affecting data capture completeness).
Because of their complexity, electro-mechanical devices occasionally fail. Given this fact, the primary pur-
pose of corrective maintenance planning is to establish procedures that ensure that unscheduled repairs are
completed as rapidly as possible. An integral facet of efficient corrective maintenance is possessing a store of
appropriate replacement parts. Based on input from the manufacturer, a list of replacement parts for each
monitoring or critical ancillary device should be developed. The list should be detailed and present items by
part description, vendor, part number, cost, and approximate delivery time required. Parts determined to
have the highest potential for failure, or that have a long delivery time, should be obtained and stored until
required.
A maintenance checklist presenting the date of service, equipment identification information, service
performed, person performing the service, and any associated notes should be prepared at the time of each
servicing activity, for both preventive and corrective maintenance actions.
5.2.4.1 AIRBEAT'S MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES
AirBeat defined the specific procedures for maintaining monitoring instrumentation—and the appropriate
frequency of maintenance—in the SOPs that were developed for each instrument. During the EMPACT
grant period (1999 to 2001), quality checks for AirBeat included twice-a-week station visits, with routine
inspection of all systems at each visit. Monitors were calibrated quarterly, with flow or precision checks
performed bi-weekly. At least one internal performance audit was conducted on all monitors during the
grant period. Since 2001, all instruments at the Dudley Square station have been maintained by MA DEP.
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5.2.5 OPERATING THE MONITORING EQUIPMENT
To ensure that representative data and a high data capture rate are achieved, each piece of monitoring
equipment must be operated in strict accordance with an in-depth operating protocol. Although general
operating instructions are typically provided by the manufacturer, and general operational guidelines and
performance specifications are available for EPA-approved methods, these instructions and guidelines do not
provide the level of detail needed to facilitate standardized operation of monitoring equipment. To achieve
the appropriate level of detail and standardization, and to consequently ensure that the monitoring equip-
ment provides high quality data, Standard Operating Procedures must be prepared for each specific
measurement method/approach conducted.
EPA has published a document that provides guidance for preparing SOPs, available at
http://www.epa.gov/qualityl/qs-docs/g6-final.pdf. Where monitoring data will be used for determining compli-
ance with federal air quality standards, SOPs should be prepared according to this guidance and should
address specific topics as follows:
• Introduction and background information.
• Location and siting criteria applied.
• Calibration procedures, standards, acceptance criteria, and schedule.
• Quality control procedures, standards and checks, acceptance criteria, and schedule.
• Data reduction, validation procedures, reporting, and schedule.
5.2.5.1 DPERATIDN D F TH E Al RBEAT MD N ITDRI NB EQUIPMENT
The monitoring conducted at the Dudley Square monitoring station during the EMPACT grant period was
performed in accordance with well-prepared SOPs as presented in Table 5-2.
As the table shows, most of the SOPs were documents prepared by MA DEP for operating instrumentation
in the agency's SLAMS network. These SOPs were prepared according to EPA guidance. Each document is
very long and highly detailed.
The Harvard School of Public Health developed the SOPs for the Aethalometer, TEOM, and CAMM.
These are shorter, less formal documents. Given that the data from these instruments were not used by
MA DEP for determining the commonwealth's compliance with federal air quality standards, it was not
necessary for Harvard to follow the official EPA guidance for developing SOPs. The SOP for the
Aethalometer is presented as a sample at the end of this chapter.
TABLE S-2. SDPs FOR THE DUDLEY SQUARE MONITORING EQUIPMENT
Instrument Type
Aethalometer
Tapered Element Oscillating Balance Monitor
Continuous Ambient Mass Monitor
Continuous Emission Monitor
Equivalent Continuous Emission Monitor
Continuous Emission Monitor
Semi-continuous Beta Attenuation Mass Monitor
Meteorological Monitoring System
Black Carbon Soot
PM2.5
PM25
Carbon Monoxide
Ozone
Oxides of Nitrogen
PM2.5
Wind Speed, Wind Direction, Relative Humidity,
Temperature, Solar Radiation, Barometric Pressure
HSPH
HSPH
MA DEP
MA DEP
MA DEP
MA DEP
MA DEP
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5.3 FDR MORE INFORMATION
EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA QA/R-5, EPA/240/B-01/003)
http://www.epa.gov/quality/qs-docs/r5-final.pdf
Guidance for the Data Quality Objectives Process (EPA QA/G-4, EPA/600/R-96/055)
http://www.epa.gov/quality/qs-docs/g4-final.pdf
EPA Guidance on Technical Audits and Related Assessments for Environmental Data Operations
(EPA QA/G-7, EPA/600R-99/080)
http://www.epa.gov/quality/qs-docs/g7-final.pdf
Network Design for State and Local Monitoring Stations (SLAMS), National Air Monitoring Stations
(NAMS), and Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS). Code of Federal Regulations.
Title 40, Part 58, Subpart E, Appendix D.
Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems, Volume II, Part 1 (EPA-454/R-98-004)
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/files/ambient/qaqc/redbook.pdf
Technical Assistance Document for Sampling and Analysis of Ozone Precursors (EPA/600-R-98/161)
http://www. epa.gov/ttn/amtic/pams. html
Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ambient Air
(EPA/625/R-96/01 Ob) http:llwww.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/airtox.html
Designated EPA Reference and Equivalent Methods for Criteria Pollutants
http://www. epa.gov/ttn/amtic/criteria. html
Equivalent Reference Method Designation Procedures and Program. Code of Federal Regulations.
Title 40, Part 53.
Guidance for Preparing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) (EPA QA/G-6, EPA/240/B-01/004)
http://www.epa.gov/qualityl/qs-docs/g6-final.pdf
MONITORING
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Roxbury Air Monitoring
AIRBEAT QUALITY ASSURANCE NARRATIVE STATEMENT
MA DEP and HSPH, the two organizations responsible for making the environmental measurements, both have been
collecting air pollution data for over 25 years and have established QA programs in place. MA DEP's QA program is
required by the U.S. EPA for their SLAMS program, and the HSPH QA program has been required and evaluated by
the U.S. EPA as part of recent cooperative agreements with that agency. This QA narrative covers the operation of
measurement methods run specifically for this EMPACT project (hourly means for real-time PM2 5, black carbon soot,
and ozone) and the real-time data processing and validation for those methods that is done specifically for use in this
EMPACT project. It does not cover the non-EMPACT integrated methods being run at the same site or the data pro-
cessing and validation of "official" MA DEP data streams for real-time PM2 5, black carbon soot, and ozone, since the
MA DEP has existing QA programs in place for those efforts, and those data will not be directly used by this project.
Although continuous PM2 5 and BC are relatively new methods and not yet commonly used for routine ambient moni-
toring, HSPH has been running both of these methods in several studies since 1990, including a 3-year study in Boston.
The experience gained from this previous work with these methods will be applied to both the operational and data vali-
dation aspects of EMPACT, and will insure generation of complete and high quality data for this project.
Data Quality Objectives for the real-time (hourly) data set will include precision (coefficient of variation) and accuracy
of better than 10% for ozone and continuous PM2 5. For ozone, this is determined by repeated calibrations and internal
audits; for continuous PM2 5 by external flow checks, mass transducer calibrations, and comparison to integrated 24-
hour samples (TEOM). For the Aethalometer assessment of precision and accuracy is limited to flow checks, since there
are no other practical techniques for precision and accuracy for this method. Traditional techniques of replicate sam-
pling used for integrated PM sampling methods can not be readily used for any of these continuous methods, since that
would require multiple samplers.
Station visits will occur at least twice a week; routine inspection of all systems will be performed at each visit. Monitors
will be calibrated quarterly, with flow or precision checks performed bi-weekly. The TEOM PM2 5 impactor will be
cleaned twice a week, per EPA requirements. TEOM and Aethalometer leak checks will be performed at least quarterly.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all of these methods have been developed for previous studies and will be
adapted for use in this project. All ozone, flow, and mass calibration standards used are NIST traceable. At least one
internal and if possible, one external performance audit will be conducted on all monitors during the EMPACT moni-
toring period.
Completeness will be assessed on an hourly basis; a valid hour requires 75% of the interval (45 minutes) to be valid; a
valid day requires 18 valid hours (75%). Since this is a short-term pilot program, seasonal or yearly completeness criteria
are not used; however we expect to achieve an overall daily data capture and public reporting rate of 95% or higher after
the system is fully functional. There is no sample custody for these continuous methods other than data management,
which is discussed elsewhere in this proposal. The sampling and analytical methods are discussed in the proposal's
Approach section.
Although as noted in the proposal the data for this project will not be the final validated data set that will be submitted
to AIRS by the MA DEP, it is still important that the preliminary real-time data distributed to the public via EMPACT
be of known quality. Therefore it is important for this project that instrument failures are detected automatically to pre-
vent grossly invalid data from being publically presented. This will be accomplished by utilizing built-in status flags on
the instruments and by real-time data screening for outliers, impossible values, 'stuck values', rates of change, excessive
short-term (1 minute interval) noise, etc. All instruments will be configured to allow observation of negative values for
screening purposes. These data processing issues, along with other real-time data handling QA processes, are addressed
in the attached Information Management Plan. As a final independent check of the EMPACT data management
process, a subset of the "official" MA DEP hourly data set will be compared with archived EMPACT data on an ongo-
ing basis as the MA DEP validated data becomes available on a quarterly basis, approximately 1 to 3 months after
collection. Any significant discrepancies will be investigated. The validated MA DEP data for these monitors will be
made available via the EMPACT Web site on a quarterly basis when it is submitted to the U.S. EPA AIRS database.
5-1 4
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r
Roxbury Air Monitoring
OPERATING PROTOCOL FOR BC WITH
TM
MAGEE SCIENTIFIC AE-21 AETHALDMETER
G. Allen, HSPH, Rev. 1, September 20, 1999
This protocol is for Black Carbon (BC) soot measurements using the Magee Scientific AE-21 dual channel
Aethalometer™ with a 4-lpm Harvard Impactor (HI) PM2.5 inlet at the Roxbury MA DEP site. The instrument is run
with tape-saver mode off and flow reported at 20E C.
Any times that data are not valid while the system is "on-line" should be noted in the site computer log, along with
any comments or notes. If at all possible, avoid doing any procedure that causes loss of data during periods with
BC concentrations higher than about 5 ug/m3.
Once Each Week:
1. Check the system date and time on the Aethalometer display and on the data logger PC. The Aethalometer time
should be within 5 minutes of the PC's time. Times should always be EST (subtract 1 hour from daylight time). If
the time is reset, record the time error before changing the time, and the date and time you changed the time. The
Aethalometer must be "stopped" to change the time, but does not need to be taken "off-line" from the data acquisi-
tion system, since the -5 volt output in this state automatically flags the data as void in the data logger. A security
code must be entered to stop the Aethalometer and perform certain other system operating tasks; the default code is
111 and should not be changed. If there is a clear trend in the system time error (for example, a system typically
gains 2 minutes each week), set the time somewhat off in the opposite direction of the trend to reduce the need for
frequent system time changes. For the fast clock example given above, set it 4 or 5 minutes slow each clock reset.
2. Check the sample flow on the Aethalometer display and record it in the log. It should be 4.0 ±0.3 1pm. Adjust with
the valve on the pump if necessary, and record the after adjustment value in the log sheet.
3. Check the Aethalometer display for normal operation (reasonable readings, no error messages, etc).
4. Change both impactor plates on the roof inlet. Plates can be reused at least 5 times by field cleaning before being
throughly cleaned in the lab. Wipe the deposit off the plates with a Kimwipe, apply one drop of mineral oil on each
plate, and blot dry after 30 seconds to remove any excess oil.
5. Check the filter tape supply. Change it if the thickness of the roll is less than 1/8" thick. Re-tension the tape roll
take-up spool if needed. Inspect the used filter tape spots that are visible for distinct and uniform borders between
the exposed and unexposed areas. If obvious poor seals are noted, contact HSPH.
Once Each Month:
1. While the Aethalometer is in its normal run mode, perform an external flow check. Do not stop data collection on
the Aethalometer to do this test, since that can change the flows. The "tape-saver" function must be off to perform
this flow check procedure.
la. Measure the sample flow at the inlet of the fine mass impactor using a BIOS flow meter, dry test meter, rotameter,
or other calibrated volumetric (e.g, not STP) flow measurement device with a range of 3 to 5 1pm. Wet flow devices
are not recommended since they can not be used below freezing, and have a RH dependent error due to water
vapor. The external flow meter must be at ambient temperature for readings to be valid. A STP flow device can be
used if the temperature is 20E C; in this case skip the next step.
— more —
MONITORING
5-1 5
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Roxbury Air Monitoring
Ib. Record the flow from the Aethalometer display (a Sierra MFM with STP at 70E F). Correct the external volumet-
ric flow measurement to a standard condition of 20E C and 29.92" He as follows:
STP flow = actual flow *
293
273 + ambient T in degrees C
Station BP (in inches)
29.92
For this site (Roxbury), station pressure can be the pressure reported from Logan Airport, since the site elevation is less
than 30 meters above sea level.
Ic. Calculate the % error of the Aethalometer flow compared to the external flow standard. % error = 100 x
(Aethalometer display - external STP flow) / external STP flow If the flow difference is more than 10%, contact
HSPH.
2. Leak check the Aethalometer by disconnecting the inlet hose at the rear of the instrument and blocking the inlet on
the back. Record the flow on the flowmeter display after 30 seconds; it should be less than 1.5 1pm. Reconnect the
sample line.
3. Change the Aethalometer data disk. The Aethalometer does not need to be interrupted to do this as long as the
change is done during the first three minutes of any five minute measurement cycle [based on the Aethalometer's
internal clock]. Before changing the disk, start by labeling a new disk with the site and start date/time (local standard
time). Remove the old data disk and insert the new disk. Immediately put the write protect tab on the old disk, and
record the end date/time (EST) on the disk label. Return the disk to HSPH.
Once Each 6 Months:
Perform an optical strip check according to the manual. Also verify that the concentration reported by the data logger
agrees with the Aethalometer display within 200 ng while the optical strip is in place. Record the results of both these
in the comment section of the instrument log.
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6
DATA MANAGEMENT
This chapter presents general information about managing, processing, and delivering data generated
from an air pollution monitoring effort. Section 6.1 provides an introduction to data management
and suggests ways of reducing the costs and technical challenges involved. Section 6.2 offers an
overview of AirBeat's data management efforts, focusing on the functions of the project's Data Management
Center, where all project data are collected, managed, and archived. Sections 6.3 and 6.4 discuss the hard-
ware and software components used to operate the Data Management Center. Finally, Sections 6.5 and 6.6
describe the creation of AirBeat's Web site and telephone hotline.
Sections 6.1 and 6.2 are meant to provide a plain English overview of data management for programs man-
agers and others who may have limited experience with information technology (IT). The other sections are
more technical in nature, and are designed for IT specialists who may be charged with creating a data man-
agement system for an air pollution monitoring and outreach program.
6.1 INTRODUCTION TO DATA MANAGEMENT
In an environmental monitoring project such as AirBeat, data management is the process of collecting data
generated by monitoring instruments, validating and standardizing the data, storing the data in a database,
and then translating the data into formats that can be communicated to the public. Today, most data man-
agement systems are automated systems operated by complex configurations of computer hardware and
software. Building such systems requires the expertise of experienced information technology specialists.
The scale of your project's data management needs, and the resources required for this project phase, will
depend on a number of factors. Will your project be providing real-time data? How many types of data will
you be reporting? Will your project be responsible for assuring the quality of the data, or will QA proce-
dures be conducted by the agency or organization that owns and operates the monitoring sites?
As indicated in Section 4.5 of this handbook
("Estimating Program Costs"), data management
turned out to be one of the most costly and techni-
cally challenging components of the AirBeat project.
This was true for several reasons. One key factor was
AirBeat's decision to build a data management system
that could collect, process, validate, and deliver data
in real time. The Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection (MA DEP), the agency
that owns and operates the AirBeat monitoring sta-
tion as well as 41 others in the commonwealth, has its
own program for collecting, processing, and validating
air quality data. However, at the inception of AirBeat
in 1998, MA DEP did not have the capabilities for man-
aging and delivering data in real time. This meant that the AirBeat project was required to build its own
real-time data management system from scratch—a costly proposition.
It's worth noting that there are ways of structuring an air pollution monitoring and outreach program that
can reduce the costs and challenges involved with data management. Today, many state and local air control
agencies have the data management capabilities to provide the public with real-time data from their
monitoring networks (MA DEP intends to develop this capability in the coming years).
Find out if your state or local air control
agency has the data management capabilities
to provide the public with real-time data from
its monitoring network. If so, you might be
able to arrange with the agency to download
pre-processed data (rather than raw data)
from the agency's network, thereby avoiding
the costs of building a separate data manage-
ment system.
DATA MANAGEMENT
6-1
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An AirBeat-type program getting underway today might be able to arrange with its state or local air control
agency to download pre-processed data (rather than raw data) from the agency's network, thereby avoiding
the costs of building a separate data management system. A model for this type of cost-efficient program is
the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership, described in Appendix C.
In reality, no two projects will have precisely the same data management needs or systems. This chapter
describes the AirBeat project's data management system as a case study, meant to illustrate some of the
considerations that go into building a real-time system for managing and processing environmental infor-
mation. The chapter also describes the work that went into creating the AirBeat Web site and telephone
hotline, two key tools for delivering air pollution data to the public.
DESIGN DIAGRAM FOR AIRBEAT DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Monitoring Site
Polled by modem ,
C/3
CD
O
O
CO
www.hazecam.net
Digital Camera
Web Server Live View of Boston
Ozone Maps
Primary Computer
NESCAUM Office
• Quality Assurance
• Graphics generation
• Hosting hotline
• Web site
Windows (Pentium III) Server
Web Site
Internet Access
~
www.airbeat.org
Telephone Access
I
C
0
W
«•+
O
O
O
3
3
c
v (617)427-9500 ,
6.2 OVERVIEW OF AIRBEAT'S DATA MANAGEMENT
EFFORTS
All data for the AirBeat project were and are being collected, managed, and archived at a single Data
Management Center, which puts the data into a standard electronic format and performs quality checks
prior to making the data available to the public.
The AirBeat Data Management Center (DMC) is shown schematically in the diagram above. As the
diagram shows, the DMC collects data from multiple sources. Types of data include monitoring data
downloaded from the data logger at the AirBeat monitoring site, hazecam images downloaded from a digital
camera Web server, and ozone maps downloaded from EPA's AirNow Web site (http://www.epa.gov/airnow).
In addition, some data on weather parameters originate from the National Weather Service and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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Once the data are processed and validated, they are communicated to the public via various venues. AirBeat
had planned to implement multiple communication venues to optimize communication with the public,
including a toll-free telephone hotline, an e-mail and fax listserver, an AirBeat Web site, and an information
kiosk to be located in the Roxbury community. Due to budget constraints, only the hotline and the AirBeat
Web site were implemented during the period of the EMPACT grant (1999 to 2001). (Roxbury high
school students also developed an innovative flag system for communicating air quality data to the
public—this is described in Chapter 7.)
Though the DMC handles a variety of data streams from different sources, its key function is processing
the data from the AirBeat monitoring site in Dudley Square. This involves collecting the data, assuring its
quality, storing the data in a standardized format, and translating the data into other formats for communi-
cation to the public. A further breakdown of the steps in this process is as follows:
• Download an ASCII text file from the Dudley Square air monitoring station. Each file contains the
measured levels of each air pollutant for the previous hour, along with weather parameters. The files
are available over a standard telephone line (modem-to-modem) and must be automatically retrieved
every hour.
• Validate data file completeness and integrity.
• Transfer file contents to a database.
• Flag data that do not meet pre-defined quality control limits (as defined by MA DEP and the Harvard
School of Public Health).
• Calculate Air Quality Index values for quality-assured data (see Chapter 3 for information on the AQJ).
• Copy quality-assured data and indices into database tables for use by graphics, Web, and voice-response
software programs.
• Generate and record logs to monitor system operation.
• Alert system administrator when certain errors occur.
All of the specifications cited above are achieved by some combination of hardware, commercially available
software packages, information available from the Internet, and code written in Visual Basic®. These are
described in more detail in the following section. An overall picture of the Data Management Center data
flow is shown in the flow chart below.
AIRBEAT DATA FLOW
AirBeat Server
1 Web Server L
^1 Database [^^
( Hotline |»
^^^^^^^^^~ / ^
1 Archive [^^
1 Air Monitor U-^j
/" "\
Application
Data Management
Data Collection
Datalogger r
4—\ Mot
^^^^
/
^
-^•l Mo
Jem
J
\
^ j
dem
DATA MANAGEMENT
6-3
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Lessons Learned: Including an IT Specialist on the Project Team
At the outset of the AirBeat project, none of the partner organizations had an information technology specialist
on staff who could take on the technically challenging task of creating and operating the project's Data
Management Center. As a result, the AirBeat project team decided to hire a contractor to lead this effort. In
selecting the contractor, the team hoped to give preference to a local (preferably Roxbury-based) contractor
who would be able to meet and interact with the AirBeat team regularly.
In the execution of the project, the selected contractor (a small local business) was unable to complete the
work in a satisfactory manner. The initial version of the data management software created by the contractor
was full of bugs. Because of a lack of responsiveness in addressing these problems, the contractor was
removed from the project after approximately one year, leaving the AirBeat project in a difficult position: with
the data management hardware installed and operational but with only part of the software in place and opera-
tional. Also, documentation to support the operation of the Data Management Center was minimal. (The
contractor had been asked to document all data formats, scripts, parameter definitions, and directory struc-
tures to maximize transferability and sustainability of the project.)
NESCAUM hired an Information Technology specialist, who discarded most of the computer programs written
by the original contractor. New source code was written to link commercial software packages and to manage
data input. The resulting Data Management Center operated smoothly, but the AirBeat team had learned a
lesson in the process: For any project requiring collection of environmental monitoring data, it is helpful to
include a qualified and experienced IT specialist on the project team who can oversee the data management
operation on a daily basis and ensure that the work is being performed correctly and documented thoroughly.
Incorporating this IT specialist on the project management team is highly desirable.
If a contractor is going to be used, consider the pros and cons of using a small local business versus a larger,
more established company. Reasons to select a small local business include offering positive support to the
community and benefitting from a small business's personal connections to the community. However,
considerable difficulties can arise if the business moves or closes before the completion of the work. Larger
businesses, on the other hand, offer stability and perhaps a larger skill set (or more areas of expertise), but
typically don't have the same types of community connections.
The bottom line is: include an IT specialist on your project team if at all possible.
6.3 HARDWARE COMPONENTS USED TO OPERATE THE
DATA MANAGEMENT CENTER
To operate its Data Management Center, AirBeat uses a Dell Dimension 450 MHZ computer with a
13.6 GB hard drive and a US Robotics 28.8K external modem. These hardware components were selected
and purchased in the 1998/1999 time frame. The components have served AirBeat well, and continue to
be used today. However, the components are not listed in this handbook as recommendations for the use
of other AirBeat-type programs. Because of the rapid evolution of hardware in the field of information
technology, most computer systems that could be purchased today would outperform the system described
above. For example, a search of the US Robotics Web site or a general search for modems will show that
the 28.8K external modem is no longer readily available: most equipment manufacturers now feature
56K modems of various types. AirBeat originally intended to use an internal modem to download data
from the Dudley Square monitoring site. However, AirBeat's original contractors reported problems using
the internal modem that was supplied as part of the computer system and therefore went to an external
modem. Since the external modem was performing acceptably when responsibility for the Data
Management Center shifted to the NESCAUM IT specialist, no changes were made.
6-4
CHAPTER 6
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When selecting hardware for your data man-
agement system, carefully consider how your
memory needs might evolve over the lifetime
of your project.
The computer system purchased for AirBeat was
originally obtained with 128 MB of memory,
but the computer memory was upgraded for
performance reasons to 384 MB. At the present
time, the system could be upgraded further if
required. The hard drive purchased for this
computer system has a capacity of 13.6 GB.
After 2 to 3 years of utilization of this hard drive
in the operation of AirBeat, less than half of this capacity (around 6 GB) is being used, and not entirely
for material related to AirBeat. The hard drive is still more than sufficient, and could be upgraded if required.
6.4 SOFTWARE CDMPDNENTS USED TD OPERATE THE
DATA MANAGEMENT CENTER
The software tools used to perform the functions required of the Data Management Center are summarized
in the table below. Some of these components are discussed in detail following the table.
TABLE 6-1. SOFTWARE CDMPDNENTS OF THE DMC
Package
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft Access 97
Visual Basic® 6.0
SaxComm Objects
Microsoft IIS 3
(Windows NT 4.0 Operating System)
Graphics Server
Dialogic Software
(with accompanying Dialogic IVR Board)
Stores data and metadata
Database to support the telephone hotline
Application programming language
Terminal emulation: connects to the data logger at the monitoring site and
captures monitoring data
Used to create and operate the AirBeat Web site
Creates graphs on the Web site
Presents air quality information via telephone hotline
DATA MANAGEMENT
6-5
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Visual Basic® 6.0
The single software package selection that determined most of the subsequent choices of other available
packages was the choice of Visual Basic® 6.0 (VB) as the application programming language. VB is
Microsoft Windows-specific, so there were no other options for the hardware system selected. The original
contractors selected VB because they were most familiar with it, not necessarily because VB was the best
technical choice. VB is used for three things: 1) to import ASCII data from the data logger at the monitor-
ing site to a text-based data file residing on the production server, 2) to import data from the data file to the
MS Access® data model, and 3) to verify the quality and integrity of the information by processing the data
through a rules algorithm defined by the AirBeat project team. VB performs the following functions:
• Reading a text file
• Listing a directory
• Creating a log file
• Reading and writing large files
• Reading and writing binary data
• Watching file system changes
NESCAUM considered switching the AirBeat Data Management Center from the Windows-based Visual
Basic® to freely available software. Cost-effective alternatives to VB that NESCAUM considered include
Tel, a freely available scripting language available for multiple operating systems, including Windows and
Linux. Tel is a language that provides the building blocks for custom applications. NESCAUM also consid-
ered Perl (possibly in combination with Tel), since Perl is a language especially suited for manipulating
strings, and a major portion of the programming effort required string manipulation. Perl could also
produce Web server scripts as well as ASP, the Windows-specific program. Numerous books and manuals
describing Tel and Perl are available online through O'Reilly Bookstores: http://www. OREILLY.com.
To make the switch away from Visual Basic®, AirBeat would have incurred a significant cost in re-program-
ming. Ultimately, it was not deemed practical for AirBeat to change after the original choices had been
made. For organizations interested in starting an AirBeat-type program, the bottom line is: carefully evalu-
ate the capabilities and associated costs of any software package before committing to a purchase. Consider
freely available alternatives, and remember that software is a rapidly evolving field.
SaxComm Objects
Another commercial software package, SaxComm Objects, was used by the AirBeat project for terminal
emulation—that is, connecting to the data logger at the monitoring site and capturing the monitoring data.
This software performs a screen capture of the text screens containing the data generated by the data logger.
SaxComm Objects is used to dial up to a text-based service, with the specific benefit of being able to embed
in another application.
To utilize the commercial software for data transfer, the IT specialist on the AirBeat project team wrote
Visual Basic® code to run a timer that invokes SaxComm Objects every hour, sending the software the
phone number to dial and the commands to send to the site data loggers, as well as telling the software how
to handle the screen capture file. The returned file that is transferred is a text file containing a table with all
of the monitoring data; a representative file is found at ftp://airbeat.org/upload/roxbury/bookmarkl.txt.
6-6
CHAPTER 6
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Lessons Learned: Use of a Digital Camera—Hazecam
CAMNET is an organization initiated by NESCAUM to raise public awareness about the effects of air pollution
on visibility. This function is accomplished, in part, through a network of real-time visibility cameras located at
scenic urban and rural locations. CAMNET pictures are updated every 15 minutes. In addition, real-time air
pollution and meteorological data are provided to help distinguish natural from man-made causes of poor
visibility and to provide health-relevant data to the public on current air pollution levels. Air pollution and
meteorological data are updated every hour.
AirBeat's Data Management Center downloads hazecam images from a digital camera sited by NESCAUM, MA
DEP, and the EPA Regional office to provide real-time images of the Boston skyline. The digital camera is part
of a turn-key system supplied at a cost of $6,000 to $7,000 by Air Resource Specialists, Inc.
(http://www.air-resource.com). The system includes the following components:
• A high resolution digital camera with zoom lens and integrated scripting.
• A custom-designed controller.
• A Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) palm computer interface.
- A battery-backed power system (AC or solar power).
A lockable environmental enclosure.
Air Resource Specialists hosts and operates a digital camera network over most of the northeast United States,
and digital images from the Boston area are supplied to the network (http://www.hazecam.net) as well as the
AirBeat Web site. The camera is positioned appropriately to take timed pictures of the Boston skyline, showing
haze, fog, or a clear day. In operation, the computer is programmed to tell the digital camera to take a picture
at the specified time intervals. The digital image is downloaded from the camera to the hard drive of the com-
puter and sent by modem to Air Resource. Air Resource edits the digital image, as required, and then sends
the edited image to subscribing Web sites.
The digital camera image is central to the AirBeat Web site and provides a prime illustration of the guiding
principle for a project such as AirBeat: make full use of all available resources. A major investment of time
and capital resources would be required to purchase a digital camera system and program the system to send
images at regular time intervals to the AirBeat Web site. Accepting a digital image sent from Air Resource and
putting this image on the AirBeat Web site is a relatively small cost.
A hazecam image of the Boston skyline, taken on a relatively clear day, with low pollutant levels.
DATA MANAGEMENT
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6.5 CREATING THE AIRBEAT WEB SITE
The work of creating a Web site for disseminating air quality data is best done by a qualified and experi-
enced IT specialist. As mentioned earlier in this chapter, it is helpful to include an IT specialist on your
project team. If a contractor must be used for your Web-development efforts, look for a contractor with
extensive experience in HTML coding, basic scripting skills, and some experience working with
Web-enabled databases. The contractor should also have familiarity with Web accessibility guidelines
and demonstrated experience at creating attractive and user-friendly Web pages.
The AirBeat Web site (http://www.airbeat.org) was created by several contractors, who worked on the site
in succession. The Web site has two primary functions: to provide public access to AirBeat's real-time air
pollution data and other air quality information, and to promote AirBeat's outreach goals by presenting an
array of online educational materials and providing links to other sources of information. Section 7.2.1 of
this handbook discusses these functions in more detail and provides visual examples of the ways that air
quality information is presented on the Web site.
To create the Web site, AirBeat's contractors paired the existing hardware with Microsoft Internet
Information Server (IIS) 3, available as a part of Windows NT 4.0 Server. IIS is a standard Web and File
Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, with built-in Web page generation scripting. For information on a more
recent version of this software, see http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/technologies/web/default.asp.
Adobe Photoshop was used for designing and creating graphics for the Web site. The html pages were writ-
ten using a text editor, rather than a specific software package. The scripted (dynamic) parts of the Web site
were done using Active Server Page (ASP) scripts, a part of the Web server software (Microsoft IIS 3).
Programming was done in the Microsoft Visual Studio Environment, a software package that includes
Visual Basic®.
The graphs on the Web site, which continue to be updated hourly, are created with Graphics Server
(http://www.graphicsserver.com). Graphics Server is a very powerful graphics production program that has its
interface in Visual Basic®. Graphics Server adds interactive graphs to the numerical data that are being put
into the Web site, using multiple platforms, multiple hosts, multiple interfaces, and an extensive range of
graphs, charts, and statistical functions. The data features of Graphics Server allow charting of up to
128,000 dynamic data points in a single graph and can even plot incoming data in real time. See Section
7.2 for examples of the types of graphs generated on the Web site.
The AirBeat Web site is operational and available to the public. Maintenance and improvements to the sys-
tem have continued since the end of the EMPACT grant period (1999 to 2001), and the Web site
continues to operate at the NESCAUM office. The Data Management Center can integrate data into the
Web site from Internet resources (for example, ozone maps are integrated from EPA's AirNow Web site:
http://www.epa.gov/airnow). The Web site also provides links to other organizations' Web pages.
6.6 CREATING THE TELEPHONE HOTLINE
AirBeat's telephone hotline (617-427-9500) was created so that Roxbury residents without Internet access
can still obtain timely information about air quality. The hotline reports current pollutant concentrations
and also reports the highest concentrations for the current day and the peak concentrations from the previ-
ous day. In addition, the hotline message interprets these data from a public health standpoint and
recommends actions that sensitive individuals can take to reduce exposures.
The hotline is supported by a Dialogic IVR Board with accompanying software. (Information about
Dialogic equipment can be found at http://www.voiceinternational.com/.} The AirBeat team used Insight
IVR®, developed by Micro Delta Corporation, as the application generator to build an Interactive Voice
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Response application. The Insight IVR® Package software was used in conjunction with the Dialogic
voice processing board to create and maintain the AirBeat hotline. To foster community involvement in
the hotline, high school students in the Roxbury area pre-recorded air quality messages so that the hotline-
supporting hardware and software could select the appropriate pre-recorded segments to describe air quality
on an hourly basis.
Microsoft Access 97 (http://www.microsoft.com/ojfice/access) is used as the database to support the hotline.
The only purpose of the Access database is to replicate some of the data in the SQL database for the hotline
to use. The Access database is required to solve a deficiency in the hotline software; replacement of the
hotline software would result in a cost savings by making use of the Access database unnecessary.
AirBeat has had some problems with the hotline system (for example, there were problems in getting the
system to use two telephone lines when it should be capable of using four). However, the system was
operational for much of the EMPACT grant period, and continues to operate in automated fashion.
Lessons Learned: Tracking Usage of the Hotline
The AirBeat team considers the hotline a key venue for communicating air quality data to the public. It is espe-
cially important given that few Roxbury residents have the ability to connect to the Internet and thus access the
AirBeat Web site.
A point of frustration for the AirBeat team has been their inability to track usage of the hotline. The creation of
the hotline was a fairly costly and challenging process, and the team would like to be able to monitor its use in
order to assess the return on their investment.
Hotline systems can be purchased that include usage tracking features. New AirBeat-type programs should
consider investing the extra resources from the start to buy a system that has these features.
DATA MANAGEMENT
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•7
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
This chapter provides information on setting up and running an education and outreach component
of an air pollution monitoring program. Section 7.1 provides tips on developing an outreach plan
for your program, with a focus on defining goals, key messages, and target audiences. Section 7.2
describes a variety of outreach tools that can be used, and provides examples of outreach materials devel-
oped by the AirBeat project. Finally, Section 7.3 describes the challenge of evaluating the success of your
education and outreach program.
The information in this chapter is designed primarily for managers who are implementing air quality
monitoring programs, as well as for education and outreach workers who are responsible for communicating
about these programs.
7.1 DEVELOPING AN OUTREACH PLAN
AirBeat represents a step forward for air quality monitoring, a field that has evolved gradually for over
50 years. Scientists in the United States started developing air pollution monitoring devices in the 1940s,
and by the mid 1950s Los Angeles had created the first monitoring network capable of providing continu-
ous air quality data, along with an alert system to warn the public in the event of an air pollution
emergency. AirBeat, and other programs like it, are the descendants of that early system. The goals of
today's programs are essentially the same as 50 years ago: to gather accurate, timely data on air pollution
and to communicate these data to the public in ways that can reduce harmful human exposures. The differ-
ence is that today's technologies allow air monitoring programs to collect more nuanced data and to
communicate with the public in much more sophisticated ways. In the case of AirBeat, the goal is to deliver
data directly to residents in a way that can affect their daily decision-making.
Communication is at the heart of AirBeat s mission, so an effective education and outreach program is key
to the project's success. During the EMPACT grant period (1999 to 2001), AirBeat's education and out-
reach program was run primarily by Alternatives for Community & Environment (ACE), a non-profit
organization that has worked closely with the Roxbury community on environmental justice issues since
1993. ACE has strong ties with other community and activist organizations in Roxbury, and has significant
experience working to educate the public about environmental and health issues. ACE also has a flourishing
internship and leadership development program for 14- to 18-year-olds, and the organization's interns
played a key role in AirBeat's education and outreach efforts, as described in the box on the next page.
Other AirBeat partners contributed outreach work as well, especially Northeast States for Coordinated Air
Use Management (NESCAUM), which coordinated the development of two of the project's key outreach
tools—the AirBeat Web site and the telephone hotline system.
The first step to creating an effective education and outreach program of your own is to develop an out-
reach plan. This plan will provide a blueprint for action. It does not have to be lengthy or complicated, but
it should define four things: What are your outreach goals? Who are the target audiences? What are the key
messages and types of information that you want to deliver? And what outreach tools will you use to reach
these audiences? Let's look at each of these questions in turn.
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Lessons Learned: Involving Youth Interns in Community Outreach Efforts
ACE, the Roxbury-based organization that spearheads AirBeat's outreach efforts, runs a youth program called
the Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project (REEP). REEP has trained more than 300 Roxbury youth
on environmental justice and leadership issues through an in-class curriculum, an after-school internship
program, and community workshops.
ACE interns played an integral part in AirBeat's community outreach efforts. Their accomplishments included:
Designing a community survey on air pollution that they administered to approximately 80 Roxbury
residents in 1999. The survey assessed residents' understanding of air pollution issues and helped
AirBeat determine the best methods for delivering air quality information to the target community.
- Developing and distributing a "Roxbury Air Quality Fact Sheet," which describes pollution sources and
health effects and summarizes what the AirBeat monitoring has indicated about pollutant levels in Dudley
Square.
~ Delivering a presentation at a Boston city hearing on the connection between traffic congestion and
air pollution.
- Helping to create and operate an innovative air quality flag warning system for communicating
AirBeat data to the local community. See Section 7.2.3 for more information about the system.
Involvement in the AirBeat effort provided a valuable learning experience for the ACE interns. The interns were
treated as part of the AirBeat team and attended the project's monthly organizational meetings. The interns
contributed to the meetings and presented information about their accomplishments. Through their participa-
tion, the youths understand how to use and interpret air quality data and take action on pollution issues.
The youths' participation has also benefitted the project itself. For the technical members of the AirBeat team,
the interns provided a human face for the target population. In addition, the interns were among the best
ambassadors for the program. Acting as "youth experts" on air pollution issues, they were able to share their
knowledge with the community, educating their peers and neighbors about how to use real-time air quality
data to improve their lives.
Two former interns recently co-authored (along with ACE staff members) an article about AirBeat that was
published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives (volume 110, supplement 2, April 2002).
7.1.1 WHAT ARE YDUR OUTREACH GOALS?
Defining your outreach goals is the first step in developing an education and outreach plan. Outreach goals
should be clear, simple, action-oriented statements about what you hope to accomplish through outreach.
Here are six goal statements for outreach that the AirBeat team included in their original project proposal:
1. Develop multiple communication venues to ensure widespread access to environmental information
and to appeal to the various communication preferences among end users.
2. Promote access to, awareness of, and use of the real-time air pollution data through an active
outreach and education campaign.
3. Develop contextual material to assist understanding and interpretation of the real-time data,
including its limitations.
4. Affect and improve daily decisions to reduce the harmful effects of air pollutants.
5. Bolster the community's effectiveness in shaping local policies for transportation, development,
and construction projects that affect air pollution.
6. Evaluate, document, and disseminate results for further benefits in other EMPACT cities.
7-2
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Where possible, outreach goals should be measurable. This will help you when it comes time to evaluate the
success of your program (see Section 7.3). In fact, for each goal, you might want to identify some specific
measures that you can use to define success. For example, some measures that could be used for goal #2
above are:
• Attract 10,000 visitors per year to your Web site.
• Deliver a presentation or class on air pollution and health effects at each school in your target
community.
• Conduct direct outreach (e.g., via face-to-face visit or phone call) to the managers of all health care
facilities in your target community.
7.1 .2 WHD ARE YDUR TARGET AUDIENCES?
The second step in developing an outreach plan is to clearly identify the target audience or audiences for
your outreach effort. As illustrated in the examples in Section 7.1.1, specific outreach goals and measures
often have defined target audiences. You might want to refine and add to your goals and measures after you
have specifically considered which audiences you want to reach.
The AirBeat team included the following statement about their target audience in their project proposal:
The target audience for this project is the residents ofRoxbury and those students and workers who spend a
significant portion of their day outdoors in the neighborhood. Within this group, we will target those who
suffer from asthma and other respiratory diseases, and those who are in a position to improve their care,
such as school nurses and day care and health care providers.
As the statement illustrates, it is typical to have a number of sub-audiences within a target audience.
(AirBeat's sub-audiences include adult residents, adult residents who suffer from asthma, children who suffer
from asthma, nurses and other health care providers, and day care providers.) Each audience will have its
own specialized interests, and before you can begin tailoring messages for your different audiences, you will
need to develop a profile of their situations, interests, and concerns. This profile will help you identify the
most effective ways of reaching the audience. For each target audience, consider:
• What is their current level of knowledge about air pollution and health effects (particularly asthma)?
• What do you want them to know about air pollution and health effects? What actions would you like
them to take?
• What information is likely to be of greatest interest to the audience? What information will they likely
want to know once they develop some awareness of air pollution issues?
• How much time are they likely to give to receiving and assimilating the information?
• How does this group generally receive information?
• What professional, recreational, and domestic activities does this group typically engage in that
might provide avenues for distributing outreach products? Are there any organizations or centers that
represent or serve the audience and might be avenues for disseminating your outreach products?
• What are the language needs of each target audience? Do all audiences speak English, or will you need
to conduct outreach in other languages as well? Often the community residents most in need of air
quality information do not speak or read English.
Profiling an audience essentially involves putting yourself "in your audience's shoes." Ways to do this
include consulting with individuals or organizations who represent or are members of the audience,
consulting with colleagues who have successfully developed other outreach products for the audience,
and using your imagination.
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The AirBeat team profiled its audience by means of a survey developed by three of ACE's youth interns.
The survey, which was distributed to Roxbury residents, evaluated the respondents' knowledge of air pollu-
tion issues and health effects and asked residents how they preferred to receive information on these issues.
The interns collected 80 survey forms in all and then created a report presenting the results. A copy of the
survey questions and results is available on the AirBeat Web site: http://www.airbeat.org (click on "Student
Projects" in the main menu).
The survey revealed some interesting trends:
• Roughly one-quarter of the respondents had asthma, and half lived with someone who has asthma.
• Two-thirds of the respondents did not know what particulate matter is, and over half could not name
other types of air pollutants.
• Only 10 percent of the respondents knew that AirBeat had set up an air monitoring station in
Roxbury.
• Television and newspapers were far and away the most popular media for receiving information on air
pollution issues.
7. 1 .3 WHAT ARE THE KEY MESSAGES AND TYPES DF
INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT TO DELIVER?
The next step in planning is to think about what you want to communicate. In particular at this stage,
think about the key points, or "messages," you want to communicate. Messages are the "bottom line"
information you want your audience to walk away with, even if they forget the details.
A message is usually phrased as a brief (often one-sentence) statement. For example:
• Air pollutants such as ground-level ozone, fine particulate matter, and black carbon soot can
exacerbate asthma symptoms and trigger asthma attacks.
• The AirBeat Web site and telephone hotline system can provide you with easy access to real-time
information about air pollution levels in Roxbury.
• Reducing your exposures to air pollution and other asthma triggers can help you manage your asthma
symptoms.
• Cars, trucks, buses, factories, power plants, and construction activities are some of the primary sources
of air pollutants such as particulate matter.
Outreach products often will have multiple related messages. Consider what messages you want to deliver to
each target audience group, and in what level of detail. As stated above, you will want to tailor different
messages for different audiences.
Let's look at how this can be done. For instance, let's say that you are writing a press release for distribution
to local newspapers, announcing the launch of your program. Your audience, the average reader of these
publications, has relatively little knowledge about air pollution and its health effects. What should be the
focus of your press release? Probably you will want to concentrate on a few simple messages: that the United
States is experiencing an epidemic of asthma that is most severe among lower income and minority chil-
dren; that air pollutants such as ground-level ozone and particulate matter have been linked to asthma and
other respiratory illnesses; that your program has begun an effort to monitor levels of these pollutants
locally and deliver real-time data to community residents; and that people with asthma can use this infor-
mation to avoid harmful exposures. An example of a similar press release, distributed by the AirBeat team in
November 1999, is included at the end of this chapter.
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On the other hand, if you were conducting outreach to nurses and other health care providers, you would
spend less time describing the asthma epidemic that is affecting children in the United States (after all, no
one is more aware of this epidemic than health care professionals). Instead, you would probably focus on
communicating in detail about the connections between outdoor air pollution and asthma and other respi-
ratory illnesses. Health care professionals receive a great deal of information and training regarding the role
that allergens and irritants in indoor air can play in triggering asthma attacks. Most professionals are also
aware that pollutants in the outdoor environment can trigger attacks. Your goal is to reinforce this aware-
ness and to describe how real-time air quality data can help people reduce their exposures to air pollution.
You could do this indirectly (for example, by sending fact sheets or other educational information to health
care centers), but a more effective method would be to conduct direct, face-to-face outreach to health care
providers. If possible, you want to establish an ongoing relationship with the health centers in your target
community, making the health care providers aware of your monitoring program and of the availability of
your real-time data. (See Section 7.2.9 to read about the AirBeat project's approach to direct outreach.)
Your hope is that the health care providers will act as a conduit, passing on this information to their
patients who suffer from asthma. After all, these patients are the people who most badly need the
information your program is gathering.
7.1 .4 WHAT OUTREACH TDDLS WILL YDU USE?
As the above examples illustrate, one of the key challenges of conducting outreach and education,
besides tailoring your message for the intended audience, is choosing the best outreach tool or approach for
delivering your message. There are many different types of outreach: print, audiovisual, electronic, events,
and novelty items. The table below provides some examples.
Print
Advertisements
Brochures
Editorials
Educational curricula
Fact sheets
Newsletters
Newspaper and magazine articles
Posters
Press releases
Question-and-answer sheets
Audiovisual
Electronic
Events
Cable television programs
Exhibits and kiosks
Videos
Public service announcements (radio)
E-mail messages
Fax services
Subscriber list servers
Web pages
Novelty Items
-
Briefings
Community days
Fairs and festivals
Media interviews
One-on-one meetings
Press conferences
Public meetings
Speeches
Banners
Bumper stickers
Buttons
Coloring books
Frisbee discs
Magnets
Mouse pads
It's up to you to select the most appropriate products to meet your goals within your resource and time
constraints. Questions to consider when selecting products include:
• How much information does your audience really need to have? How much does your audience
need to know now? The simplest, most straightforward product generally is most effective.
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
7-5
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• Is the product likely to appeal to the target audience? How much time will it take to interact with the
product? Is the audience likely to make that time?
• How easy and cost-effective will the product be to distribute or, in the case of an event, organize?
• How many people is this product likely to reach? For an event, how many people are likely to attend?
• What time frame is needed to develop and distribute the product?
• How much will it cost to develop the product? Do you have access to the talent and resources needed
for development?
• What other related products are already available? Can you build on existing products?
• When will the material be out of date? (You probably will want to spend fewer resources on products
with shorter lifetimes.)
• Would it be effective to have distinct phases of products over time? For example, a first phase of prod-
ucts designed to raise awareness, followed at a later date by a second phase of products to encourage
changes in behavior.
• How newsworthy is the information? Information with inherent news value may be rapidly and widely
disseminated by the media.
The key here is to make good use of the resources available to you. In the best of all worlds, you would have
the time and budget to personally visit every health center, day-care center, and school in your target com-
munity and to craft customized press releases for every type of publication and every audience. But it is
unlikely that you will have the resources to do everything you'd like to do. The goal, then, is to pick your
spots wisely. Reach as many people as you can, but also focus on those audiences that are most receptive
to—and most in need of—your information.
7.2 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TOOLS
This section describes a variety of outreach tools used by the AirBeat project. Examples of specific outreach
materials developed by AirBeat can be found at the end of the chapter.
7.2.1 AIRBEAT WEB SITE
The technology of the Internet is nearly ideal for the purposes of an AirBeat-type project. It allows the
project to present air quality data in multiple formats and to regularly update the data through automated
delivery systems that require only a minimal level of human oversight. In addition, Web sites can be highly
effective educational tools.
The AirBeat Web site (http://www.airbeat.org) is a key tool used by the project for delivering air quality data
to Roxbury residents. Visitors to the site can access a variety of information on air quality conditions,
including:
• Summary information on current air quality conditions, people at risk, and recommended actions,
presented on the AirBeat homepage in an easy-to-read chart.
• Detailed data on current and recent pollution levels, presented in bar and line graphs (see examples on
pages 7-8 and 7-9).
• Animated ozone movies, showing the progression of regional ozone levels over the course of a day.
• Static maps showing region-wide ozone forecasts for the upcoming day.
• Digital photographs of the Boston skyline, taken by a hazecam located 12 miles northeast of the city
(see page 6-7 for more information on hazecam images).
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Why present air quality data in so many different formats? The AirBeat team designed the Web site to be
interactive. The goal was (and is) to engage visitors, encourage their interest in air pollution issues, and then
provide them with educational materials that put the air quality data in an understandable context. The
AirBeat team wanted Web site visitors to come away with a better understanding of air pollution sources
and health effects, along with an improved awareness about actions they can take to protect their health,
reduce air pollution, and get involved with local efforts to improve air quality.
To promote these goals, the AirBeat team placed an array of outreach and educational materials on the Web
site, which has continued to operate since the end of the EMPACT grant period. There are also numerous
links, so that visitors can quickly move back and forth between the monitoring data and the contextual
information, answering questions as they arise. Two of these educational pieces are provided as hard copy
inserts at the end of this chapter. Others can be found online (go to http://www.airbeat.org). If you are
developing an AirBeat-type program of your own, you can use these pieces as a model to stimulate ideas for
your own outreach language. If you are a member of the public interested in air pollution and health
effects, you can read these materials to learn about steps that you can take to reduce pollutant levels and to
protect yourself from unhealthy exposures.
Information on the technical aspects of delivering monitoring data via a Web site is provided in Chapter 6.
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
7-7
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PRESENTING MONITORING DATA DN THE AIRBEAT WEB SITE
Visitors to the AirBeat Web site can view air pollution data in multiple formats. The two graphs below
show air pollution data for a 24-hour period in late July, 2002. The top graph shows changes in the overall
Air Quality Index (see Chapter 3 for more information on the AQI). The bottom graph shows changes in
specific pollutant levels over roughly the same 24-hour period. Note that data are missing for several hours
during the 24-hour period. Technical difficulties that can lead to missing data are a real-world problem that
can occur several times per year in AirBeat.
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CHAPTER 7
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PRESENTING
MONITORING DATA DN THE AIRBEAT WEB SITE
(CONTINUED)
The two graphs below show air pollution data for a 1-month period from late June to late July, 2002.
The top graph shows day-to-day changes in the overall Air Quality Index. The bottom graph shows changes
in specific pollutant levels over the same period. As the graphs illustrate, the AQI value for the Roxbury area
is generally driven by PM2 5 concentrations. An exception to this trend occurred around the middle of July,
when PM2 5 levels fell and ozone drove the AQI. Note that color-coded health descriptors (good, moderate,
unhealthy) are not used for reporting black carbon concentrations because EPA has not established a
National Ambient Air Quality Standard for BC.
200
150
Air
Quality
Index 100
Unhealthy
Moderate
Good
200
150
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Air Quality Index 100
PM25
Air Quality Index
Black Carbon
Cone. (ug/m3) 6'
Unhealthy
Moderate
Good
Unhealthy
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EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
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Other Ideas for Disseminating Real-Time Air Quality Data
One drawback to using Web sites as a tool for disseminating air quality information is that community
residents will need Internet access to view the information. In many low-income communities, the percentage
of residents with Internet access is quite low. However, public libraries generally provide Internet access, and
public schools are increasingly offering it as well. If you are starting an AirBeat-type program, you might want
to target librarians and teachers with your educational campaign, so that these professionals can show
children and other community residents how to access your program's air quality information online.
AirBeat explored some additional ways of delivering real-time data to the public. The project hopes to
implement these ideas in the future:
Listserv—using an automated system to distribute air quality alerts via e-mail, fax, or beeper notification to
names on a mailing list.
l-kiosk—building a kiosk in Dudley Square or another public location, offering round-the-clock access to the
AirBeat Web site for people without an Internet connection.
Television and radio reports—working with local stations to integrate air quality information into regular
weather, traffic, or news reports.
Appendix C describes another air quality project—the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership—which has
implemented some of these communication venues in its work.
7.2.2 TELEPHONE HOTLINE
The AirBeat project supplemented its Web site with a telephone hotline (617-427-9500) so that Roxbury resi-
dents without Internet access can still obtain timely information about air quality. The hodine, which continues
to operate today, reports current pollutant concentrations and also reports the highest concentrations for the cur-
rent day and the peak concentrations from the previous day. In addition, the hotline message interprets these data
from a public health standpoint and recommends actions that sensitive individuals can take to reduce exposures.
The hodine system is fully automated. (See Chapter 6 for information on the technical aspects of setting up and
running a telephone hotline.) The voice on the hodine is that of a high school intern from ACE—a voice that is
meant to sound friendly and familiar to the local community.
7.2.3 FLAB SYSTEM
On Flag Day, June 14, 2000, students at Greater Egleston
Community High School in Roxbury launched a flag system
to provide the community with visual notification of air qual-
ity. The system uses colored flags that correspond with the
colors of the Air Quality Index (AQI) used to report pollutant
levels on the AirBeat Web site. A green flag is flown to indi-
cate good air quality; a yellow flag indicates moderate air
quality; and a red flag indicates unhealthy pollutant levels.
The flags have been flown at two locations. One set of flags is
displayed at the high school and is operated by the students;
another set was located at the ACE offices in Dudley Square,
two blocks from the AirBeat monitoring station, and was
operated by ACE interns and staff (This location has not
been used recendy, due to landlord concerns.) Those people who
operate the system determine which flag should be displayed by
checking the AirBeat Web site for the most recent air quality data.
A yellow flag, hung from the balcony of the ACE
offices, indicates moderate air quality.
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Lessons Learned: Operating an Air Quality Flag Warning System
The innovative flag system developed by the students of Greater Egleston Community High School is a point of
pride for the AirBeat project. The system was one of the first air quality flag warning systems in the nation, and
it demonstrated the leadership and commitment shown by Roxbury youth in working on environmental health
issues.
While a flag system has great potential as a tool for raising awareness about air quality, the system must be
operated in a consistent manner if the community is going to rely on it as a source of accurate, real-time air
quality information. Here are two key points to consider when planning and implementing an air quality flag
warning system:
1. Standard operating procedures should be developed to dictate how frequently the air quality should be
checked and how frequently the flag should be changed.
2. If the flag system is to be operated at a community center or high school, figure out who will operate the
system on weekends or when school is not in session. If community members are going to rely on the
system for information, they must be able to depend on it.
7.2.4 PRESS RELEASES
Press releases can be a valuable tool in efforts to get the word out about a community-based air monitoring
program. Writing a press release and distributing it to local newspapers, television stations, and other news
outlets is a cost-effective way of reaching a large and varied audience. In fact, the survey conducted by ACE
interns in the fall of 1999 showed that, among Roxbury residents, television and newspapers were the two
most popular media for receiving information on air pollution issues.
ACE led AirBeat's efforts to conduct outreach through the media. ACE staff have contacts and working
relationships with individual newspapers and television stations, developed though years of working to
generate publicity about environmental justice issues. In addition, ACE staff have the writing, editing,
and outreach skills needed for developing stories that will appeal to various news outlets.
ACE issued several AirBeat press releases to the Boston media during the EMPACT grant period, each
timed to coincide with a newsworthy event, such as the unveiling of the AirBeat monitoring station or
the launch of the flag warning system by Roxbury high school students. These press releases produced
excellent results. Media coverage of AirBeat included articles in the Boston Globe, People's Choice, and the
Dorchester Community News, and television coverage by a major Boston station and a local cable channel.
Examples of AirBeat's press releases are included at the end of this chapter. These can serve as a model for
any AirBeat-type project that is launching its own outreach efforts. In addition, here are a few basic tips to
follow for people who have little or no experience with distributing press releases:
• When issuing a press release, send it to as many news outlets as possible. Doing so increases your
odds of getting good results and also leverages the work you've already done in writing the release.
• Try to target specific editors, reporters, and newscasters, especially any individuals whom you've
contacted in the past. Making personal contact with members of the press can be crucial. The odds
of placing a story fall drastically if you just send a press release to a news desk or editorial department,
since most news outlets are inundated with dozens (if not hundreds) of press releases daily.
• When sending a press release to a reporter or editor, try preceding it with a phone call or e-mail,
meant to kindle interest in the story. Or you could send the press release first, then follow up with an
e-mail or phone call. Remember that it pays to be persistent!
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
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What if you don't have a contact at a particular publication? One thing you can do is to read some back
issues of the publication, looking for a reporter who has demonstrated some interest in topics related to
your project. If the publication is a daily newspaper, it will likely have a beat reporter who focuses primarily
on science and/or the environment. Health writers might also be interested in writing about an air quality
monitoring program.
7.2.5 FACT SHEETS AND FLYERS
AirBeat developed a number of fact sheets and flyers as part of its public education efforts. Samples are
included at the end of this chapter. These materials were handed out to Roxbury residents at community
events and workshops, and were also distributed at health centers, public gathering areas, and local
businesses. The Internet address of the AirBeat Web site (www.airbeat.org) was included in all of the
publications as a source of additional information and real-time air quality data.
With the help of program staff, ACE's youth interns developed their own eight-page publication called
the "Roxbury Air Quality Fact Sheet," which described the sources and health effects of air pollution and
summarized what the AirBeat monitoring has indicated about pollutant levels in the Dudley Square
neighborhood of Roxbury.
All of AirBeat s flyers and fact sheets were written in English. ACE considered translating the materials into
other languages spoken by Roxbury residents (e.g., Spanish, Creole) but didn't have the budget to do this. If
you are developing your own community-based monitoring program, you can assess the need for presenting
outreach materials in multiple languages by getting to know the cultures of community residents. Chapter 4
of this handbook provides tips on getting to know your target community.
Communicating About Uncertainty
From the outset of AirBeat, the project team recognized the importance of communicating with users about the
limitations of the real-time monitoring data. The team felt that users should be provided with information on
data completeness and uncertainty so that the reliability and availability of the data could be trusted.
The team decided to place the following statement about data quality on the AirBeat Web site:
"Real-time data on the AirBeat Web site (and hotline) are nearly always accurate. A computer program
automatically screens the data for values that are likely to be erroneous. However, before the data can be
considered fully 'validated1 it must be reviewed by a trained professional for quality assurance purposes.
For this reason, AirBeat's real-time data should be considered provisional or preliminary. Nonetheless, these
real-time data are generally of good quality and are being shared with the public through this pilot project
because of the value it holds for the community."
7.2.6 CURRICULUM MODULE
ACE has developed and teaches an environmental justice curriculum as part of its Roxbury Environmental
Empowerment Project. This curriculum is taught to elementary and high school students at several Roxbury
schools. After the launch of the Dudley Square monitoring station, ACE began using information from the
AirBeat project to enhance its module on air pollution. Lessons were developed on air pollution sources,
how the monitoring station works, and how the Air Quality Index is calculated.
Teachers who have used these lessons say that the AirBeat data have helped students understand air pollu-
tion in their neighborhood. Students have learned how to graph and manipulate data to compare local air
pollution levels with national air quality standards and to understand pollution trends. Students who com-
plete the lessons understand that their neighborhood is a "hot spot" for air pollution and are better prepared
to communicate about the problem and work for change.
7-1 2
CHAPTER 7
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7.2.7 EVENTS AND TDURS
The AirBeat team organized several events to raise
awareness about the AirBeat project and to introduce
community members to the air monitoring station
that is operating in their neighborhood. For example,
ACE organized an event to unveil the station to the
public in November 1999. Approximately 75 people
attended the event, including several high-profile
government officials (such as the regional EPA admin-
istrator, the Boston transportation commissioner, and
two city councilors). Their presence at the event
helped establish immediate credibility for the AirBeat
project.
ACE interns present their work at an AirBeat
event in Dudley Square.
ACE also routinely gives tours of the monitoring
station to student groups, other Roxbury residents,
and visitors. The station has become a regular stop on the
"Toxics Tour" of Roxbury that ACE conducts. A monitoring technician with the Massachusetts Department
of Environmental Protection has trained an ACE intern to lead the tours.
As a result of these tours and events, the monitoring station has become a familiar and accepted component
of the neighborhood. Most community members know where the station is, what it does, and why it is
important.
7.2.B WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS
ACE has incorporated information about the AirBeat project into many of its pre-existing environmental
justice programs in Roxbury. For example, ACE has incorporated AirBeat information into its workshops
for youth peer groups from community health centers and housing developments. ACE staff have also made
presentations at large community events such as the Youth Summit, which attracts roughly 200 youth
participants.
All of these pre-existing programs have credibility and well-established constituencies among Roxbury
residents. By delivering AirBeat information in the context of these programs, ACE has been able to speed up
the process by which community members have become aware of the project and willing to rely on its data.
7.2.9 DIRECT OUTREACH TO NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH
CARE PROVIDERS
Nurses and other health care providers are a key target for AirBeat's outreach efforts. These individuals come
into regular contact with asthmatic children and others who are susceptible to air pollution. Because of this,
and because of their credibility as highly trained professionals, health care providers have a unique opportu-
nity to educate their patients about the connections between air pollution and respiratory illnesses and
about the steps that people can take to reduce harmful exposures.
During the EMPACT grant period, AirBeat relied on direct communication when conducting outreach to
health care providers. This typically involved visiting health centers and hospitals to talk to providers about
the AirBeat project and about the role that outdoor air pollutants can play in exacerbating asthma
symptoms and triggering asthma attacks. In addition, ACE interns delivered presentations at several health
centers in the Roxbury area. The point of these visits and presentations was to make health care providers
aware that their patients can use AirBeat's air quality forecasts and real-time data to reduce their exposures
when pollutant levels are high. The AirBeat team tried to establish ongoing relationships with some health
centers. In the future, AirBeat hopes to develop a system for delivering air quality data or pollution alerts
directly to health centers via fax.
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
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7.3 EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS DF OUTREACH
EFFORTS
AirBeat has found no easy or cost-effective way of measuring the success of its education and outreach pro-
gram. The ultimate goal of the program is to encourage behavior changes by improving residents' ability to
make informed decisions to safeguard their health. However, documenting behavior changes on a large scale
is beyond the scope and means of the AirBeat project.
The AirBeat team has gathered anecdotal information indicating that some Roxbury residents have used the
AirBeat data to improve their daily decisions and reduce their exposures to harmful pollutant levels. For
example, an independent consultant who interviewed several Roxbury students as part of an evaluation of
the AirBeat project found that the students regularly checked the air quality information on the AirBeat
Web site and often reduced their outdoor activities on "bad air days." These students, however, were among
those Roxbury youths who were most involved with the project, and were not necessarily representative of
the public at large.
Due to the limitations of this type of anecdotal information, the AirBeat team relies on other indicators as a
measure of the effectiveness of their outreach efforts. For example:
• The AirBeat team estimates that the project's Web site was online and available about 99 percent of
the time during the EMPACT grant period. The air quality data were current (not more than one
hour old) roughly 95 percent of the time. The Web site is still operational today.
• In the spring of 2001, the Web site received an average of 42 hits per day.
• Over 300 Roxbury students have visited the Dudley Square monitoring station and received a tour of
the station's instrumentation.
• ACE staff incorporated AirBeat information into over 30 public workshops conducted between 1999
and 2001.
If nothing else, these numbers indicate that hundreds (if not thousands) of Roxbury residents have been
introduced to the AirBeat project and made aware of the connection between air pollution and health
problems.
7-1 4
CHAPTER 7
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Roxbury Air Monitoring
HEALTH EFFECTS
(FROM AIRBEAT WEB SITE)
AirBeat provides realtime information on the most widespread and harmful air pollutants in the Boston area. These
include ground-level ozone (sometimes known as smog) and fine particulate matter (sometimes known as soot). Ozone
is a colorless, odorless gas that affects the lungs much like sunburn affects the skin. Fine particulate matter is a mixture
of microscopic acids, metals, petroleum byproducts, and diesel soot.
Ground-Level Ozone
(03)
/
/
/
/
/
Coughing, irritation of the airways, discomfort
in the chest or when breathing.
Premature aging of the lungs.
Faster or more shallow breathing.
Aggravation of asthma, emphysema,
and other respiratory diseases.
Increased risk of respiratory infections.
Premature death (primarily among the elderly and
those with existing heart and lung disease).
/
/
/
/
Ozone (abbreviated as O^) and fine particulate matter (abbreviated as PM2 5) affect different people in different ways.
Moreover, as their concentrations increase, more and more people experience health effects and the effects can become
more serious. To simplify matters, the U.S. EPA has developed an Air Quality Index (AQI) that rates the overall quality
of the air and the people at greatest risk.
Much of the PM2 5 outside is capable of penetrating indoors, especially if windows are open and no air conditioner is
used. Ozone is also capable of penetrating indoors, but not as effectively as PM2 5. Regardless of their penetration, it is
important to know that the indoor environment presents a whole other set of air pollution issues. Pollutants commonly
found indoors include tobacco smoke, insecticides, radon, lead paint, mold, dust, and animal hair. Oftentimes, pollu-
tion indoors can be worse than pollution outdoors. This is a serious issue for families coping with asthma. For more
information on asthma and its causes, visit our links page.
AirBeat also provides realtime information on a pollutant called black carbon. In urban areas, black carbon is emitted
mostly from diesel engines found in trucks, busses, generators, and construction equipment. Black carbon is one of the
many components of PM2 5, but has the unique ability to absorb toxic gasses and deliver them to the lungs. The spe-
cific health effects of black carbon can not be stated with much certainty. However, diesel exhaust as a whole (which
contains blackcarbon) is associated with increases in lung cancer and may lead to inflammation of the airways that can
cause or worsen asthma.
Ozone, fine particulate matter, and black carbon provide good indicators of the overall air quality in Roxbury and
account for much of the risk that residents face from air pollution. However, there is another category of air pollutants
commonly known as air toxics. Air toxics are comprised of dozens of different compounds that typically occur in low
concentrations. However, as a whole, and over the span of many years, their effects can be significant if concentrations
are high enough. These include cancer, damage to the nervous system, and birth defects. Currently, technology is not
readily available to report air toxics in realtime. However, monitoring of air toxics is underway in Roxbury, and results
will be posted on this Web site when available. In the meantime, you can find out more about air toxics by visiting
EPA's air toxics Web site.
Finally, everyone should be careful to avoid too much exposure to the sun, especially children and especially during the
summer. Ultraviolet rays (uv) from the sun not only cause sunburn and permanent damage to the skin, but they can
lead to cataracts and suppression of the skin's immunity system. To learn more about ultraviolet rays and to get realtime
information and uv forecasts, visit EPA's SunWise Web site.
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
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Roxbury Air Monitoring
ACTI O N 5
(FROM AIRBEAT WEB SITE)
Protect your health and the health of your friends and family. This is particularly important if you or your friends and
family are considered sensitive individuals.
• Avoid exercise or heavy exertion during hours of high pollution. In the summer, this tends to be during the after-
noon of high-pollution days. In the winter, this tends to be in the morning of high-pollution days.
• Try to spend more time in a cool environment, preferable air conditioned, when pollution levels are high.
• Check with the elderly and the other sensitive individuals on a regular basis to make sure they're OK.
• Monitor pollution levels using the AirBeat Web site or the AirBeat hotline (617-427-9500) to determine when
the pollution is at its worst and when it returns to healthy conditions.
• Tell a friend, family member, or neighbor about the current levels of air pollution and what they should do.
• Bring any lung disease symptom to a doctor's attention early. Then follow the doctor's advice.
• Make sure medications are readily available (e.g., asthma inhalers, heart medication, etc.).
Help reduce air pollution:
• Avoid smoking indoors or in the presence of children and other non-smokers.
• Avoid driving and filling your gas tank on high pollution days.
• Keep your car well-tuned and the tires properly inflated.
• Try to save energy on high pollution days, but don't shut off your air conditioner or heater to do so.
Get involved with local efforts to improve Boston's air quality:
• Join the Environmental Justice Network or simply register with its email news service.
• Attend local meetings on transportation, air quality, and land use development.
• Contact us to request a tour of the Roxbury air monitoring station.
7-1 6
CHAPTER 7
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Roxbury Air Monitoring
Release
For Immediate Release:
4 zona
For More Information:
JodS SugermarvBrDiBn,
617-442-3343 *23
Rojtbury Youth Launch New Air Quality Flag Warning System:
Redefine Hag Day
. MA] Rfifcbiify yQulh wilt taun.cn the notion's first air quality Flag warning system tafiey at a
press conference in Dudley Elation at 5-QO pm The fog warning system will give reslttefits in Dudtev
and EgslestQfi Squares in Roxoury information about lha air quality m tharr w*yhbr>mQodfi at a glance
Students Him Graalar Eyl&stun Community High SOIDDI have baen working toward this e«nt fop lhn=e
years w1h the Roxbury Envirgmnwnol Empowormejn Projeel (REEPj at AJlejnali.vas for Comrriurvity &
arid AurBoai icoaluion members Haled below).
it IB ooout lime; sax) Cancty Batista, a sluaont m GECHS, * \A/a've boon firghting to
for 10 lon-direc4nr
•t'4E«gnbornoods iika Roxbury nave been hardest flit by diwasos relaieo M s sysiurm to
ftags In Dudley and Eglesson Squares (red=poor yeHaw^mocterata snean= g
. Today, students wwll be givrng Flag Day pew sigrwficance jay Iwngjno Une
Dudley Square and eMpiainingi ihe system to cornrnymlw lasdera ar«t retrfJwbi.
ta
ItiQ ire
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
v-i 7
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Roxbury Air Monitoring
"I have aslhma and ihis flaig, lystem will Ie5 me know Wiether dr not the air is goon to breathe, " said
i Mercado. a stuaen* at QEGHS "f I had asthma this flag system would be so ImpariBnt 1° me
Roche Burgos, another asudent at GECHS '« is B tool tlia! wnl aiiow people with aalhma
aihar respiratory disease know whan tna air quality coutd b» darigeraut for th*m.' she coflJinue
g
was functed in large part with a £527 OCO grsnl from EPA s EnvfrDnrnenlsl Monisonng for Public Access
and CdrnfFiunity TracWog
JToclay't Hag raising it a huge step far*ara m boosting pub.ic awarsfW-ss about tfia flign numbHr of bad
•j i days in Roxbury, " sai S Lubber. "Fcr kids. tr,E elderly and people who Like to walk, run or taKa bike
ndea, hailing up-ta-daEe infcrmatiorv atovjr a : -quality - hoin good and had - ia a huge ptua Even
*mpartanlly, iw need to do all tftat w§ can ID Improve Roxbory'a air mualily M thai racJ Nag days
a|HT>inflied aii-toQeiner 'S«rt leveJa are •) padieular cancem -n this area due lo (ugh levels of asthma.'
fattier, I am going in do aJl mat I can lo pf*vantfny child from gatting sstnma. ' saci
, a GGCHS fftLKfflnL "The air r«Qrt|!Dr and !he fluos ^ine a first itep. They give us Ihe
naed 10 lake action," ha Continued.
"We hsiK* done graat worh so far," added Frederick Gsorcje. ^ GEGHS student ana R.EEP iniem "But
not It is Dme to taKe it ta the next level Now i( is bma to really reduce Lhe sources of palJLitai in our
irxl lower the asthma rates In Roxuury orvce and for ail "
Air&jat Is support ncl by a grant from thn U.S. EnviumFnontal Prolvctldn
MomFLMMlU far Putihc fltn tins 4nd Cnm«rm«|ly TrJcH"3 Proijrflrn OarlJitir1- iML.'udf SuJfujh County
tonsar/atian Dhstnct (l#ad agency )r A|lemativ«s for Comm uriHv & Environment, MA Deqt. of
Proteciitm. Harvard Schonf oF Public He^Un, jnd fJorltieast Siafea far Qodrd^rtitcatl Air
7-1 B
CHAPTER V
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Roxbury Air Monitoring
For Immediate Release:
November 16.
For Mora Information:
Perm Lon, 617-442r3343xM
Roxbury Launches State's First Real-TJme Air Monitoring System
. MA] RDKCiury residents now have s new tool in their fight tor clearer air. Trie AIRBEAT
mcfwtonng sysiarn was unvested (oday sy i cofnrnunity-uniyeraity-gQYsrrmsfii partnership This
system, the first of if* l^nd in MassscJiysefls, continuously measures and reugrrs levels of
air pdlutenEs thai, affect the health or residents. Just ss easily as checking :ne Weathar,
can check pollution levels via tfii AJR6EAT telephone hotline and '*eb site
AIRS EAT adtiras&fts tha ecfieems erf many Ruxsury rasiMnss wh» oeinavc? thai air
^ssarE.Ue for iigh rates of asthma and other Minuses Roxbury sWI has tine htghest rates of
asthma h-cspltalization in Massachusetts - mow man 5 tunas !he state
be
cif coic* like Roxbury lave tor :gp long ceen denieo Vre means to iolv^ critical
l and healfri probtems. AIR9EAT cuts the Hechmctogy and information In the hands of
the pecote who r«ed II tioat." said MaWis* Gocde al the Suffolk Couniy ConErMvatlon OisTrict, the
lead agefiey k> Ihna projact AIRBHAT is, a two-year project supported oy 3 5527,000 grant from the
US Environmental Protection Agency's I'EPA) Erwirocirnanrtil Mc*iftQt»ng Sbr Public Access and
Carrmunjiy Tracking program.
AJRSEAT mft^surss two air poJlutants. ozone srd ffne paniculate mattet (PM2.51, oflnarwise known
as smog ana soot Tn^ sources of Ihese pollutanls include the amissioni spewed by rno
-------
Roxbury Air Monitoring
technology for PM2.5. The Iradifeonal metncd of measurvsg PM2.5 rec^/ed a laboratory analysis.
meaning inat resuJts were delayed ariywlwa from a few days to a few weeks. AlRQEATs r&al-
tjme moortorB will allow ps-aole to relate ".heir cwn cailv ejrpenence to |Ou3J polluScn levels. THIS
ntomratJon will help residents researchers, and regulators to twits* understand the heaiUi erf»sta
or air poilutic"-i
£PA Regional Acvmntstrator John DaVillars stated liiat 'AtRSGAT .=> an excellent example
ciiteerts ttie mtormateon (hey need ect is a ¥iGic-ry for those of us who have b&en ftghtmg
ticft as aszhma. Thanks to we state, EFA and our other pamterg, we will now find out
wh£t acUai pollutiwi levels are in the neignbarritxid and hew ihey mlgtil be mada batter or
By new developments and ths traffic they mighi bring.'
"The City /Bcognizfis ma ncEd tc adaress au- quality and i"iea*th' TH pacts. Ths moniiariing sffcn
cemC'iejnents the new CJtywice trarsapcwtabon plan, ACCESS BOSTON 2DOQ-201Q, wnich will
address the I mpacts of transportatjon on ih* Quality of lite in our najghbomoods,' saJd Anoraa
D'Amato. Boston Tra.
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r
Roxbury Air Monitoring
;^i;^^ !:i: :<::-::• $:^':'|:i-:':$:?:':$:y''^:'::^:':'i'::'
WHAT is it? The only air monitoring station in MA that constantly meas-
ures and reports levels of three key air pollutants that affect our health
and breathing. This station measures the levels of fine particulate matter
(also known as PM2.5 or soot), ozone, (a component of smog), and black
carbon. These pollutants are produced by cars, diesel buses and trucks
power plants, and other combustion processes.
iMilfpiliill^^
WHERE is
it? Harrison
Ave. at
Zeigler St.
(next to auto
junkyard and
Boston Edison
transformers)
WHO brought it here? You did. Because you have voiced your
concerns about air pollution and your health at community events,
State and Federal environmental agencies began to listen. Alternatives
for Community and Environment (ACE) and other organizations repre-
sented you and put what you wanted for your community out there.
Roxbury Air Monitoring
Look for more to come
in Fall 1999. We are
developing a telephone
hotline and a computer
internet web site so that
anyone can find out what
the air pollution levels are
at any time.
For more
information
go to
www.airbeat.org
or call 442-3343
x24
EDUCATION AND DUTREACH
y-zi
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Roxbury Air Monitoring
Questions Commonly Asked about
AirBeat Roxbury Air Monitoring
How DOBS rt Work? Data from pollution mcr-|tors in Roxtufy •£ sanl la a DSmputar at the
monitanno. station each second Once eacn hmir. Che data is automatically transferred by
tel«p.rii»ns Pine to (he web site computer at anctnw location and formatted for presentation on
Ihe web page The date are atso stored fcr laler use. The fifl.se camera piclure is form a
network of visibility cameras across New England; ttre picture is tatcen every 15 minutes and
•senl over the Internet ID Ihe nazecam web page server in CoiarsKto wnerB ll is resized far frig
web page It is transferred to r,n« Roxbur> web site using tne internet
Why do Some Days hav* High Patfution Lovcls and Others Low Pollution Levels? Some
days in Boston can have 20 or 30 times more pollution fhsn olSners, but the poUuitiafi sources do
not vary ihst much. Difrerervcos In tha vveatl-*r cause most of (he day-to-da> arxt sessonak
venation in pamde and ozone pollution in she nonh&astem U.S. Wtnan wind &pdda& are hiah,
locally generated palltrtk«n (pnmanly fram ca*5 and trucks) does not build up in fri£ aty. Low
rt-ntf speeds can lei polluLi&n build up. espeaaliy »n frift nioming during rush ^OL/T. In !fi«
summer, ozcme is hfnher because Ihe cheiTUCaJ readions that generate ornns fDrm car and
truck exhaust need sunlight and warm lErnpera^res la ocmr Ozone is also higher in Ine mid-
ctay than at night for similar reasons Wealher systems (especially high pressure) "stalT TTians
Frequently during tne svmmef. This stagnatiefi *ts pollution byikl up on a nsgiona' s&gie
covering several hundrtel miles. The 'Bermuda High" wflaifter lystems common in tr*e surnmsr
pump air from iha h«av
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r
GLOSSARY
Air Quality Index
Black carbon
Clean Air Act
Criteria pollutants
Data Quality Objectives
NAAQS
Ozone
A tool developed by EPA to provide people with timely and easy-to-under-
stand information on local air quality and whether it poses a health concern.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) provides a simple, uniform system that can be
used throughout the country for reporting levels of major pollutants regu-
lated under the Clean Air Act, including ground-level ozone and particulate
matter. The AQI converts a measured pollutant concentration to a number
on a scale of 0 to 500. The AQI scale is divided into six categories, each
corresponding to a different level of health concern. Each category is also
associated with a color.
One of the many components of fine particulate matter. Black carbon (BC)
is similar to soot and is emitted directly into the air from virtually all
combustion activities. It is especially prevalent in diesel exhaust, which tends
to be the primary source of black carbon in urban areas.
The comprehensive federal law that regulates emissions of air pollutants in
the United States. The original Clean Air Act was passed in 1963, but our
national air pollution control program is actually based on the 1970 version
of the law. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments are the most far-reaching
revisions of the 1970 law.
A group of very common air pollutants regulated by EPA on the basis of
criteria (information on health and/or environmental effects of pollution).
Criteria air pollutants are widely distributed all over the country. They
include ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate matter
(PM25), carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb), nitrogen dioxide (NO2),
and sulfur dioxide (SO2).
Qualitative and quantitative statements, developed using the EPA Dative
Quality Objective (DQO) Process, that clarify the objectives of an environ-
mental data collection effort and specify tolerable levels of potential errors.
DQOs establish the quality and quantity of data needed to support program
decisions.
NAAQS stands for "National Ambient Air Quality Standards." The Clean
Air Act requires EPA to set a primary and secondary NAAQS for each crite-
ria pollutant. Primary standards set limits to protect public health, including
the health of "sensitive" populations such as asthmatics, children, and the
elderly. Secondary standards set limits to protect public welfare, including pro-
tection against decreased visibility and damage to animals, crops, vegetation,
and buildings.
A odorless, colorless gas composed of three atoms of oxygen. Ozone occurs
both in the Earth's upper atmosphere, where it forms a protective barrier that
shields people from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, and at ground level.
Ground-level ozone is a major ingredient of smog, and it can harm people's
health by damaging their lungs.
GLOSSARY
G-l
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Particulate matter
Quality assurance
Quality control
Real time
SLAMS
SOPs
A type of air pollution made up of a mixture of solid particles and liquid
droplets found in the air. Particulate matter includes dust, soot, and other
tiny particles that are released into and move around in the air. Particulates
are produced by many sources, including fuel combustion, power plants,
industrial processes, construction, operation of fireplaces and wood stoves,
and forest fires. The term "fine particulate matter" (known as PM2 5) refers
to particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. PM10 contains particles
that are less than 10 micrometers in diameter.
An integrated system of management activities involving planning, imple-
mentation, documentation, assessment, reporting, and quality improvement
to ensure that a process, item, or service is of the type and quality needed
and expected by the client.
The overall system of technical activities that measures the attributes and
performance of a process, item, or service against defined standards to verify
that they meet the stated requirements established by the customer; opera-
tional techniques and activities that are used to fulfill requirements for
quality.
In this handbook, the term "real time" is used to indicate that data are
presented to the public almost as soon as they are collected, with only a
slight delay for data processing and quality assurance. AirBeat reports pollu-
tant concentrations as hourly averages, with results generally made available
to the public within 15 minutes of the end of the averaging period.
SLAMS stands for "State and Local Air Monitoring Stations." A SLAMS
system consists of a carefully planned network of fixed monitoring stations
which carry out ambient air monitoring for criteria pollutants under the
Clean Air Act. EPA uses SLAMS data to determine if an area is meeting the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards for criteria pollutants.
SOP stands for "Standard Operating Procedure." An SOP is a set of written
instructions that document a routine or repetitive activity followed by an
organization. In an environmental data collection effort, the development
and use of SOPs are an integral part of a successful quality system as it
provides individuals with the information to perform a job properly, and
facilitates consistency in the quality and integrity of the product or end
result.
B-2
GLOSSARY
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APPENDIX A: THE PASO DEL NDRTE ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING PROJECT
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project addresses the critical issue of data processing and
dissemination for a border area between the United States and Mexico known as "El Paso del Norte".
This project provides the public with timely air quality, traffic, and weather information for the Paso del Norte
region. Because the region spans the U.S.- Mexico border and is home to a rapidly growing and bilingual popu-
lation, the project was presented with unique challenges and serves as a prototype for international involvement
and cooperation.
Three types of environmental data are collected in the Paso del Norte region: air quality, traffic, and weather.
Air quality data for ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide (CO), and participate matter are used to inform the
public about increased air pollution and associated health risks. Traffic information obtained through roadway
monitoring is used to inform the public about volume delays, road construction delays, accidents, and other
impedances. In addition, traffic data are incorporated into air quality analyses. This synthesis is critical because
vehicles, particularly idling vehicles at border crossings, are a major contributor to air quality problems in the
region. Weather information is practical both as helpful day-to-day information and as an air pollution indicator.
The Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project aims to improve the dissemination of information
through:
• Coordination among various agencies, institutions, organizations, and broadcasters within the Paso del
Norte region.
• Development of standards for sharing information and displaying it to the public and decision-makers in
the region.
• Establishment of a communications infrastructure for timely environmental information.
• Public outreach programs that improve local understanding of individual actions that can be done to
improve the quality of the environment.
• Education of future generations by developing opportunities for students to conduct research and become
involved in the improvement of the environment.
PROJECT PARTNERS
The City of El Paso is the lead agency for the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project. Project part-
ners include the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission,
the El Paso City County Health Management District, the New Mexico Environment Department, and
Departamento de Ecologia en Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
The support of these agencies and institutions arose from the official support of the Joint Advisory Committee
(JAC), a bi-national organization that meets quarterly to review and make recommendations related to projects
to improve air quality in the Paso del Norte region. Because the JAC includes representatives from federal, state,
and local governments, educational institutions, industry, and others, its endorsement helps ensure cooperation
and on-going support from the many entities needed to implement the Paso del Norte project.
MONITORING
Air Quality
Twenty-five existing continuous air monitoring stations (CAMS) are used to collect air quality data: 14 in
Texas, six in New Mexico, and five in Mexico. Data are collected every 5 minutes at the monitoring stations.
CAMS in the Paso del Norte region are operated by four separate government agencies, serving three states in
two countries. Monitoring station calibration occurs every 28 days during the colder months, and span checks
are performed once a week.
APPENDIX A A-I
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Traffic
In the El Paso Metropolitan area, 600 existing traffic sensors collect speed and volume data and 34 existing
cameras provide video images. Traffic volume information and traffic video images are collected at 5-minute
intervals at fixed locations in El Paso and at fixed locations on some of the highways in the area. Volume
and speed measurements are summarized on an hourly basis, and data sets and displays are refreshed on the
project's Web site every 60 minutes. The project team updates the traffic video images on the Web site every
15 minutes using an automated modem system.
Weather
Wind speed, wind direction, and temperature data are collected at the CAMS in the region and are then
transferred and processed with the air quality data. Other weather data from the National Weather Service
(NWS) in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, are retrieved at a server at UTEP by means of an ftp connection.
Visibility images from NWS satellite links and the UV index forecast from EPA's Sun Wise Program Web
site also are transferred to UTEP. These data are processed through a series of algorithms and redisplayed.
Current temperature, UV intensity, relative humidity, wind speed, and heat index readings appear in digital
form on the Paso del Norte project Web site. Graphs showing changes in various weather parameters also
are on the Web site.
DATA MANAGEMENT
Air quality data, traffic volume data, traffic video images, weather data, and static and live images from a
Webcam are transferred from monitoring locations, hubs, and Web sites run by multiple agencies. As with
other aspects of the Paso del Norte project, communications between agencies is vital to processing the timely
environmental data. UTEP collects and processes the data from the different agencies to upload onto the
project Web site. Data storage for the Paso del Norte project includes an ftp server and access via interactive
searches and select features provided on the project's Internet server. Queries can be performed in the air and
traffic databases to identify data sets of interest and download them using anonymous ftp file transfer.
DUTREACH AND EDUCATION
There are five major elements of the Paso del Norte project's outreach program: the project's Web site,
Ozone Action Days, the Community Scholars Program, television outreach, and digital information read-
outs. The project's Web site (http://www.ozonemap.org), which contains all of the collected data and is
presented in both English and Spanish, is the primary vehicle for communicating timely information. This
Web site also includes a link to Ozone Action Days, a Webpage that describes an ozone action day, provides
information on how to protect yourself on such days, and provides recommendations on what not to do
(e.g., avoid driving at lunchtime) on an ozone action day. The Community Scholars Program is a grant-
funded, non-profit summer internship program designed to foster leadership skills in local high school
students by involving them in research on environmental issues. The regional broadcast affiliate, KFOX,
broadcasts air quality information and announces ozone action days during their evening broadcasts, and a
local television station (Channel 56) and Universidad Autonoma de Cd. Juarez provide daily visualizations
of carbon monoxide and ozone levels in Cd. Juarez during the evening news. In addition, digital readouts
located in strategic areas are used to provide information on environmental and traffic conditions.
In order to make the data provided in these outreach activities as accessible as possible, the Paso del Norte
project uses data visualization tools to graphically depict information. Examples include 3D maps, color-
coding, tables and charts, CIS, and live and static images. Graphic representations of environmental data
are used on Web sites, in reports and educational materials, and in other outreach and communication ini-
tiatives. All of these materials can be viewed in English or in Spanish, and certain formats are downloadable
by the public or by local television stations for rebroadcast.
A-2
APPENDIX A
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APPENDIX B: THE ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY AIR
PROJECT
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The St. Louis Community Air Project (CAP) is a multi-year commitment to better understand the presence
of air pollutants in St. Louis and take the necessary steps to improve the air quality. CAP seeks to achieve
this goal by involving the community in the development and implementation of the project from start to
finish. Through risk education, CAP will enable the public to understand: 1) what pollutants are being
monitored, 2) the concept of risk, and 3) how to compare ambient monitoring data to health benchmarks.
As a result of CAP, the community will be able to identify pollutants of concern and their sources, as well as
develop and implement community-based risk-reduction projects. By identifying the pollutants that repre-
sent the greatest health risk, continually monitoring them, and communicating monitoring results directly
to the community, CAP seeks to effectively address the air quality issues that are most vital to the public.
There are two key elements of the CAP program: flexible research and community outreach. Unlike many
other programs, CAP did not set out to monitor a predetermined set of pollutants. Instead, it began by
monitoring a range of 93 different pollutants in order to identify the set of pollutants that posed the most
health risk to the local community. It then tailored an ongoing monitoring and research program to address
those key pollutants. This flexibility has allowed the program to evolve over time to fit the needs of the
community. In addition, the local community has been involved in developing and implementing the CAP
program through monthly community partnership meetings. These meetings give community representa-
tives an opportunity to help direct the CAP project, communicate to the project coordinators what
resources the community would find most useful, and learn about the most recent findings of the ongoing
program research.
Although several project monitoring stations will continue operating indefinitely, the final St. Louis CAP
report is expected in October 2003.
PROJECT PARTNERS
CAP is a partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Missouri Department of Natural
Resources (DNR), and the City of Saint Louis, which includes the Saint Louis Association of Community
Organizations (SLACO), Washington University in St. Louis, and St. Louis University's School of Public
Health, as well as various industry representatives, and health and environmental organizations.
MONITORING
CAP began monitoring air pollutants including carbonyls, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), metals, and
semi-volatiles in May 2001. The project utilizes three monitoring stations—one core station and two satel-
lite VOC stations. Multiple monitoring locations allow CAP to monitor VOC pollutants both spatially and
temporally to better characterize mobile, industrial, and area source influences. When choosing locations for
the project monitoring stations, researchers used the following criteria: vertical placement at either ground
level or on the roof of a 1- or 2-story building; enough distance from obstructions to have adequate airflow
(using the rule that the distance from an obstruction must be twice the distance between their heights); and
a distance of at least 45 feet from smaller residential streets, 100 feet from major roads, and a quarter mile
from any freeways.
The data collected at the core monitor indicate that formaldehyde, an EPA-identified health risk, is present
in amounts that exceed long-term health benchmarks for both cancer and non-cancer risks. A review of the
data also indicates a possibility that peak ambient levels may periodically exceed short-term health bench-
marks. Other pollutants of concern include benzene and arsenic.
APPENDIX B B-I
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As a result of the high formaldehyde levels identified by the core monitor, CAP plans to operate two
additional formaldehyde stations in the St. Louis area during the summers of 2002 and 2003 to assess both
spatial and temporal variations. At a one-time cost of $148,000, Missouri DNR and EPA purchased an
optical absorption spectrometer that is capable of monitoring 10 different pollutants, including formal-
dehyde and benzene in real time (5-minute intervals, rather than the standard 24-hour intervals).
This enhanced monitor will be installed and operated by Washington University, and will allow CAP to
better characterize short-term exposure risks of formaldehyde. In addition, CAP is sponsoring supplemental
formaldehyde research at an existing Missouri DNR station in the rural area outside of St. Louis to
determine if the elevated formaldehyde levels are due in part to isoprene emissions given off by oak trees.
DATA MANAGEMENT
CAP does not have a complex data management system because it does not currently provide real-time
data and therefore does not have the same volume of data to handle as other research projects. Currently,
24-hour samples from all of the monitoring sites are analyzed, approved by the Missouri DNR, and
eventually posted on a public Web page. Data management needs are likely to increase when the new
CAP program Web site and real-time monitoring station come online.
DUTREACH AND EDUCATION
From its inception, CAP has involved the local community in the project planning and development
process, and has informed the public of air quality measurement results through outreach and education.
CAP's outreach and education plan is defined in an official CAP document called the Community
Involvement Plan (CIP), which consists of four elements: outreach and education, engagement, results,
and resources.
As part of the outreach portion of the CIP, CAP holds monthly partnership meetings with stakeholder
organizations, community members, and other interested parties. These meetings, begun in late 2000, have
been very successful and draw 30 to 40 participants each month. The meetings provide a forum for partici-
pants to help establish air quality health benchmarks, set the CAP agenda, and learn about the latest project
findings. Community input gathered during these meetings is a driving force in the ongoing evolution of
CAP.
CAP also developed a project Web site to provide the community with access to information and the
opportunity to become engaged in local efforts to improve air quality. In 2002, CAP planned to update
the Web site to provide sample results from the ambient air (24-hour) monitoring, as well as other relevant
health and air quality information. To learn more about the CAP project, please refer to their current
Web site at http://stlouis. missouri. orghtlcaplindex. htm.
B-2
APPENDIX B
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APPENDIX C: THE ST. LOUIS REGIONAL CLEAN AIR
PARTNERSHIP
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership is a public-private partnership formed to raise awareness of
regional air quality issues and to encourage activities to reduce emissions of air pollutants. The Partnership
promotes a variety of programs to:
• Increase public awareness of air quality issues.
• Increase public participation in emission reduction activities.
• Increase participation of regional institutions in emissions reduction activities.
• Increase responsible decision-making that incorporates air quality considerations.
The Partnership is particularly noteworthy because of its innovative outreach and education campaign.
Unlike the other programs described in this document, the Partnership does not perform any pollutant
monitoring or data analysis. It simply gathers data published by outside sources and disseminates it to the
local community using a program Web site (www.cleanair-stlouis.com), e-mails and broadcast faxes, the local
television news, and other outlets.
PROJECT PARTNERS
The St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership was created in 1995 by the American Lung Association, the
St. Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association, Washington University, and other partners. The
Partnership has since grown and now includes the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency, East-West Gateway Coordinating Council, RideFinders, the Missouri
and Illinois Departments of Transportation, the Bi-State Development Agency, KMOV-TV, several cultural
organizations, and a variety of other local stakeholders.
MONITORING
The Partnership does not independently monitor air quality. It uses ozone data from 16 monitors operated
by the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency.
DATA MANAGEMENT
The Partnership has practically no data management needs because it does not operate monitoring stations
or process its own data. Ozone data gathered at the city, county, and state monitors are posted on the
Internet by the individual agencies, and the Partnership simply downloads this publicly available data.
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
There are four main components of the Partnership's outreach and education campaign: the program Web
site, televised ozone forecasts, an ozone warning listserv, and the Clean Air Pass.
The Partnership Web site (www.cleanair-stlouis.com) provides an air quality forecast, links to information on
Partnership initiatives, FAQs, archived ozone data, and links to relevant articles and press releases. Through
the Web site, air quality information is available to the public 24 hours a day.
The Partnership works with KMOV-TV, the local CBS affiliate, to produce and publicize a daily air quality
forecast. During its initial stages, the Partnership used grant money to purchase a computer model that
produces an air quality forecast using data drawn from the local monitoring stations. The Partnership gave
the software to KMOV on the condition that it publicize the daily air quality forecast during its local news
broadcast. The Partnership trained the station's staff to use the software and input the necessary data, and
APPENDIX C c-i
-------
worked closely with meteorologists at the station to perfect the model. KMOV now produces the daily
forecast with no aid from the Partnership at an estimated annual cost of about $350,000 and broadcasts the
forecast on all of its local news shows. The Partnership in turn features the forecast in a central location on
its Web site.
The daily air quality forecast is designed to be as easy to understand as possible. Air quality is reported using
the colors of EPA's Air Quality Index—red for unhealthy, orange for unhealthy for sensitive groups, yellow
for moderate, and green for good. Interested persons can sign up for an e-mail alert if the forecast is red or
orange. The e-mail alerts are distributed via a listserv, which the Partnership contracts out to a local consult-
ant for a minor fee. Free listserv services are also available through companies such as Topica
(www.topica.com). The "e-alert" program has received positive feedback from the community, and is an
extremely cost-efficient program for the Partnership to run.
The Partnership also works with the Bi-State Development Agency, KMOV-TV, and Schnucks Markets to
provide the "Clean Air Pass" program. In order to help control air pollution, the Clean Air Pass allows resi-
dents to ride public transportation at a discounted rate during summer months when ground-level ozone
levels are at their highest. The 3-month pass (June through August) is available on the Partnership's Web
site, at the MetroRide Store, and at most Schnucks Markets.
C-2
APPENDIX C
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&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Delivering Timely Air Quality,
Traffic, and Weather
Information to Your r^i
Community
The Paso del Norte Environmental
Monitoring Project
E M P A € T
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access
& Community Tracking
-------
Disclaimer: This document has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement
or recommendation of their use.
-------
EPA/625/R-02/013
February 2003
DELIVERING TIMELY AIR QUALITY,
TRAFFIC, AND WEATHER INFORMATION
TO YOUR COMMUNITY
THE PASO DEL NORTE ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING PROJECT
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Cincinnati, OH 45268
50% Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with vegetable-based ink on
paper that contains a minimum of
50% post-consumer fiber content
processed chlorine free
-------
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The development of this handbook was managed by Scott R. Hedges (U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory) with the
support of Eastern Research Group, Inc., an EPA contractor. EPA would like to thank the following people
and organizations for their substantial contributions to the contents of this handbook:
• Ricardo Dominguez, City of El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization
• Salvador Gonzalez-Ayala, Institute Municipal de Investigation y Planeacion, Ciudad Juarez,
Chihuahua, Mexico
• Robert W. Gray, RE., University of Texas at El Paso
• Chuck Koosian, City of El Paso, Texas
• City of El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization, Transportation Policy Board
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
• El Paso City-County Health and Environment District
• New Mexico Environment Department
• Departmento de Ecologia de Cuidad Juarez
• University of Texas at El Paso Center for Environmental Resource Management
• Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez
II
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CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1-1
1.1 About the EMPACT Program 1-2
1.2 About the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project 1-2
1.3 About This Handbook 1-5
1.4 For More Information 1-6
CHAPTER 2 HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK 2-1
CHAPTER 3 COLLECTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 3-1
3.1 Air Quality Monitoring: An Overview 3-1
3.1.1 Design Factors for Air Quality Monitoring 3-2
3.1.2 Selecting Your Air Quality Monitoring Equipment and Locations 3-8
3.1.3 Installing, Operating, and Maintaining Air Quality
Monitoring Equipment 3-10
3.2 Traffic Monitoring: An Overview 3-14
3.2.1 Design Factors for Traffic Monitoring 3-14
3.2.2 Selecting Your Traffic Monitoring Equipment and Locations 3-17
3.2.3 Installing, Operating, and Maintaining Traffic Monitoring Equipment . . . 3-19
3.3 Collecting Weather Information 3-21
3.3.1 Weather Parameters 3-21
3.3.2 Sources of Information 3-22
3.4 Lessons-Learned From the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project . . 3-23
CHAPTER 4 PROCESSING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 4-1
4.1 Processing Environmental Information: An Overview 4-1
4.2 Transferring Environmental Data to Your Central Hub 4-1
4.2.1 Data Transfer Components 4-2
4.2.2 Paso del Norte Project—Data Transfer Components 4-3
4.3 Managing Environmental Data 4-5
4.3.1 Formatting and Processing Data 4-6
4.3.2 Storing Data 4-7
4.3.3 Using Data in Models 4-7
4.4 Lessons Learned From the Paso del Norte Environmental
Monitoring Project 4-8
MI
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CHAPTER 5 DEPICTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 5-1
5.1 What Is Data Visualization? 5-1
5.2 Data Visualization Tools Employed In the Paso del Norte
Environmental Monitoring Project 5-2
5.2.1 Maps 5-2
5.2.2 Color Coding 5-3
5.2.3 Tables and Charts 5-4
5.2.4 Geographic Information System (GIS) 5-4
5.2.5 Live and Static Images 5-4
CHAPTER 6 COMMUNICATING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 6-1
6.1 Creating an Outreach Plan for Near Real-Time Environmental Data 6-1
6.2 Elements of the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project
Outreach Program 6-5
6.3 Resources for Presenting Environmental Information to the Public 6-8
CHAPTER 7 COMMUNICATING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 7-1
7.1 Building on Existing Programs 7-1
7.2 Housing Your Database and Web Server 7-2
7.3 Public Support 7-2
7.4 What Data To Collect 7-2
APPENDIX A A-l
Case Study: Tucson, Arizona, Air Info Now Project A-l
Case Study: AirBeat Project of Roxbury, Massachusetts A-5
APPENDIX B B-l
List of Useful Web Sites and References . . B-l
IV
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1
INTRODUCTION
A ir in many United States cities is polluted by emissions from sources such as cars
L\ and trucks, power plants, and manufacturing processes. Air pollution can even come
JL JLfrom everyday activities such as dry-cleaning clothes, filling your car with gas, and
painting. When gases and particles from theses activities accumulate in the air in high
enough concentrations, they can harm human health and the environment. More people
in cities and surrounding areas means more cars, trucks, and industrial and commercial
operations, and generally means more air pollution. Often, terrain and meteorological
conditions complicate air quality issues in an area.
Although the national trend is toward better outdoor air quality, there are some urban areas
where improvement is not occurring. In those areas, the concentration of pollutants such as
carbon monoxide (a product of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels), ground-level ozone,
(formed by the chemical reaction of pollutants in the emissions from vehicles and other
sources), and particulate matter (dry particles and liquid droplets emitted by sources such as
vehicles, factories, and construction activities) in the air is increasing. Concentrations of
outdoor air pollutants vary from day-to-day and even during the course of a day.
To protect their health, the public needs timely information on air quality and other factors
(e.g., weather conditions) that affect air quality. Access to air quality forecasts allows residents
to reduce their exposure when pollutant concentrations are high. This is important particu-
larly to people who are sensitive to certain pollutants' harmful effects. For example, people
with asthma may be sensitive to ground-level ozone and people with heart disease may be
sensitive to carbon monoxide.
In 2000, a team of academic and government organizations launched a project to
communicate timely environmental information to the public in the bi-national, tri-state
metropolitan region that encompasses Ciudad (Cd.) Juarez, Mexico; El Paso County, Texas;
and Dona County, New Mexico. This project, known as the Paso del Norte Environmental
Monitoring Project, was funded with a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's EMPACT Program. The project goals are to:
• Develop standards for sharing and displaying environmental information.
• Establish an infrastructure for communicating timely environmental information.
• Provide timely environmental information to the public and to the decision-makers
in the Paso del Norte region.
• Improve coordination of environmental projects between various agencies,
institutions, and organizations in the Paso del Norte region.
• Improve the public's understanding of individual actions that improve the
environment.
• Educate future generations by providing opportunities for students to conduct
research on and become involved in environmental issues.
• Share the project results with other regions in the country.
INTRODUCTION 1-1
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The Paso del Norte Project leveraged several existing efforts through which environmental
information is collected in the Paso del Norte region. The collected information is transmit-
ted to a central location, processed, and then communicated to the public through the Paso
del Norte Project. Information collected through the leveraged efforts includes:
• Air pollutant concentration data (ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter)
collected by various agencies in Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico.
• Traffic volume data collected by the City of El Paso's Department of Traffic and
Transportation and by the Texas Department of Transportation.
• International bridge crossing wait times provided by the U.S. Customs and Immigration
Service. The Association of Maquilas also has developed an infrastructure to provide
timely information on the number of bridge crossings and observed wait times.
• Static and live images from a webcam and video images of current traffic conditions
at various locations in the Paso del Norte region.
• Weather data from the National Weather Service Web site.
This technology transfer handbook presents a case study on the Paso del Norte Project.
It describes how the Paso del Norte Project started, how near real-time air quality, traffic, and
weather data1 are collected in the Paso del Norte region, how those data are processed and then
communicated to the public, and presents lessons learned from the project. The handbook also
provides readers with information on how to develop similar air quality, traffic, and weather
monitoring, data processing, and outreach programs for their communities. The handbook is
written primarily for community organizers, non-profit groups, local government officials,
tribal officials, and other decision-makers who implement, or are considering implementing,
environmental monitoring and outreach programs.
1.1 ABOUT THE EMPACT PROGRAM
This handbook was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through
their Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT)
program. EPA created the EMPACT program to promote new and innovative approaches
to collecting, managing, and communicating environmental information to the public.
Working with communities across the country, the program takes advantage of new
technologies to provide community members with timely, accurate, and understandable
environmental information they can use to make informed, day-to-day decisions about their
lives. EMPACT projects cover a wide range of environmental issues, including water quality,
ground-water contamination, smog, ultraviolet radiation, and overall ecosystem quality.
Some projects were initiated by EPA, while others were initiated by EMPACT communities
themselves through EPA-funded Metro Grants.
1 .2 ABOUT THE PASO DEL NORTE
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROJECT
El Paso is the dominant city in a larger metropolitan region generally referred to as Paso del
Norte. This a bi-national, tri-state region that encompasses Cd. Juarez, Mexico; El Paso
County, Texas; and Dona Ana County, New Mexico (see Figure 1). Its name originated in
1581 during the first Spanish Expedition. When the Conquistadors saw the fertile oasis in
lln this handbook, "near real-time" describes data collected and communicated to the public in a time frame
that allows the public to use the data to make day-to-day decisions.
i-z CHAPTER 1
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the vast Chihuahuan Desert between the Sierra de Juarez and the Franklin Mountains,
they called it the "Pass of the North." The population includes a mix of Spanish, Mexican,
Indian, and American cultures. The Paso del Norte region is a major port of entry for north-
bound trade and travel from Mexico. Centrally located along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico
border, it also is a major center for east-west transportation.
MEXICO
Figure 1. Location map of the Paso del Norte region.
The population of El Paso, which is located where the states of Texas, New Mexico, and
Chihuahua meet, is more than 600,000. Elsewhere in El Paso County are Fort Bliss, the city
of Socorro, and several other small cities and unincorporated communities. The total county
population exceeds 700,000. Immediately south of El Paso and separated only by the narrow
Rio Grande is Cd. Juarez, a city with an estimated population of 1,300,000. To the northwest
is Sunland Park, New Mexico, a town with a population of approximately 10,000. The com-
bined population of this region is projected to double within the next 25 years.
Cd. Juarez has led Mexico in industrial job growth over the past 10 years, and today Juarez is
Mexico's fourth largest city. The economies of Cd. Juarez and El Paso are interrelated, and
the industrial boom in Cd. Juarez has generated a surge in El Paso's population. The rapid
growth has strained community infrastructures, significantly stressed the region's natural
resources, and exacerbated a number of the region's environmental problems.
INTRODUCTION
1 -3
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One of these environmental problems is air pollution. Terrain and the sun play major roles
in concentrating air pollutants during stagnant conditions in the Paso del Norte region.
Emissions from vehicles, industry, and urban areas also impact the concentration of air
pollutants. Because the region contains multiple jurisdictions in two countries, making the
public aware of the region's air quality problems and getting them involved in solving those
problems is difficult. This is complicated by the need to communicate information to the
public in both English and Spanish. Regardless of these seemingly overwhelming challenges,
efforts of bi-national organizations (including the Paso del Norte Air Quality Task Force and
the Joint Advisory Board) are helping to reduce exposure to unhealthy air quality conditions
by reducing air emissions in the region. In fact, El Paso's air quality is showing signs of
improvement to the point where options are being considered for the region to become an
attainment area under the Clean Air Act.
International Cooperation
In the Paso del Norte region, environmental data are collected in three different states in two countries.
These include air quality data, traffic volume data, vehicle emissions data, international bridge crossing and
wait time data, and weather data. Through the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project, these data
are transferred to one database and processed for communication to the public in both English and Spanish.
The Paso del Norte Project empowers the public in the bi-national, tri-state metropolitan region that
encompasses Cd. Juarez, Mexico; El Paso County, Texas; and Dona Ana County, New Mexico, by providing
information they can use to help reduce air pollution in the region. This project could not have been done
without the cooperation of many organizations, including the Institute Municipal de Investigation y
Planeacion in Juarez, Mexico; the City of El Paso, Texas, Metropolitan Planning Organization; the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality; the New Mexico Environment Department; the El Paso City-County
Health and Environment District; the Departamento de Ecologia de Cuidad Juarez, the University of Texas at
El Paso Center for Environmental Resource Management; and Universidad Autonoma de Cuidad Juarez.
The Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project communicates critical environmental information for
a region on the border between the United States and Mexico to the public in both countries. It serves as
a prototype of international involvement and cooperation.
The City of El Paso is the lead agency for the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring
Project. Partnering with the City of El Paso on this project are:
• University of Texas at El Paso.
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
• El Paso City-County Health and Environment District.
• New Mexico Environment Department.
• Departamento de Ecologia en Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
The support of these multiple agencies and institutions arose from official support for the
Joint Advisory Committee (JAC), a bi-national organization that meets quarterly to review
projects to improve regional air quality and make related recommendations. The JAC
contains representatives of federal, state, and local governments; educational institutions;
industry; and other groups. Its endorsement helps ensure cooperation and ongoing support
from the many entities that must implement the Paso del Norte Project.
1 -4
CHAPTER 1
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»
The scope of the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project, which began in January
2000, includes:
• Developing and implementing an automated system to transmit and process air qual-
ity data, traffic information (i.e., traffic counts and traffic conditions), border crossing
information, international bridge wait times, and weather information to the public.
• Establishing a communications link so that daily near real-time traffic volume data
can be input into existing transportation models for the region. The models can thus
generate vehicle emissions estimates that correspond to the observed traffic volumes.
• Updating a current Web site by adding air quality information for particulate matter,
traffic information, and weather information. The site now presents information on
carbon monoxide and ozone.
• Purchasing computers for use in the Community Scholars Program, a pre-existing
non-profit summer internship program for El Paso high school honor students.
Projects in which timely environmental information is transmitted and processed for
communication to the public also are conducted in other communities in the United States.
Two of those projects are the Air Info Now Project in Tucson, Arizona, and the AirBeat
Project in Roxbury, Massachusetts. You may find Appendix As information on these projects
useful as you design and implement your environmental monitoring project.
1.3 ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK
Several communities throughout the United States have expressed interest in initiating
projects similar to the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project. The purpose of
this handbook is to help interested communities and organizations learn more about the Paso
del Norte Project and to provide them with the technical information they can use to develop
their own programs. The Technology Transfer and Support Division of the EPA National Risk
Management Research Laboratory (part of EPAs Office of Research and Development, or
ORD) initiated the development of this handbook in collaboration with EPAs Office of
Environmental Information. ORD, working with the Paso del Norte Project's partners,
produced the handbook to leverage EMPACTs investment in the project and minimize
the resources needed to implement similar projects in other areas.
Both the print and CD-ROM versions of the handbook are available for direct online order-
ing from ORD's Technology Transfer Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl. A PDF version
of the handbook also can be downloaded from that site. In addition, you can order the hand-
book (print or CD-ROM version) by contacting ORD Publications by mail or telephone at:
EPA ORD Publications
26 W Martin Luther King Dr.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268-001
EPA NSCEP toll free: 1-800-490-9198
EPA NSCEP local: 513-489-8190
Please make sure that you include the title of the handbook and the EPA document number
in your request. We hope you find the handbook worthwhile, informative, and easy to use.
INTRODUCTION 1-5
-------
1.4 FDR MORE INFORMATION
Try the following resources for more information on the issues and programs this
handbook discusses:
EMPACT Program
http://www. epa.gov/empact/
Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project
http-.llwww. ozonemap. org
Air Quality Monitoring
http://www.epa.gov/airnow/cdmanual.pdf
http-.llwww. epa.gov/ttn/amtic
Traffic Monitoring
http://www.fhwa. dot.gov
1-6 CHAPTER 1
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2
HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK
This handbook provides you with suggestions that may help you develop a program
to provide timely environmental information to your community in an easily under-
standable format. Using the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project as
a case study, the handbook contains information on how to:
Collect, transfer, and
m!*nage near real-lir
levelop data
sualization
Develop a plan to
communicate environmental
information to your
community
• Chapter 3 provides information on collecting timely environmental information.
The chapter includes discussions of what air quality, traffic, and weather information
to collect, and focuses on the environmental information collected in the Paso del
Norte Environmental Monitoring Project.
• Chapter 4 discusses how to transmit, store, retrieve, and analyze environmental infor-
mation using automated equipment. The chapter focuses on how this was done in the
Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project.
• Chapter 5 provides information on how to present environmental information in an
understandable manner. It focuses on the data visualization tools used in the Paso del
Norte Environmental Monitoring Project.
• Chapter 6 outlines the steps involved in developing an outreach plan to communicate
environmental information to your community. It also provides information about the
Paso del Norte Project's outreach efforts. In addition, the chapter contains a list of
resources that can help you develop easily understandable materials to communicate
environmental information to a variety of audiences.
• Chapter 7 discusses how the collection of near real-time environmental data can
be sustained over time. It discusses how to build on existing programs, housing of
databases and Web servers, public support for environmental monitoring, and the
information that can be collected with respect to the availability of funds.
This handbook is designed for decision-makers considering whether to implement a near real-
time environmental monitoring program in their communities and for technicians responsible
for implementing these programs. Managers and decision-makers likely will find the initial
general discussions and sections of Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 most helpful. The discussions in
the latter sections of these chapters, which are targeted primarily for professionals and techni-
cians, provide detailed "how to" information. Chapter 7 is designed for managers.
The handbook also refers you to supplementary sources of information, such as Web sites and
guidance documents, where you can find additional guidance with a greater level of technical
detail. Appendix B includes a list of Web sites and resources you may find helpful in develop-
ing an environmental monitoring program. Interspersed throughout the handbook are text
boxes that describe some of the lessons learned by the Paso del Norte Project Team in develop-
ing and implementing its data transfer, data management, and outreach programs.
Haw Tn USE THIS HANDBOOK
2-1
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3
COLLECTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION
This chapter provides information about collecting timely environmental
information—the first step in generating information about the environment and
making the information available to the public. Near real-time environmental data
are collected and communicated to the public in a time frame that allows the public to use
the data in making day-to-day decisions impacted by environmental conditions. They also
can be used to see changes over time in the values for the parameters measured.
This chapter begins with a general overview of air quality monitoring in Section 3.1,
including a discussion of factors to consider when selecting the parameters to monitor and
the monitoring frequency for those factors, as well as a discussion of the selection, installa-
tion, operation, and maintenance of air quality monitors. It concludes with a discussion of
air quality monitoring in the Paso del Norte Project. Section 3.2 provides a general overview
of collecting traffic data. It discusses locating traffic monitors, frequency of monitoring,
selecting monitoring equipment, and the installation, operation, and maintenance of traffic
monitoring equipment. Traffic monitoring conducted as part of the Paso del Norte Project
also is discussed in this section. Section 3.3 reviews collection of weather information.
As mentioned previously, the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project leverages
several existing programs. Air quality data are collected through existing continuous air
monitoring stations, (CAMS), traffic monitoring data are collected using existing traffic
sensors, and weather data are obtained from the National Weather Service. Collected data
are processed and communicated to the public through the Paso del Norte Project.
Readers primarily interested in an overview of environmental monitoring might want to
focus on the introductory information in Sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. If you are responsible
for the actual design and implementation of a monitoring project, you should review all
of the information in those sections. They introduce the specific steps involved in
developing and operating a remote near real-time environmental monitoring project and
explain where to find additional guidance. Throughout the chapter, decisions made for the
Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project are discussed.
3.1 AIR QUALITY MONITORING: AN OVERVIEW
The Clean Air Act (CAA) is the comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions in
the United States. Among other things, the CAA requires EPA to set standards for "criteria
pollutants"—six commonly occurring air pollutants, including ground-level ozone, carbon
monoxide, and particulate matter. These standards, known as the National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS), are national targets for acceptable air concentrations of each
of the criteria pollutants. For each pollutant, EPA develops two NAAQS:
• The "primary standard," which protects public health.
• The "secondary standard," which prevents damage to the environment and property.
A geographic area that meets the primary health-based NAAQS is called an attainment area.
Areas that do not meet the primary standard are non-attainment areas. More information
about the CAA (including the full text of the Act and a Plain English Guide to the Act)
can be found at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/laws.htm.
COLLECTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 3-1
-------
The CAA requires each state to develop a State Implementation Plan (SIP). A SIP describes
the programs a state uses to maintain good air quality in attainment areas and meet the
NAAQS in non-attainment areas. For example, if a city or region is a non-attainment area
for carbon monoxide, the SIP describes the programs used to meet the NAAQS for carbon
monoxide. In the Paso del Norte Region, El Paso County, Texas, is a non-attainment area
for ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter, and two areas in southern Dona Ana
County, New Mexico, are non-attainment areas for ozone and particulate matter.
An air monitoring network is an air surveillance system consisting of monitoring stations
that measure ambient air concentrations of pollutants. Data from these stations are used to
determine whether the NAAQS for a pollutant is met. For more information on air quality
monitoring (e.g., information on air quality monitoring methods and technical articles on
air quality monitoring), access the Technology Transfer Network (TTN) Web site of EPA's
Office of Air and Radiation (http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/).
One of the tools that EPA uses to evaluate air quality is an Air Quality Index (AQI). This
index tells you how clean or polluted the air is based on a scale of 0 to 500, and is based on
health effects that can happen within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. EPA
uses the AQI to gauge air quality with respect to five of the six air pollutants regulated by
the CAA: ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and
nitrogen dioxide (see the box on page 3-3). More information on the AQI is available in
Chapter 6 of this manual and on EPA's AirNow Web site (http://www.epa.gov/airnow/).
3.1.1 DESIGN FACTORS FDR AIR QUALITY MONITORING
To design your air monitoring program, you must first identify the purpose of the
monitoring. Your reasons may be one or more of the following:
• To improve public awareness of air pollution, reduce health risks from air pollution,
or develop ways to reduce air pollution.
• To identify current and potential air pollution problems.
• To monitor trends or changes in air quality.
• To gather information for the design of pollution prevention or restoration projects.
• To monitor pollution reduction activities and determine if the goals of specific
programs are being met.
• To develop emergency response plans for accidental emission releases.
The main purpose of air quality monitoring in the Paso del Norte region is to collect
ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter data.
After you identify the purpose of your air quality monitoring program, consider the
following factors in designing the program:
• What area do you want to include in the program?
• Are there already air monitors in place?
• What air pollution sources are in your area?
• Which parameters should you measure?
• How often should you measure the parameters?
3-2 CHAPTER 3
-------
T
Criteria Air Pollutants
Ozone. Ozone is a secondary pollutant formed in the atmosphere by reactions between oxides of
nitrogen (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Depending on the area, ozone generation
may be limited by the concentration of either NOX or VOCs in the atmosphere. Warm, dry, and
cloudless days with low wind speeds are most conducive to ozone formation; these conditions
most often occur during high-pressure weather systems.
Paniculate Matter (PM). The term "particulate matter" includes both solid particles and liquid droplets
found in air. Many man-made and natural sources emit PM directly or emit other pollutants that react in
the atmosphere to form PM. These solid and liquid particles come in a wide range of sizes. Particles
less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10) tend to pose the greatest health concern because they
can be inhaled into and accumulate in the respiratory system. Particles less than 2.5 micrometers in
diameter (PM2 5) are referred to as "fine" particles. Sources of fine particles include all types of
combustion processes (e.g., power plants) and some industrial processes. Particles with diameters
between 2.5 and 10 micrometers are referred to as "coarse." Sources of course particles include
grinding operations and dust from paved or unpaved roads.
Carbon monoxide (CO). Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas. It forms when the carbon in
fuels does not completely burn. Vehicle exhaust contributes roughly 60 percent of all carbon monoxide
emissions nationwide, and up to 95 percent in cities. Carbon monoxide concentrations typically are
highest during cold weather because combustion is less complete in cold temperatures.
Sulfur Dioxide (S02). Sulfur dioxide is a colorless, reactive gas produced during the burning of
sulfur-containing fuels such as coal and oil. Major sources include power plants and industrial boilers.
Nitrogen Dioxide (N02J. Nitrogen dioxide is a reddish brown, highly reactive gas formed when nitric
oxide combines with oxygen in the atmosphere. Once it forms, nitrogen dioxide reacts with other
pollutants (volatile organic compounds). Eventually these reactions result in the formation of
ground-level ozone. Major sources of N02 include automobiles and power plants.
Lead. Lead is a metal found naturally in the environment as well as in manufactured products. The major
sources of lead emissions historically are motor vehicles and industrial sources. Because of the phase-out
of leaded gasoline, metal processing is now the major source of lead emissions. The highest air
concentrations of lead generally are found near lead smelters. Other stationary sources include waste
incinerators, utilities, and lead-acid battery manufacturers. Exposure to lead can adversely effect humans
(e.g., cause damage to kidneys and the liver) as well as animals and fish.
WHAT AREA Do You WANT To INCLUDE IN THE PROGRAM?
You might determine the area you wish to cover according to your organization's jurisdiction.
You also may decide to collect air quality data in multiple jurisdictions to ensure that an
entire region is covered.
In the Paso del Norte region, several communities in two countries form a single metropolitan
area, sharing an "air basin" in the valley created by the Rio Grande between the Franklin
Mountains and the Sierra de Juarez. This common air basin is subject to inversions that trap
pollutants in the cooler air along the valley floor during the morning hours (see Figure 2).
Air quality data are collected in each jurisdiction and used to inform the public about air
quality in the region.
ARE THERE ALREADY AIR MONITORS IN PLACE?
Many agencies and organizations conduct air quality monitoring, including state pollution
control agencies, Indian tribes, city and county environmental offices, EPA and other federal
agencies, and private entities, such as universities, environmental organizations, and indus-
tries. By working with organizations currently collecting air quality data, you might be able
to cover a larger area with less funds when you develop your near real-time air quality
monitoring program.
COLLECTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
3-3
-------
Figure 2. Inversion in the Paso del Norte region.
The Paso del Norte Project gets air quality data from 25 existing CAMS in El Paso County,
Texas; Dona Ana County, New Mexico; and Cd Juarez, Mexico. Figure 3 below shows the
locations of the monitoring stations. Some of these monitors had to be upgraded to collect
near real-time carbon monoxide and particulate matter data.
WHAT AIR POLLUTION SOURCES ARE IN YOUR AREA?
You may determine your air monitoring needs based on the sources of air emissions. In an
urban setting, vehicle emissions may contribute most of the air pollution. In a more rural
setting, emissions from local industries may contribute significantly to the air pollution.
If you are limited in the number of pollutants that you can monitor, monitor the pollutants
that have the greatest effect on air quality in your area.
MS
-- -• •. . 4 I
_
& ™ ' T <•
Mexico
• PM-ltl
* UIT
+ CAMS
•<•.
Vu"
\£*
iff
.
\\
;'*
M63
.
Figure 3. Location of continuous air monitoring stations.
3-4
CHAPTER 3
-------
While brick kilns, unpaved streets, automobile paint shops, and scrap materials used for
home heating and cooking are significant contributors to air pollution in the Paso del Norte
region, the major source of air pollution is vehicle emissions. The impact of vehicle emissions
on air quality is made worse by the fact that vehicle emission inspections are not required in
Mexico. Thus, vehicles in Cd. Juarez with high emissions are not identified and repaired.
WHICH PARAMETERS SHOULD YOU MEASURE?
Parameters that you measure in your air quality monitoring program may depend on the
air quality situation in your area. For example, EPA has designated portions of the Paso del
Norte region as non-attainment area for ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, and particu-
late matter. In addition, based on U.S. air quality standards,2 a large portion of the densely
inhibited core of Cd. Juarez is impacted by ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, and
particulate matter. For these reasons, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate
matter are the air pollutants of concern in the region. Pollutants for which data are collected
at each of the CAMS in the Paso del Norte Region are listed below.
Monitoring Station
Texas Monitoring Stations
Air Parameters
Meteorological Parameters
El Paso Downtown C6
(EPA Site #48-141-0027)
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Wind speed
Resultant wind speed
Resultant wind direction
Maximum wind gust
Standard deviation of horizontal wind direction
Outdoor temperature
EIPasoUTEPC12/C125/C151
(EPA Site #48-141-0037)
CO
Nitric oxide (NO)
Nitric dioxide (N02)
Oxides of nitrogen (NOX)
Ozone
PM10 (standard conditions)
PM25 (local conditions)
Sulfur dioxide (S02)
Wind speed
Resultant wind speed
Resultant wind direction
Maximum wind gust
Standard deviation of horizontal wind direction
Outdoor temperature
Dew point temperature
Relative humidity
Solar radiation
Ultraviolet radiation
Ascarate Park Southeast
C37/C159/C172
(EPA Site #48-141-0055)
CO
NO
N02
NOX
Ozone
PM10 (standard conditions)
Wind speed
Resultant wind speed
Resultant wind direction
Maximum wind gust
Standard deviation of horizontal wind direction
Outdoor temperature
Dew point temperature
Relative humidity
Visibility
Solar radiation
Barometric pressure
El Paso Sun Metro C40/C116
(EPA Site #48-141-0053)
CO
PM25 (local conditions)
S02
Wind speed
Resultant wind speed
Resultant wind direction
Maximum wind gust
Standard deviation of horizontal wind direction
Outdoor temperature
...continued on next page.
2 Except for Mexico City, Mexico does not have air quality standards for ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide,
and particulate matter.
COLLECTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
3-5
-------
Monitoring Station
ChamizalC41/C126
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0044)
Socorro C49
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0057)
Skyline Park C72
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0058)
TillmanC413
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0002)
Ivanhoe C414
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0029)
Northeast Clinic
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0010)
Riverside High School
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0038)
Vilas School
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0041)
Escontrias School
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0043)
Lindberg School
(EPA Site #48-1 41 -0045)
Air Parameters
CO
NO
N02
NOX
Ozone
NO
N02
NOX
Ozone
CO
NO
N02
NOX
Ozone
S02
CO
CO
Ozone
3fc
PM10
PM2.5
PM10
PM10
PMio
Wind speed
Resultant wind speed
Resultant wind direction
Maximum wind gust
Standard deviation of horizontal wind direction
Outdoor temperature
Wind speed
Resultant wind speed
Resultant wind direction
Maximum wind gust
Standard deviation of horizontal wind direction
Outdoor temperature
Wind speed
Resultant wind speed
Resultant wind direction
Maximum wind gust
Standard deviation of horizontal wind direction
Wind speed
Resultant wind speed
Resultant wind direction
Maximum wind gust
Standard deviation of horizontal wind direction
Outdoor temperature
Relative humidity
None
None
None
None
None
New Mexico Monitoring Stations
Sunland(NM12)
(EPA Site #35-01 3-001 7)
La Union (NM13)
Ozone
S02
Ozone
S02
2-meter aspirated temperature
10-meter aspirated temperature
Total solar radiation
Wind speed
Wind direction
Standard deviation of wind direction
2-meter aspirated temperature
10-meter aspirated temperature
Total solar radiation
Wind speed
Wind direction
Standard deviation of wind direction
...continued on next page.
3-6
CHAPTER 3
-------
Monitoring Station
Anthony (NM1 4)
(EPA Site #35-01 3-001 9)
Chaparral (NM51)
(EPA Site #35-01 3-0020)
Desert View (NM52)
(EPA Site #35-01 3-0021)
Santa Teresa (NM53)
(EPA Site #35-01 3-0022)
Air Parameters
PM10
NOX
Ozone
NOX
Ozone
NOX
Ozone
Meteorological Parameters
2-meter aspirated temperature
10-meter aspirated temperature
Total solar radiation
Wind speed
Wind direction
Standard deviation of wind direction
2-meter aspirated temperature
10-meter aspirated temperature
Total solar radiation
Wind speed
Wind direction
Standard deviation of wind direction
2-meter aspirated temperature
10-meter aspirated temperature
Total solar radiation
Wind speed
Wind direction
Standard deviation of wind direction
2-meter aspirated temperature
10-meter aspirated temperature
Total solar radiation
Wind speed
Wind direction
Standard deviation of wind direction
Cd. Juarez, Mexico, Monitoring Stations
Tec de Monterrey
(AIRS ID 80-0060-001)
Pestalozzi
(AIRS ID 80-0060-002)
Zenco Plant
(AIRS ID 80-0060-001)
Advance Transformer
(AIRS ID 80-0070-004)
20/30 Club
(AIRS ID 80-0060-006)
CO
Ozone
PM10
PMio
PM10
CO
Ozone
PMio
CO
Ozone
PMio
None
None
None
None
None
After you have selected your air quality parameters,
you need to determine the method used to analyze a
sample for those parameters. EPA provides technical
guidance on analytical methods for air pollutants.
You can find information on air analytical methods on
the Office of Air and Radiation's TTN Web site
(http://www. epa.gov/ttn/amtic/).
Air quality data for carbon monoxide,
ground-level ozone, and particulate
matter are collected in the Paso del
Norte region because certain areas in
the region are non-attainment areas
for those pollutants.
Haw OFTEN SHOULD You MEASURE FOR CERTAIN PARAMETERS?
Because the public uses near real-time air quality data to help select their daily activities, you
need to collect enough data to report daily trends. Your frequency of monitoring depends on
the kind of air monitoring you do. You can conduct several kinds of air quality monitoring:
• At fixed locations on a continuous basis.
• At selected locations on an as-needed basis or to answer specific questions.
COLLECTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
3-7
-------
• On a temporary or seasonal basis (such as during the summer).
• On an emergency basis.
For the Paso del Norte Project, air quality data are collected every 5 minutes at 25 fixed
locations around the region (see Figure 3). Fourteen of the monitoring locations are in
El Paso, six are in New Mexico, and five are in Cd. Juarez, Mexico.
3.1.2 SELECTING YD U R AIR QUALITY MONITORING
EQUIPMENT AND LOCATIONS
The type of air quality monitoring that you do, the monitoring equipment you select, and
the locations of the monitors depend on your project's objectives. Monitoring either can be
done continuously or for a discrete period. When the operator retrieves and analyzes data
collected at a location different from the monitoring site itself, the monitoring is called
remote. This section discusses the equipment needed for continuous air monitoring and
the location of the air monitoring equipment.
CONTINUOUS AIR MONITORING EQUIPMENT
Equipment needed to perform continuous air monitoring includes a sampler, an analyzer,
a calibration unit, and a data logger. Data can be downloaded from the data loggers to an
offsite computer through a modem connection. To do this, data acquisition and processing
software and a data storage module are needed. For information on selecting monitoring
equipment, go to http://www.epa.gov/airnow/cdmanual.pdf.
Of the 14 CAMS in the Paso del Norte region that are located in Texas, 8 have a
CO monitor, 6 have an ozone monitor, and 8 have a participate matter monitor.
The manufacturers and model numbers for the monitors are:
• CO monitor—TECO Model 48 (monitors operated by the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality) and Dasibi Model 3008 (monitors operated by the El Paso
City-County Health Management District).
• Ozone monitor—Dasibi Models 1003-AH/1008-AH.
• PM10/PM2 5—TEOM Model I400a.
All of the CAMS in Texas have Dasibi 5008 calibration units and Zeno 3200 data loggers.
The three CAMS in Mexico that measure CO and ozone have Dasibi Model 3008 CO
monitors and Dasibi 1003-AH ozone monitors. Wedding PM10 monitors, Dasibi 5008
calibration units, and Zeno 3200 data loggers are used in all five of the Mexico CAMS.
oo
Four of the CAMS in New Mexico have the Thermo 49 ozone monitor and one has a
Dasibi Model 1003-PC ozone monitor. Three of the CAMS have TEOM PM10 monitors
and four have TEOM PM2 5 monitors. CO is not monitored at the New Mexico CAMS.
Three of the CAMS have Thermo 146 gas calibrators, and the Columbia Scientific
Instruments Model 1700 gas calibrator and Dasibi 1008 ozone transfer standards are used
for manual calibration at the other two CAMS where ozone is monitored. Five of the CAMS
have Campbell Scientific, Inc., Model 2IX data loggers, and one has a Campbell Scientific,
Inc., Model 23X data logger.
3-s CHAPTER 3
-------
Air Monitoring Equipment
Sampler. The probe used to extract a sample of a pollutant from the atmosphere must be made of
suitable material. Initially, it is inert. With use, reactive particulate matter may be deposited on the
probe walls. This may affect the probe residence time (i.e., the time it takes for the sample gas to
transfer from the inlet of the probe to the analyzer). For this reason, the condition of the probe
should be checked frequently.
Analyzers. An air quality analyzer measures the concentration of a pollutant in a sample of ambient air.
An analyzer should meet the reference method or equivalent method requirements specified by EPA to
help ensure that air quality measurements are accurate. EPA maintains a current list of all designated
reference and equivalent methods at the Ambient Monitoring Technology Information Center (AMTIC)
Bulletin Board located online at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/.
Before you purchase an analyzer, you should verify that it meets the reference method or equivalent
method requirements. Because manufacturers change or modify analyzers without changing their
model numbers, the model number alone does not necessarily indicate that an analyzer meets the
method requirements.
Calibration units. Calibration determines the relationship between the observed and the true values
of a measured parameter. Accuracy is the extent to which measurements represent their corresponding
actual values, and precision is a measurement of the variability observed over repeated analyses. The
accuracy and precision of data derived from air monitoring instruments depend on sound instrument
calibration procedures.
Data loggers. The analyzers at your monitoring site generate data that must be recorded and reported.
A data logger is a computerized system used to control and record data.
With a data logger, you can interact with software using either a keyboard or an interactive, command-
oriented interface. Data loggers perform the following functions:
• Review collected data.
• Produce printed reports.
• Control the analyzer and other instruments.
• Set up instrument operating parameters.
• Perform diagnostic checks.
Set up external events and alarms.
MONITORING LOCATIONS
You should select monitoring locations that best fulfill the objectives of your remote near
real-time air quality monitoring project. Consider the questions below when choosing your
monitoring location.
COLLECTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
3-9
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Monitoring Location Checklist
a Are the data you collect at these locations likely to fulfill your project's objectives? Specifically, what
questions can you answer with your data, and how will the answers help you to fulfill your objectives?
a Do people in your community support equipment installation and remote near real-time monitoring
at your locations?
a Does the monitoring equipment at your location pose a potential danger to the people in your
community? For example, are your monitoring locations near a heavily trafficked area?
a Is the monitoring equipment safe at your locations? For example, is the equipment susceptible to
vandalism or tampering?
a What local, state, or federal regulations do you need to consider when choosing your locations?
a Is flexibility important to your project? Would you like the option to move your monitoring
equipment to different locations, or would you like to monitor at several locations concurrently?
Q Do you foresee any site-specific problems with installing, operating, and maintaining your monitoring
equipment at these locations? Do these locations pose any safety hazards to your personnel?
a Can you adequately survey and access your locations? What equipment-specific considerations will
you need to make?
3.1.3 INSTALLING, OPERATING, AND MAINTAINING
AIR QUALITY MONITORING EQUIPMENT
After you have completed the planning activities for your air quality monitoring program
(i.e., selecting monitoring equipment and monitoring locations), the next step is to install
the monitoring equipment. When you install your equipment, always consider how you will
operate and maintain the equipment (e.g., is it easily accessible for maintenance?).
INSTALLING AIR QUALITY MONITORS
When you install your air monitoring equipment, always consult the equipment manufac-
turer's manual for any special installation instructions. You also need to control any physical
influences that might affect sample stability, chemical reactions within the sampler, and the
function of sampler components when you install the equipment. This helps ensure that you
receive accurate data from your monitoring station. The table below summarizes physical
influences and the ways in which you can control them.
Variable
Instrument vibration
Method of Control
Design instrument housings and benches according to manufacturer's specifica-
tions. Use shock-absorbing feet for the sampler and a foam pad under the analyzer.
Attempt to find and isolate the source of the vibration. The pumps themselves can
be fitted with foam or rubber feet to reduce vibration. If the pumps are downstream
of the instruments, connect the pumps using tubing that prevents the transfer of
vibrations back to the instruments and instrument rack.
Light
Shield instrumentation from natural or artificial light.
Electrical voltage
Ensure constant voltage to transformers or regulators. Separate power lines. Isolate
high-current equipment such as heating baths and pumps on their circuits. Check
the total amps drawn should be checked before adding another instrument.
Temperature
Regulate the air-conditioning system. Use a 24-hour temperature recorder. Use
electrical heating/cooling only.
Humidity
Regulate the air-conditioning system. Use a 24-hour recorder.
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Your monitoring equipment needs to operate unattended for prolonged periods. Standard secu-
rity measures such as enclosures, fences, and lighting help safeguard the equipment and prevent
interference with equipment operation. To enclose monitoring equipment, you might construct
a shelter or use a trailer with appropriate power, telephone, and air conditioning systems.
Before operating new equipment, you need to assemble the system and perform testing. An
initial calibration also must be performed.
As previously mentioned, air quality data for the Paso del Norte region are collected in 25
CAMS. These existed when the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project was initi-
ated. The locations of the CAMS and the pollutants monitored at each CAMS are listed above.
OPERATING AIR QUALITY MONITORS
After you install your air quality monitors, you should develop written standard operating
procedures (SOPs) that describe the operation of each part of the monitoring station. Be sure
to develop written SOPs for a repetitive or routine procedure that significantly affects data
quality. Information about developing, documenting, and improving SOPs can be found in
Guidance for the Preparation of Standard Operating Procedures for Quality-Related Documents
(EPA/600/R-96/027). To locate this document, search EPA's Web site for documents by
publication number (http://www. epa.gov/clariton/clhtml/pubtitle. html).
You should also conduct quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) checks on your monitoring
equipment to ensure that it functions properly. See the box below for a discussion of these checks.
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Data validation entails accepting or rejecting monitoring data based on routine periodic analyzer checks.
For example, you need to check the analyzer span for excessive drift. If the span drift is equal to or
greater than 25 percent, data are invalid. If this is the case and you only perform span checks at the
minimum recommended frequency of once every 2 weeks, up to 2 weeks of monitoring data may be
invalid. To avoid this situation, you might want to perform span checks more often.
You should analyze the hard copy output from the data logger to detect signs of malfunctions, including:
A straight trace (other than the minimum detectable) for several hours.
• Excessive noise (noisy outputs may occur when analyzers are exposed to vibrations).
A long, steady increase or decrease in deflection.
A cyclic trace pattern with a definite time period, indicating a sensitivity to changes in
temperature or other parameters.
A trace below the zero baseline that may indicate a larger than normal drop in ambient room
temperature or power line voltage.
Span drift equal to or greater than 25 percent.
Data must be voided for any time interval during which the analyzer malfunctions.
In addition, the integrity of air samples may be compromised by faulty delivery systems such as the
sampling interface. For information about QA/QC protocols set forth by EPA, refer to AMTIC's QA/QC
Web site (http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/qaqc.html).
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A typical ambient air quality monitoring station is shown in Figure 4. A constant-speed
vacuum pump draws air into a glass manifold inside the monitoring station. As the air flows
through the manifold, a portion goes through a sample line filter and then through Teflon
tubing to the carbon monoxide monitor. A different portion goes through another sample
line filter and Teflon tubing to the ozone monitor, and the remainder of the air sample is
drawn out of the manifold by the vacuum pump. Heavy particulate matter collects in a trap
at the bottom of the glass manifold. Meteorological data (i.e., wind speed, wind direction,
and temperature) are collected at or close to the top of a tower. Those data and data from
the monitors are sent to a data logger and then retrieved via a modem.
Wind Speed & Direction
Meteorological
Tower
Enclosure
Figure 4. Block diagram of an ambient air monitoring station
CAMS in the Paso del Norte region are operated by four separate government agencies,
serving three states in two countries. Even though there are slight variations in the layout of
the CAMS operated by each agency, the basic layout at each station is the layout in Figure 4.
MAINTAINING AIR QUALITY MONITORS
You will likely focus most of your scheduled equipment maintenance on cleaning and
calibrating your monitoring analyzers to meet your project's QA/QC protocols. The required
effort and frequency for this maintenance depends on the conditions at your monitoring
locations. In addition to cleaning and calibrating your analyzers, you might need to perform
maintenance that depends on factors specific to your project, your community, and your
monitoring locations.
To ensure accuracy and precision of data derived from your air monitoring instruments, you
need to develop reliable instrument calibration procedures. The EPA document Ozone
Monitoring, Mapping, and Public Outreach: Delivering Real- Time Ozone Information to Your
Community (EPA/625/R-99/007) provides two alternative calibration methods: primary
calibration procedures and calibration using a transfer standard. You can find the document
online at http://www.epa.gov/airnow/cdmanual.pdf.
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You also should develop a preventive maintenance plan to ensure that the equipment
monitoring and maintenance procedures are followed consistently. Your preventive
maintenance plan should include:
• A short description of each maintenance procedure.
• The schedule and frequency for each procedure.
• A supply list of critical parts on hand.
• A list of maintenance contracts for instruments.
• Documentation showing that maintenance has been performed as required by
maintenance contracts, the QA/QC plan, or the test plan.
Each component of your monitoring equipment has its own maintenance routine. In many
cases, the equipment manual provided by the manufacturer offers detailed maintenance
procedures. The table below describes the essential equipment maintenance activities.
Maintenance Item
Shelter temperature
Sample introduction
system
Recorder
Data logger
Analyzer operational
settings
Analyzer operational check
Precision check
Acceptance Limits
Mean temperature
between 220° and 280° C
(72° and 82° F), with daily
fluctuation ±2° C(4° F).
No moisture, foreign
material, leaks, or
obstructions; sample line
connected to manifold.
Adequate ink supply and
chart paper. Legible ink
traces. Correct settings of
chart speed and range
switches. Correct time.
Complete data logger
storage or hard copy.
Flow and regulator
indicators at proper
settings. Analyzer set in
sample mode. Zero and
span controls locked.
Zero and span within
tolerance limits as
specified.
Assess precision by
repeated measurements.
Measurement and
Frequency
Check thermograph chart
daily for excessive
fluctuations.
Make weekly visual
inspections.
Make weekly visual
inspections.
Make weekly visual
inspections.
Make weekly visual
inspection.
Check every 2 weeks.
Corrective Action,
if Needed
Mark chart for the affected
period. Repair or adjust
temperature control
system.
Clean, repair, or replace as
needed.
Replenish ink and chart
paper supply. Adjust
recorder time to agree
with the clock; note on
chart.
Perform maintenance
according to manufac-
turer's specifications.
Adjust or repair as needed.
Isolate source of error and
repair. After corrective
action, recalibrate analyzer.
Calculate and report
results of precision check.
Checks performed as part of maintenance activities and the recommended frequency for each
check are listed below.
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Type of Check
Sample flow check
Span check
Recorder span check
Zero check
Control frequency check
Sample frequency check
Temperature check
Pressure check
System leak check
Solenoid valve leak check
Every 24 hours, or on each day when an operator is in
attendance
Every 168 hours of instrument operation
Every 168 hours of instrument operation
Every 168 hours of instrument operation
Every 168 hours of instrument operation
Every 168 hours of instrument operation
Every 720 hours of instrument operation
Every 720 hours of instrument operation
Every 168 hours of instrument operation
Every 720 hours of instrument operation
For the Paso del Norte Project, calibration occurs every 28 days during CO season. Span
checks are performed once a week.
3.2 TRAFFIC MONITORING: AN OVERVIEW
Information obtained through monitoring of traffic is used to inform the public about
traffic delays, road construction delays, accidents, and other impedances. Traffic monitoring
includes using traffic sensors to collect traffic volume and speed information and video
cameras to visualize delays caused by traffic. Other sources of traffic-related information
include county engineering or transportation departments (e.g., for schedules of road
construction) and police and fire departments.
Traffic monitoring information is used to:
• Determine current traffic volumes and show any trends or changes.
• Identify current and potential traffic congestion areas.
• Identify alternative routes.
• Alert the public about traffic impedances.
• Educate the public about the relationship between traffic and air pollution.
• Encourage the use of other modes of transportation (e.g., buses).
• Design transit improvement projects.
Additional information on traffic monitoring is available from the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/. The U.S. Department of Transportation's
Travel Model Improvement Program also provides information on traffic monitoring,
including research on transit modeling and data collection (http://tmip.tamu.edu/).
3.2.1 DESIGN FACTORS FDR TRAFFIC MONITORING
To design your traffic monitoring program, you must first identify the purpose(s) of the
monitoring. In addition to linking traffic data and air quality data, your purpose (s) may be to:
• Enhance public safety.
• Reduce congestion and travel delays.
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• Improve access to traffic information.
• Increase awareness of alternative transit modes.
• Generate cost savings to travelers, transit operators, toll and border crossing authorities,
and government agencies.
• Reduce negative environmental impacts.
Consider the following questions in designing your traffic monitoring project:
• What area do you want to include in the program?
• Are there already traffic monitors or cameras in place?
• Where are the traffic congestion areas in your region?
• What traffic parameters should you monitor?
• How often should you monitor traffic?
For the Paso del Norte Project, the main purpose of collecting traffic information is to
inform the public about daily traffic conditions. The public can use the information to make
decisions about what routes to take and when to travel. Another purpose of collecting traffic
information is to provide information needed to estimate vehicle emissions in the region.
Traffic data are input into transportation models to generate an estimate of the emissions
from vehicle exhausts. This estimate is then used along with other information to educate the
public about air pollution in the region and what they can do to improve air quality (e.g.,
reduce the number of vehicle trips on days when the temperature is high). Less time on the
road results in reduced emissions from vehicle exhausts.
WHAT AREA Do You WANT To INCLUDE IN THE PROGRAM?
As with air quality monitoring, the area in which you wish to conduct traffic monitoring
may depend on the jurisdiction of your organization. You may decide to focus on areas with
the highest traffic volume (e.g., metropolitan areas).
In the Paso del Norte region, sensors and cameras are used on arterials in the city of El Paso
and on certain highways in the region to collect traffic data. Data also are collected at inter-
national bridge crossings using cameras. Traffic monitoring in the region was initiated before
the start of the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project.
ARE THERE ALREADY TRAFFIC MONITORS OR CAMERAS IN PLACE?
State and local transit agencies and organizations conduct traffic monitoring. By working
with these organizations, you can share data collected using existing traffic sensors and
cameras and decide whether additional sensors and cameras are needed. When existing
traffic sensors are used, they may have to be upgraded to provide near real-time traffic data.
In the El Paso metropolitan area, 600 intrusive traffic sensors (i.e., loop detectors using 12 or
14 AWG wire) collect speed and volume data. Traffic information is also collected through a
Video Vehicle Detector System (VIVIDS) loop detector manufactured by Trafficon. A VIVIDS
detector is a camera located on the mast arm of a traffic signal. VIVIDS detectors are used at
several locations in El Paso (e.g., at the intersection of Montana and Airway Streets and along
the Gateway East and West Boulevard). Forty cameras provide video images of traffic condi-
tions in the Paso del Norte region. The Paso del Norte project team installed 16 cameras on
the Mexico side of the international bridges.
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WHERE ARE THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION AREAS IN YOUR REGION?
Your traffic monitoring needs are based on the number of possible congestion areas in your
region, usually major roads, bridges, and intersections. If your resources are limited, you
should monitor those areas that have the greatest affect on traffic in your region.
In the Paso del Norte region, the El Paso City Department of Traffic and Transportation
operates traffic loop counters on major arterials as part of the City's Transportation
Improvement Program. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) collects traffic
volume data on instrumented roadways for portions of 1-10 and U.S. 54, sharing those data
with the City through an ongoing contract with the El Paso Metropolitan Planning
Organization. In addition, traffic information at international bridge crossings (including
wait times) is provided by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service on an hourly basis.
These efforts address the number one need identified in the El Paso Intelligent
Transportation System Early Development Plan: current and reliable traffic information.
Near real-time traffic data are not available for Sunland Park, New Mexico, and Cd. Juarez,
Chihuahua.
WHAT TRAFFIC PARAMETERS SHOULD You MONITOR?
The following traffic parameters may be included in your monitoring program.
• Traffic volume—vehicle count.
• Vehicle presence—whether there is a vehicle in the detection zone of a sensor.
• Vehicle passage—vehicle movement through the detection zone of a sensor.
• Vehicle speed.
• Vehicle classification—by gross vehicle weight.
• Vehicle weight.
• Gap and headway—distance and time intervals between vehicles passing a specified
location.
• Travel time.
• Vehicle and lane occupancy—the number of persons, including driver and passenger (s),
in a vehicle and the number of vehicles in a lane.
The traffic parameters that you monitor are based on your project's objectives and on the
funds available. Different types of traffic monitoring sensor have different applications.
Depending on the number of monitors needed, your budget may dictate the type of
monitors you can install.
Traffic parameters measured in the Paso del Norte region are listed below.
Traffic Monitoring Locations in
the Paso del Norte Region
lnterstate-10
Traffic volume
Vehicle speed
U.S. Route 54
Traffic volume
Vehicle speed
Various locations in city of El Paso
Traffic volume
Vehicle speed
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How OFTEN SHOULD You MONITOR TRAFFIC?
Gathering near real-time traffic data requires frequent monitoring—multiple samples per
hour. The public uses traffic data to plan their activities and you need enough data to report
current information, including delays. You can conduct several kinds of traffic monitoring
projects, such as those:
• At fixed locations on a continuous basis.
• At fixed locations during rush-hour times.
• At selected locations on an as-needed basis or to answer specific questions.
Traffic volume and speed information and traffic video images communicated through the
Paso del Norte Environmental Project are collected at 5-minute intervals at fixed locations in
El Paso and at fixed locations on some of the highways in the area. Volume and speed meas-
urements are summarized on an hourly basis, and data sets and displays are refreshed on the
Internet every 60 minutes. Information on international bridge crossings and wait times
collected by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service is also refreshed on the Internet
every 60 minutes.
3.2.2 SELECTING YD U R TRAFFIC MONITORING
EQUIPMENT AND LOCATIONS
A traffic sensor, one type of traffic monitoring equipment, includes three components:
1) the transducer, 2) the signal processing device, and 3) the data processing device.
Traffic Monitoring Equipment—Sensors
Transducer. Detects the presence or passage of a vehicle or its axles.
Signal processing device. Converts the transducer output to an electrical signal.
Data processing device. Converts the electrical signal from the signal processing device to traffic data.
This device includes computer hardware and firmware.
Reference: Federal Highway Administration 2000. A Summary of Vehicle Detection and Surveillance Technologies Used in
Intelligent Transportation Systems, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/tvtw/vdstits.htm
You can also monitor traffic using still cameras or video cameras to capture traffic volume,
delays, and other obstructions. The video image system includes cameras, computers to
digitize and send the image, and software to interpret the image.
EQUIPMENT SELECTION
Your selection of remote near real-time traffic monitoring equipment depends on your
project's objectives. When selecting monitoring equipment, you should consider equipment
life, reliability, and maintenance requirements.
To decide which traffic monitoring equipment to use in your near real-time environmental
monitoring program, you can consult the Federal Highway Administration's A Summary
of Vehicle Detection and Surveillance Technologies Used in Intelligent Transportation Systems,
located on the FHWA's Web site at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/tvtw/vdstits.htm.
The summary includes principles of operation, applications and uses, advantages and
disadvantages, and other relevant information for the following technologies:
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• Intrusive technologies. Sensors installed directly on or under the pavement surface.
These sensors provide reliable traffic information. One drawback to this type of sensor
is traffic disruption caused for installing and repairing equipment. Intrusive sensors
include:
- Pneumatic road tubes. Monitoring parameters include traffic count (short-term)
and vehicle classification.
- Inductive loop detectors. Monitoring parameters include traffic count; vehicle pres-
ence, passage, speed (using a two-loop speed trap or one loop with algorithms),
and classification; and lane occupancy.
- Piezoelectric sensors. Monitoring parameters include traffic count, vehicle spacing,
vehicle weight, and vehicle speed (using multiple sensors).
- Magnetic sensors. Monitoring parameters include traffic count, vehicle presence
(depending on model), vehicle speed, and lane occupancy.
- Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) sensors. Monitoring parameters include vehicle weight,
traffic count (volume), vehicle speed, and vehicle classification.
• Non-intrusive technologies. Sensors installed above ground (above traffic lanes or on
the side of the road). These sensors provide traffic data with less traffic disruption than
do intrusive technologies. Many of these sensors have multiple lane applications.
Non-intrusive sensors include:
- Video image processors. Monitoring parameters include traffic count; vehicle
presence, occupancy, speed, and classification; and lane occupancy.
- Microwave radars. Monitoring parameters include traffic count; vehicle presence,
speed, and classification; and lane occupancy.
- Passive infrared sensors. Monitoring parameters include traffic count; vehicle
presence, passage, speed, and classification; and lane occupancy.
- Active infrared sensors. Monitoring parameters include traffic count; vehicle
presence, speed, and classification; and lane occupancy.
- Ultrasonic sensors. Monitoring parameters include traffic count, vehicle presence,
vehicle speed (two sensors) and lane occupancy.
- Passive acoustic array sensors. Monitoring parameters include traffic count,
vehicle presence, vehicle speed (with assumed car length), and lane occupancy.
- Combinations of sensor technologies.
When selecting your traffic monitoring equipment, you need to consider outside factors that
might affect the operation of the sensor or camera. Outside factors and the sensitivity of
monitoring equipment to the factors are listed below.
Installation, operation, and maintenance procedures and requirements for traffic sensors
might be a big factor in your choice of monitoring equipment for your project. See Section
3.2.3 for more details on installing, operating, and maintaining traffic monitoring equipment.
A camera used to monitor traffic can be equipped with an automatic zoom lens or a manual
zoom lens. Cameras also have varying magnification capabilities. Depending on the location
and view to cover, you should choose the camera that best fits your location.
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Outside Factors Affecting
Traffic Monitors
Temperature (high or low and
rapid changes)
Heavy usage (wear and tear)
Vehicle speed variation
High vehicle speed
Low vehicle speed
Inclement weather
Headlights/sunlight
Air turbulence
Monitoring Equipment Less
Sensitive to Factors
Quartz sensors (WIM)
Magnetic sensor
Piezoelectric sensor
Microwave radar
Passive acoustic array sensor
(precipitation)
Monitoring Equipment More
Sensitive to Factors
Pneumatic road tube
Inductive loop detector
Piezoelectric sensor
Ultrasonic sensor
Passive acoustic array sensor
Pneumatic road tube
Inductive loop detector
Ultrasonic sensor
Piezoelectric sensor
Passive acoustic array sensor
Video image processor
Infrared sensor
Video image processor
Infrared sensor
Ultrasonic sensor
Reference: Federal Highway Administration 2000. A Summary of Vehicle Detection and Surveillance Technologies Used in
Intelligent Transportation Systems, http://www.jhwa.dot/gov/ohim/tutw/vdstits.htm.
Traffic monitoring equipment used in the El Paso area includes 600 intrusive traffic sensors
and 40 video image cameras (an additional 32 cameras are expected to be installed by the end
of 2003). Sensors collect volume and speed data on the El Paso arterials and on Interstate 10
and U.S. 54. Video images show delays on highways and at international brides. Every camera
has a manual zoom lens with a magnification factor of 4, and is manufactured by COHU.
Data from the traffic sensors on Interstate 10 and U.S. 54 are logged into an automated
traffic management system operated by the TxDOT in Austin. Traffic data collected in the
city of El Paso are logged into a system called QuickNET (from Bytrans) by the City. These
data are then processed for communication to the public.
MONITORING LOCATIONS
You should select monitoring locations that best fulfill the objectives of your remote near
real-time traffic monitoring project. Consider the monitoring location checklist in Section
3.1.2 when choosing your monitoring locations.
3.2.3 INSTALLING, OPERATING, AND MAINTAINING
TRAFFIC MONITORING EQUIPMENT
Planning and coordination are necessary for installing any type of traffic monitoring equip-
ment—sensors or cameras. The installation and maintenance of the equipment may result in
traffic disruption including lane closures. You need to set a schedule and inform the public
before beginning work.
INSTALLING TRAFFIC MONITORING EQUIPMENT
As indicated in the section above, traffic sensors fall into two major categories—intrusive
technologies and non-intrusive technologies. Intrusive sensor installation results in more traffic
disruption than does installation of non-intrusive sensors. Consult the equipment manufac-
turer's manual for detailed instructions on how to install the traffic monitoring equipment.
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When installing video cameras for traffic monitoring, you need to consider various factors.
You need to ensure that the camera is not blocked by large vehicles or other obstructions,
and you need to consider elevation changes, road curves, and overpass and underpass
structures in your line of sight. The camera should be mounted to maximize stability and
image quality in all conditions (e.g., when winds are strong or traffic causes vibrations).
As mentioned previously, existing traffic monitoring equipment is used to collect the traffic
volume data communicated to the public through the Paso del Norte Environmental
Monitoring Project. The City of El Paso's Traffic and Transportation Department operates
loop counters and road traffic cameras on city arterials, and the Institute Municipal de
Investigation y Planeacion operates border crossing cameras at the international bridges in
the Paso del Norte region. In addition, the Texas Department of Transportation operates
loop counters at locations on 1-10 and U.S. 54.
OPERATING TRAFFIC MONITORING EQUIPMENT
Automated traffic monitoring equipment collects traffic data and automatically sends the
information to your database. With non-automated equipment, you must call the monitoring
equipment to download the data. The box below briefly explains how the technologies listed
in Section 3.2.2 work (reference: Federal Highway Administration's A Summary of Vehicle
Detection and Surveillance Technologies Used in Intelligent Transportation Systems, fall 2000).
Operation of Traffic Monitoring Equipment—Brief Overview
Pneumatic road tube. A portable unit that senses vehicle as their tires pass over the tube. The tire causes a pulse
of air pressure to close an air switch. This switch produces an electrical signal that is then sent to the counter.
Inductive loop detector. The inductive loop of the sensor (signals with frequencies between 10 and 50 KHz)
decreases when a vehicle stops or passes over the loop. The oscillation frequency increases, causing the
electronic unit to send a signal to the controller.
Piezoelectric sensor. The sensors create a voltage signal proportional to the force or weight of the vehicle.
Magnetic sensor. Detects the presence of a metallic vehicle based on perturbation of Earth's magnetic field.
WIM sensors.
Bending plate—a unit consisting of plates with strain gauges. The strain value is used to estimate static
weight based on various calibration parameters (e.g., vehicle speed).
• Piezoelectric—see "piezoelectric sensors" above.
• Load cell—weight scales that use a pressure transducer to transmit weight information to data collection
equipment.
• Capacitance mat—a unit consisting of steel sheets and dielectric material. The mat senses vehicles when
the space between the steel sheets decreases (and the capacitance increases).
Video image processor. A system including cameras, a microprocessor-based computer, and image software.
Vehicles are detected by changes between successive frames.
Microwave radar. Detects vehicle presence when transmitted radar energy is reflected back to the antenna.
A receiver can then calculate various traffic monitoring parameters.
Passive infrared sensor. Detects energy (graybody emission due to non-zero surface temperature) emitted
from vehicles, roads, etc.
Active infrared sensor. Detects vehicle presence when transmitted infrared energy is reflected back.
Ultrasonic sensor. Detects vehicle presence when transmitted pressure waves of sound energy are
reflected back.
Passive acoustic array sensor. Detects approaching vehicles using audible sounds. The unit includes an upper
and lower microphone.
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After you install your traffic monitoring equipment, you should develop written SOPs
that describe the operation of each part of the monitoring equipment. Guidance for the
Preparation of Standard Operating Procedures for Quality-Related Documents (EPA/600/R-
96/027) provides information about developing, documenting, and improving SOPs. You
can find it by searching the EPA Web sites for documents by publication number
(http://www. epa.gov/clariton/clhtml/pubtitle. html).
You should also conduct QA/QC checks on your monitoring equipment to ensure that it
functions properly.
MAINTAINING TRAFFIC MONITORING EQUIPMENT
You will likely focus most of your scheduled equipment maintenance on calibrating your
traffic monitoring sensors to meet your project's QA/QC protocols. The required effort and
frequency of maintenance depends on the types of sensors you use and the conditions at your
monitoring locations. In addition to sensor calibration, you might need to perform scheduled
maintenance. Maintenance requirements depend on factors specific to your project and your
monitoring locations.
You also should develop a preventive maintenance plan to ensure that the sensor and
camera operations and maintenance procedures are followed consistently. Your preventive
maintenance plan should include:
• A short description of each maintenance procedure.
• The schedule and frequency for each procedure.
• A list of critical parts on hand.
• A list of maintenance contracts for instruments.
• Documentation that shows maintenance is performed as required by maintenance
contracts, the QA/QC plan, or the test plan.
Each component of your traffic monitoring equipment has its own maintenance routine.
In many cases, the equipment manual provided by the manufacturer offers detailed
maintenance procedures.
Cameras and multiplexers (modems) used in the Paso del Norte region are maintained
once per week. The zoom and focus of the cameras, the condition of the wiring, and all con-
nections are checked, and the equipment is cleaned.
3.3 COLLECTING WEATHER INFORMATION
Weather information is important to the public. They want to know the current weather
conditions as well as the weather forecast. This information also is important with respect to
the air quality of an area. For example, the current temperature is an indicator of the poten-
tial for high ground-level ozone levels, particularly during the summer. The weather forecast
also can be used to help predict future air quality conditions in an area.
3.3.1 WEATHER PARAMETERS
You may want to collect information for some of the weather parameters described below
through your environmental monitoring program.
• Ambient air temperature. The hotness or coldness in the atmosphere.
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• Dew point (or dew point temperature). A measure of atmospheric moisture. It is the
temperature to which air must be cooled to reach saturation (assuming air pressure and
moisture content are constant).
• Depth of inversion layer. The depth of a layer of air where temperature rises with height.
• Mixing height. The height below which relatively vigorous mixing (or vertical mixing)
occurs in the atmosphere.
• Precipitation. Any form of water, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, that falls to the
earth's surface or the amount of rainfall (or other precipitation) that has fallen in a
specific area within a specific time period.
• Pressure. Atmospheric pressure is caused by the weight of the atmosphere. At sea level,
pressure has a mean value of one atmosphere; pressure decreases with increasing altitude.
• Relative humidity—A measure of the water vapor content of the air, usually as a percentage.
• Solar radiation. Radiation from the sun.
• UVforecast. Recommends whether the level of ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the
atmosphere can cause overexposure to various groups of people.
• Visibility. The farthest distance that atmospheric conditions allow one to see without
instruments.
• Wind speed and direction. Usually miles per hour that wind is traveling and the source
direction.
3.3.2 SOURCES DF INFORMATION
The Web site for the U.S. National Weather Service (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/) displays basic
weather information collected through the Automated Surface Observation System. These
data include temperature, wind speed, wind direction, UV radiation intensity, dew point,
and precipitation. The National Weather Service (NWS) updates its weather data hourly,
except for precipitation data, which it updates every 6 hours. This information is available
to the public through a file server at the NWS gateway using file transfer protocol (FTP).
Another source of information on UV radiation is EPA's Sun Wise School Program
(http://www. epa.gov/sunwise/uvindexcontour. html).
Temperature, wind speed, and wind direction data can also be collected at air quality
monitoring stations. The frequency of collection for weather data should be the same as the
frequency of collection for air quality data.
For the Paso del Norte Project, wind speed, wind direction, and temperature data are
collected at the CAMS in the region. These data are then transferred and processed with air
quality data.
As part of the Paso del Norte Project, weather data from the NWS in Santa Teresa, New
Mexico, are retrieved by a server at the University of Texas at El Paso by means of a FTP
connection. These data are processed through a series of algorithms and redisplayed. Current
temperature, UV intensity, relative humidity, wind speed, and heat index readings appear in
digital form on the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project Web site. Graphs
showing changes in various weather parameters also are on the Web site. The UV radiation
information on the Project's Web site comes from EPA's Sun Wise School Program.
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3.4 LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PASO DEL
NDRTE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
PROJECT
Bl-NATIDNAL ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT: KEY TO SUCCESS
The key to the success of the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project is the
endorsement and support of an international organization overseeing air quality in the region.
The Paso del Norte Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) was established through an annex of the
bi-national La Paz Agreement to oversee activities within the regional air basin. The JAC
includes representatives from federal, state, and local governments; utilities; industry; and
educational institutions from both the United States and Mexico. As a result, JAC approval
represents full bi-national cooperation and support from its member organizations.
Equally important, the JAC provides a forum to assign responsibilities and authority for
collecting and processing information. It also is a non-partisan organization through which
all members can take credit for regional accomplishments such as the Paso del Norte
Environmental Monitoring Project.
The JAC developed a strategic plan that includes a work plan to improve air quality in the
Paso del Norte region. Many of the tasks in the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring
Project came directly from the strategic plan. As a result, the Paso del Norte Project is an
integral part of a comprehensive plan developed by a sanctioned bi-national organization.
This helps ensure the success of the current project as well as support to continue the project
beyond the limits of the EMPACT grant. This type of support is very important for projects
that involve multiple jurisdictions.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
After many years of research, vehicles were identified as the most significant source of air
pollution in the Paso del Norte region. To assess the impact of vehicles on air pollution,
the Project collects near real-time information on traffic conditions in the region and at the
international ports of entry. That information, along with near real-time ambient air quality
and meteorological data, is input into various transportation models to develop vehicle
emission estimates. Outputs from the transportation models are then input into the
photochemical modeling being conducted for the region by EPA Region 6 and the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality. A system is needed to integrate all of the near
real-time information that is collected. Geographic information systems (CIS) serve this
role in the Paso del Norte Project.
CIS combine geographic features (described as lines, points, and polygons) with information
stored in tabular or database format. In the Paso Del Norte Project, CAMS are input as
points and contain associated air quality and meteorology information. Roadway segments
are input as lines or polylines, and contain traffic volumes, speeds, and limited vehicle mix
characteristics. Land use is summarized by polygons and equated to general area emissions.
Two CIS programs are used in the Paso del Norte Project: ArcView by Environmental
Science Research Institute and TransCAD by Caliper Corporation. ArcView is used to store
core data along with spatial analysis and to visualize multiple layers or themes such as roads,
terrain, and monitor locations. TransCAD is used for transportation modeling and to
develop emissions estimates. Both of these programs support industry-standard file formats,
which allows data to be shared and exchanged. The role played by these two CIS programs is
critical to the success of the Paso del Norte Project.
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TRANSPORTATION MODELING IN A BI-NATIONAL REGION
An important component of the program to inform the public about air quality in the Paso
del Norte region is the transportation model used to develop vehicle emission estimates for
the region. The input variables for the Paso del Norte transportation model (i.e., the
TransCAD model developed by Caliper Corporation) differ dramatically between El Paso
and Cd. Juarez. For example, peak travel times are different for the two cities and also are
unique for border crossings. In addition, inspection times at bridges differ which affects both
the number of crossings and the routes taken by those who commute daily between the two
cities. Emission factors for vehicles housed in El Paso and Cd. Juarez are also different:
vehicles housed in Cd. Juarez are on average 7 years older than the vehicles housed in El
Paso, and are not subject to the same inspection and maintenance programs as are vehicles
housed in El Paso. These differences in the input variables illustrate how transportation
modeling can be complicated in a bi-national region such as Paso del Norte. To ensure
that the results of the transportation modeling are accurate, all jurisdictions in an area
must support the modeling efforts by providing accurate inputs for the model.
MULTIPLE USES OF NEAR REAL-TIME DATA
The Paso del Norte Project's near real-time traffic data can be used for purposes other than
public communication. For example, emergency personnel can use traffic volume informa-
tion and current images of traffic conditions to respond to accidents. In addition, near
real-time border crossing information and associated wait times are important to federal
agencies responsible for overseeing the international ports of entry in the region. Because of
the Paso del Norte Project, the infrastructure needed to communicate those data is in place.
The multiple uses of the data demonstrate the importance of a comprehensive approach to
data collection and management in a large, bi-national metropolitan area.
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4
PROCESSING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION
A fter you collect your timely environmental information,you must process it and
L\ communicate it to the public. This chapter discusses how to transfer data from auto-
JL JLmatic monitoring equipment to a central location and how to manage the data so
they can be communicated to the public. (Chapter 5 addresses the related issue of how best
to present data to the public using data visualization tools.)
Using the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project as a model, this chapter provides
you and your community with suggestions on how to process timely environmental informa-
tion. Section 4.1 contains an overview of processing environmental information. Sections 4.2
and 4.3 contain information on transferring data and managing data, respectively.
4.1 PROCESSING ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION: AN OVERVIEW
To process near real-time environmental data, you need to develop a data transfer and man-
agement system. This system can benefit your community by enabling you to control data
collected using automatic monitoring equipment. By using the system's software, you can
program your system to collect data from remote sampling locations at specified intervals
and store them. With little or no need for human intervention, the information can be
exported to a database, set in a standard format, and merged with manually collected data.
Once the data are available in a database, they can be used in a wide variety of applications.
They can be:
• Manually inspected for quality control purposes.
• Plotted using graphing software.
• Mapped using a geographic information system (GIS).
• Processed and combined with other data.
• Made available to the public via a Web server.
Timely processing of environmental data is key to creating a useful tool that can affect daily
activities of the public. There are two major steps to processing the data: 1) transferring the
data from data loggers at remote monitoring locations to your central hub; and 2) manag-
ing the data in preparation for dissemination to the public.
4.2 TRANSFERRING ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
TO YOUR CENTRAL HUB
Data can be transferred from one location to another either automatically or manually.
Automated data transfer systems are easier to operate than are manual systems. Automated
systems, after collecting data using a data logger, send the data automatically to your computer
and data acquisition system. The data are typically put into a comma-delimited ASCII file
(a standard format). From this file, data can be converted to HTML tables. Non-automated
data transfer systems require an additional step—the monitoring station has to be called
manually to download the data.
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Processing Data—Definition of Terms
ASCII. American Standard Code for Information Interchange is a built-in binary code for text and com-
munications. ASCII text files can be used between applications that do not import each other's format.
Daemon. A UNIX program that executes (usually at startup) and remains ready to operate when
needed. This program can automatically start another process at a designated time.
FTP. File Transfer Protocol transfers files over a TCP/IP (see below) network (e.g., the Internet).
The protocol includes functions to log onto the network, list directories, and copy files.
HTML. Hyper Text Markup Language is the document format used on the Internet. World Wide Web
pages are built using HTML codes embedded in the text.
Intranet. An in-house LAN (Local Area Network) or client/server system not accessible by the general
public. The communications protocol and hypertext links operate the same as on the Internet.
TCP/IP. Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol is the Internet protocol that allows
communications between dissimilar systems. The TCP part provides transport protocol functions
to ensure that all the information sent is received correctly. The IP part provides the routing mechanism.
Reference: Alan Freedman and Alfred and Emily Glossbrenner. 1998. The Internet Glossary and Quick Reference Guide. New York:
American Management Association.
4.2.1 DATA TRANSFER COMPONENTS
To receive data collected automatically, you can use a modem (or other) connection from each
monitoring station to your central hub computer. This allows data logging from more than one
monitor to occur on a single computer. You typically need data acquisition and processing soft-
ware and a data storage module to collect and manage the data. Once data are delivered to the
central hub computer, they are filtered and stored in a file in the data acquisition system where
further processing and reporting occurs.
In addition to transferring the data from remote monitoring locations to your central hub com-
puter, you also may collect data from other sources. These data might or might not need to be
processed further for public use. For example, weather data can be collected from the National
Weather Service. These data, which already have been processed; you can place them on your
Web site after formatting them, and they can then be accessed via an Internet connection.
Environmental Data Transfer Components
Central hub computer(s). One or more computers can be used to retrieve the data from various
sources (e.g., remote monitoring locations and other Web sites).
Computer connection (e.g., modem connection). This connects the computer at the remote
monitoring locations to the central hub computer. It also can connect your central hub computer to
other computers on your network or to data on Web sites. Data may be transferred via modem, intranet
FTP, or microwave link.
Data acquisition software. You can purchase software (or develop your own computer routine)
to automatically collect the data from remote locations in a standard format (e.g., ASCII text).
Validation software and other processing software. You can purchase software (or develop your own
computer routine) to perform quality control analysis on the collected data. Once the data are validated
(i.e., pass quality control criteria), you can further process the data for public use.
Database/archive storage system. This system stores all your data by date and time of collection.
The system will be most useful if you can use it to perform queries of the data.
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Another example of data from other sources is the ozone data (from 1,300 monitoring sta-
tions) that EPA retrieves, manages, and distributes through its Data Management Center
(DMC). The EPA document Ozone Monitoring, Mapping, and Public Outreach: Delivering
Real-Time Ozone Information to Your Community (EPA/625/R-99/007) provides details on
the DMC computer system and the equipment needed to connect to the system. You can
find the document online at http://www. epa.gov/airnow/cdmanual.pdf.
When collecting data from various sources, you may designate certain project partners to
transfer and validate certain types of information. Assignments may be based on geographical
or jurisdiction factors, experience factors, or resources available by each entity. The Paso del
Norte Project Team used various agencies to transfer data to one central hub computer.
4.2.2 PASD DEL NDRTE PROJECT— DATA TRANSFER
COMPONENTS
In the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project, air quality data, traffic volume data,
traffic video images, weather data, and static and live images from Webcams, hubs, and Web
sites are transferred to a central hub location. Components of the data transfer system are:
• Air quality data and meteorological data collected at continuous air monitoring
stations (CAMS).
For CAMS in El Paso operated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
(TCEQ):
- Data transferred from CAMS to TCEQ for validation using the IPS Meteostar system.
- Validated data transferred from TCEQ to the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)
via secure intranet FTP.
For CAMS in El Paso operated by the El Paso City-County Health and Environment
District:
- Data transferred from CAMS to TCEQ via modem for validation using the IPS
Meteostar system.
- Validated data transferred from TCEQ to UTEP via secure intranet FTP.
For CAMS in Cd. Juarez, Mexico:
- Data transferred from CAMS to Universidad Autonoma de Cd. Juarez (UACJ)
via dial-up connection.
- Data transferred from UACJ to UTEP via Internet2 for validation.
(Note: CAMS in Cd. Juarez are scheduled to be incorporated into the IPS Meteostar
system. Radios will be used to transmit data from Cd. Juarez to TCEQ.)
For CAMS in Sunland Park, New Mexico:
- Data transferred from CAMS to UTEP via dial-up connection for validation.
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Accessing Your Data
You might want to use a dedicated hard-wired Internet connection to access data from your monitoring
stations. This type of connection costs more than dial-up and modem connections. Dial-up and modem
connections are less reliable: you may be unable to connect to the monitoring station when the telephone
line is busy or the modem does not work. They are also much less efficient. For example, suppose you
have 1 hour to collect data from 40 monitoring stations for a 1:00 p.m. poll. Using the dial-up method, it
takes you approximately 1 minute to connect to each monitor— 40 minutes total. You then have only 20
minutes left to process all of the data files, which is not enough time to meet your deadline.
• Traffic volume data.
You can transfer traffic volume data and video camera images from your monitoring
stations to your central hub using fiber optic lines, phone line connections, or wireless
connections. Components of the traffic volume data transfer system for the Paso del
Norte Environmental Monitoring Project include:
- Traffic volume data from loop counters in El Paso and on 1-10 and U.S. 54
transferred to the El Paso Traffic and Transportation (T&T) Department via fiber
optic lines.
- Data from El Paso T&T transferred to UTEP via dial-up modem.
Traffic volume data are automatically placed on the Paso del Norte Environmental
Monitoring Project's Internet server using a Unix CRON (clock daemon). Traffic vol-
ume data and border wait times are stored on a secure intranet site integrated with an
industry-standard relational database (using a ColdFusion application server, manufac-
tured by Macromedia) and Internet CIS applications (ArcView Internet, manufactured
by ESRI) to allow police, fire service, and EMS to register current incidents.
• Traffic video images.
Traffic video images are transferred in the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring
Project using the following components:
- El Paso traffic images transferred to El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization
(MPO) via a fiber optic system.
- Traffic images from MPO transferred to UTEP via secure intranet FTP.
- Traffic images for international bridges transferred to the Institute Municipal de
Investigation y Planeacion (IMIP) via multiplexer wire modem and then to the City
of El Paso via a microwave connection. The images are then transmitted to UTEP
via a dedicated Tl line.
• Bridge crossing and wait times.
Data from U.S. Customs and Immigration Service transferred to UTEP via Internet.
• Weather data.
Weather data are collected from the CAMS and from the NWS. Transfer
components for the weather data collection system are:
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- Weather from NWS transferred to UTEP via Internet.
- Weather information from CAMS transferred to UTEP (see above air quality data
transfer components).
- NWS satellite links (visibility images) transferred to UTEP via Internet.
- UV index forecast from EPA's Sun Wise School Program Web site transferred to
UTEP via Internet.
FREQUENCY OF DATA TRANSFER
To maintain near real-time data on a Web site, data must be updated on a continuous basis.
Air quality data are collected at the CAMS in the Paso del Norte region every 5 minutes.
Each afternoon around 3:00 p.m., the 5-minute data sets for the past 24 hours are submitted
to UTEP, where they are processed and communicated to the public.
Traffic volume data are summarized by MPO every hour. These data are then sent to UTEP
via a secure intranet FTP, where the data sets and displays on the Web site are refreshed every
60 minutes. Border crossing information and bridge wait times also are updated every hour.
The Paso del Norte project team updates the traffic video images on the Web site every 15
minutes using an automated modem system. The site also offers visibility images from UTEP
Southern View, Ranger Peak, and downtown (looking west from Chelsea Retirement Center);
these are live images, updated every 10 minutes with the system used to update traffic video
images.
Data from the NWS Web site are updated hourly for all parameters except precipitation.
NWS updates precipitation data every 6 hours. UTEP refreshes the data on the Web site
every hour.
4.3 MANAGING ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
Once you have collected your data from monitoring stations, hubs, and Web sites, you need
to format and process the data using standard formats and computer routines, then store the
data in a database. You also may perform quality assurance/quality control checks at this
point. Data stored in the databases can be used to update your Web site automatically, and in
models (e.g., emission models or transit models).
System Components—Managing Data
Computer(s). You might use one or more computers to format the retrieved environmental monitoring
data. You need to ensure that your computer has the appropriate features and software necessary to
format and manage the data.
Computer routines. Software that formats, performs quality control analyses on, modifies, or converts
the collected data for dissemination to the public.
Database/archive storage system. This system stores all your data by date and time of collection.
You should be able to perform queries of the data. These queries can help you to develop transit
models and other environmental data tools.
Models. Computer models analyze your raw data for various purposes. For example, you can use a
model to extrapolate the data (e.g., if you have transit data for a major road, you can use set parame-
ters to determine traffic volume on connecting roads) and analyze different scenarios (e.g., the effect
that a lane closure would have on border wait times).
PROCESSING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
4-5
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4.3.1 FORMATTING AND PROCESSING DATA
Environmental data need to be in a standard format. This is particularly true if the data have
come from several sources. To achieve standard formats, you may need to create computer
routines to multiply or divide the data by the appropriate factors.
At this point, the data may undergo quality control. Any data not passing the selected
quality control criteria should be flagged and not used. You will still want to store such
data in your databases; you may notice trends when data are out of specification—trends
you can use when you perform corrective action.
For the Paso del Norte Project, relational database technology is integrated with dynamic
Web pages. Graphics on Web pages that change with the change in conditions (e.g., the Air
Quality Index) are built using Adobe Image Ready. The resulting code is then modified to a
ColdFusion Markup (*.cfm) language, and the variables are linked to a database. As the
database is updated, the Web page loads new images and text based on its contents. As a
result, there is flexibility in designing pages. Original data can be validated and imported into
the database through standard scripts, or interactive forms can be designed to allow partner
institutions to update the information through a secure intranet site.
The Paso del Norte project team transfers the environmental data as comma-delimited
ASCII text. The Team uses the following standard units for the air quality pollutants:
• Ozone: parts per billion (ppb).
• Carbon monoxide: parts per million (ppm).
• PM2 5: micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3).
• PM10: micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3).
• Sulfur dioxide: parts per billion (ppb).
Air quality data from the Cd. Juarez CAMS is received in a proprietary report format (EDAS
Version 3.0). The ASCII report is processed via a script to output a fixed-format data file.
Air quality data from the New Mexico CAMS also is received in a proprietary report format
(i.e., PC208W). Java scripts are used to extract the data from the report format and output
the fixed-format data file.
The format for the air quality data includes AIRID, year, month, day, hour, minute, type,
value, and averaging time. Java scripts are used to validate the data and reprocess them into
the directory structure used by the visualization software. Custom visualization applications
are written in C run within Iris Explorer, a commercial mathematical modeling application,
to generate time sequence TIFF images. Adobe Premier is used to sequence the images into
animated movies, GIFs, and other digital formats.
Traffic data are retrieved every 10 minutes and processed to extract average speeds, traffic
counts, and truck counts. The resulting data are imported into a relational database and
linked to the road network using the Environmental Systems Research Institute's ArcIMS
GIS to allow visualization of near real-time speeds and traffic volumes. Transportation data
are also imported into Caliper's TransCad transportation model, which is used to develop
improved routing and emergency response applications and near real-time vehicle emissions
estimates.
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Images from the TransVista Intelligent Transportation System are collected via a video card
from a computer connected directly to the fiber optic system at the City of El Paso municipal
building. Once every 10 minutes, four consecutive frames are captured and merged into an
animated GIS image and sent via a dedicated Tl line to UTEP for hosting on the Web site.
Border crossing wait times are based on the length of the vehicle wait lines at the interna-
tional bridges. They are entered manually into a relational database by staff at Radio 1490, a
Spanish radio talk station, through a secure intranet site. Wait times are validated manually
once a week by students who cross into El Paso to attend classes at UTEP.
Images of border crossings are collected using a remote security camera system. They are then
transmitted via telephone lines to a central computer at IMIP. A microwave communication
system is used to transmit the images from IMIP to the El Paso Municipal building. The
images are then transmitted to UTEP via a dedicated Tl line. Information from IMIP can also
be sent to UACJ, where there is a backup system for transmitting data across the Mexico/U.S.
border. Border crossing images are updated every 30 seconds. Telephones used to transmit
border crossing images to IMIP are scheduled to be replaced with a radio communication
system to reduce cost and to reduce the potential for vandalism.
Weather data and the UV index are downloaded to a central hub computer as ASCII text.
Temperature, wind speed, wind direction, and the UV index are placed directly into a
relational database and retrieved via the Web site using ColdFusion by Macromedia.
4.3.2 STORING DATA
After you transfer and format the data, you can store them in databases with a name that
reflects the time and date when they were obtained and identifies their source. When practi-
cal, images have times and dates embedded. Because time for transferring and validating data
varies, the time on stored files typically does not reflect the exact collection time. However,
the original images and raw data should contain this critical information. From the data-
bases, stored data can be converted or modified for use on your Web site (e.g., converted to
HTML tables), with other community outreach materials, or in models (e.g., emissions and
transit models). You also can query the data for analysis and case studies.
For the Paso del Norte Project, images and raw data are archived and backed up on a daily
basis. ASCII data are imported into a relational database as needed to support the various
applications and Web pages. Queries can be performed in the database to identify data sets
of interest and download them using anonymous FTP file transfer. Archived data are com-
pressed using gzip (*.gz) to insure compatibility across operating systems. Raw data, images,
and databases are transferred to a CD for permanent storage once per month. TransVista
images of freeway conditions are not stored because of restrictions on the use of the images.
4.3.3 USING DATA IN MODELS
Computer modeling simulates a set of conditions by performing a series of equations or
computer routines on set and inputted parameters (e.g., air quality or traffic monitoring
data). You can purchase software to perform the modeling or create your own computer
routine to model the data.
PROCESSING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 4-7
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In the Paso del Norte Region, Caliper's TransCAD is used to generate traffic assignments
and mode split analyses for city roadway networks. Traffic assignments are set model choices
used to develop traffic flows based on cost models. Mode split analyses address transportation
mode choices based on changing factors (e.g., if you increase fares, transit riders may choose
other modes of transportation). Information obtained using this model helps the public
identify:
• The quickest routes to minimize time in cars.
• Alternative routes.
• Alternative modes of transportation (e.g., bus routes).
The TransCAD model also is used to generate estimates of vehicle emissions.
4.4 LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE
PASO DEL NDRTE ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING PROJECT
INDUSTRY STANDARDS ARE CRITICAL
For the Paso del Norte Project, communicating timely environmental information is a
technical challenge that requires multiple organizations and systems to share data and
applications. Effective communication between systems is possible when data management
applications support industry standards. Using industry standards for processing and managing
data also makes it easier to address database problems and expands the potential for packaging
information.
For the Paso del Norte Project, applications that support Open Database Connectivity
(ODBC), traditional FTP, and Java (cross platform) programming languages were the easiest
to design and implement. Parsing data into an ODBC relational database is relatively
straightforward, and developing customized applications for presenting information in a
database provides a robust solution that can grow with new ideas and opportunities. More
important is the understanding that organizations that use industry standards can quickly
provide ongoing support of developed applications. Finally, using industry standards estab-
lishes a foundation for collaborative development among other institutions and organizations
that support the resulting information system.
Currently, environmental data collection and management systems inherently are propri-
etary, and limit collection and processing to the features requested by the client agency. The
ability to capture data and process them so that they can be used by decision-makers such as
elected officials is difficult without the use of industry standards. If industry standards are
not used, the number and complexity of the steps required to collect and process data
increases dramatically. As a result, the initial investment of time and resources is greater.
More important is the loss of reliability due to increased chances for things to go wrong.
For the Paso del Norte Project, every effort was made to use industry standards with regional
database technologies as the warehouse for data so that Java, Internet programs, and custom
applications could be used to access the data. Having the data accessible via the Internet
provides the foundation for an "enterprise" approach to processing and communicating
environmental data collected in the Paso del Norte international region.
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DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
Complex environmental information must be processed into simple and easy-to-understand
formats. Maps, graphics, charts, and tables must be designed carefully so they can be
understood quickly, and the information they contain must be current and accurate. This is
particularly true when the information is provided to broadcast media and to newspapers.
Broadcast companies have to meet rigid schedules for their daily news and weather broadcasts.
For this reason, the ease with which they can obtain accurate and easy-to-understand environ-
mental information dictates whether they will use the information. Level of technical expertise
also plays a role in whether the broadcast media will use information: if they can use their exist-
ing technology, they are more likely to report the information. Because operating systems and
communication capabilities vary among the broadcast companies, the approach used to provide
a company with environmental information might have to be customized. You can do this by
visiting each company to learn about its capabilities and then designing your communication
system to be compatible.
COORDINATION AMONG PROJECT PARTNERS
In a complex, multi-task project such as the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring
Project, close coordination among the project partners is essential. This is even more impor-
tant when several jurisdictions in different countries are involved. The project team should
include at least one member with expertise in each field, and a team leader has to be assigned
for each task. The team leader must assign tasks and follow up to ensure that they are com-
pleted. In addition, the entire project team must meet periodically, and follow-up is needed to
ensure that actions discussed at the meetings are completed. As issues arise, the project team
must meet to discuss and resolve them. It is also important that project members work
together to share information, to brainstorm solutions to issues, and to complete the project
tasks. A collaborative relationship between the project team and the responsible organizations
is extremely important for the successful completion of a project.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS POSE THE GREATEST
C HALLEN G E
Costs of international telecommunications are prohibitive. Public Internet access also poses a
problem because the quality of service for Internet access varies significantly. For these rea-
sons, radio and microwave communications are the best infrastructure for transmitting data
between countries. However, the ability to integrate radio and microwave communications
with local area networks varies among agencies. In the Paso del Norte Project, the City of El
Paso and the universities were able to establish communications. Other partners were not,
and had to depend on outside professional services for communication. This delayed the
project. The project team had to use its technical expertise to address the communications
issues of all of the project partners.
SUSTAINING THE PROJECT
By focusing on collabaration, leveraging, and automation, the Paso del Norte Project can be
sustained after the EMPACT grant period has ended.
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Federal, state, and local agencies that provide environmental, health, and transportation
information to the public have supported the Paso del Norte Project since the project was
initiated. This support is expected to continue because many of the tools (e.g., relational
database technologies and GIS) developed in the Paso del Norte Project can be transferred
directly to information systems managed by these agencies, including the TransVista Traffic
Management Center, TCEQ's Meteostar environmental monitoring network, and regional
GIS mapping initiatives. As a result, regional cooperation is expected to continue, and
application of the Paso del Norte tools is expected to increase. Probably the most significant
accomplishment of the Paso del Norte Project is the establishment of a comprehensive
regional approach to regional challenges, facilitated through sharing of technology and
improved communications.
Leveraging of the Paso del Norte Project is resulting in unexpected investments that will
help ensure the continuation of the project. Future plans include integration of the Paso
del Norte Mapping for Public Access Initiative into the project. This regional GIS initiative,
which will give the public Internet access to live maps of El Paso, Cd. Juarez, and Dona Ana
County, has added approximately $2 million to the project's local funds. The Paso del Norte
Project also is being expanded to include emergency preparedness and response capabilities.
One reason these other programs are leveraging the Paso del Norte Project is that the
logistics of complex working relationships, information security, and other challenges
have already been addressed in the project.
Automation of information collection and data processing, including quality assurance, also
is critical to the continuation of the Paso del Norte Project. During the project, data collec-
tion and processing was simplified so that they can be continued with a minimal investment.
Minimizing the number of steps in a process increases it's reliability and reduces the project's
maintenance requirements. For example, transferring data needed to calculate the AQI from
multiple sources to a centralized database eliminates redundancy and provides an efficient
means to process the data, calculate the AQI, and disseminate the AQI to the public. The
end result is an increase in capacities and lower overall costs for the daily routine tasks.
UNIVERSITIES PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE
Through UTEP, the Paso del Norte Project leveraged the Community Scholars Program to
get students involved in air quality issues in the Paso del Norte region. This makes future
generations aware of the regional air quality issues and helps increase the resources that will
be available when long-term environmental challenges in the region must be addressed.
Universities also are an important base of knowledge—knowledge they can use in further
research to understand and solve required environmental problems. In addition, universities
have experience collaborating on projects, can quickly establish systems for information
exchange, and can develop approaches for accomplishing multi-disciplinary tasks or objec-
tives. In the Paso del Norte Project, local universities have become hubs for data warehousing
and for developing approaches to address the environmental issues of the region. For example,
UTEP participation in Internet2, a high-bandwidth dedicated intranet among partnering
institutions, provides critical infrastructure for the transfer of information across international
boundaries.
4-1 a CHAPTER 4
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UNEXPECTED BENEFITS
There were several unexpected benefits from the Paso del Norte Project.
In one case, a student completed a thesis for a masters degree in environmental engineering
that addressed the use of GIS as a base for a comprehensive emission inventory within an
international region.
In another case, the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) at the White Sands Missile Range
partnered with UTEP to use the expanded real-time meteorological information and GIS
base to develop a microscale diffusion model that improves the accuracy of plume models of
accidental or intentional hazardous materials spilled in an international, urban setting. As a
result, ARL donated a radiometer along with computers and software that will be used to
collect real-time vertical temperature and moisture profiles of the atmosphere. Future
research with the radiometer will help define critical conditions during temperature
inversions that cause episodic air quality issues.
Access to near real-time environmental and meteorological information has peaked the interest
of emergency response agencies including EMS 911 and police and fire departments. This has
provided an opportunity to establish a secure intranet site to expand information access to
remote offices and to other agencies currently not connected directly to the 911 system.
Animations of ozone and carbon monoxide have spurred new health research that considers
the spatial distribution of air quality impacts. The Center for Border Health Research, a
subsidiary of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation (sponsor of the Paso del Norte Mapping
for Public Access Initiative) has made available the Texas public hospital discharge database,
which documents demographic and diagnostic information from individual hospital encoun-
ters by ZIP code for the period 1999 to 2000. These data, in conjunction with the air quality
information from the Paso del Norte Project, are being used in several epidemiological
studies, and serve as the core information for collaborative research grant proposals to
the National Institutes of Health and other entities.
PROCESSING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 4-1 i
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5
DEPICTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION
Now that you have collected, transferred, and managed your timely environmental
information, you can turn to the next step in providing your community with the
information: using data visualization tools to graphically depict the information.
By using the data visualization tools described in this chapter, you can create graphic repre-
sentations of environmental data that can be used on Web sites, in reports
and educational materials, and in other outreach and communication initiatives.
Section 5.1 provides an overview of data visualization. Section 5.2 introduces the data
visualization tools used by the Paso del Norte project team. If you are interested in a basic
introduction to data visualization, you may want to read only Section 5.1. If you are
responsible for choosing and using data visualization software to model and analyze data,
you also should read Section 5.2.
5.1 WHAT IS DATA VISUALIZATION?
In this handbook, "data visualization" is graphic representation of data. Presenting data in a
visual format can enhance your audience's understanding of and interest in the information.
Data visualization tools discussed below include maps, color coding, icons, graphs, and
geographic information systems (GIS).
• Maps. Maps are one of the most basic and familiar data visualization tools that can be
used to communicate timely environmental information. If kept simple (e.g., clutter-
free) and accompanied by a good key that explains the different map symbols, a map
can be one of the easiest data interpretation and visualization tools to develop and use.
• Color coding. Like maps, color coding is already familiar to many people. Thus its
message can be easily understood. Colors to indicate "good" or "poor" environmental
conditions (and ranges between those extremes) have been used successfully in maps,
graphs, indexes, icons, and other tools for risk communication. Make sure to choose
appropriate colors (and color ranges): use well-known color coding schemes, such as
green to represent "go" (e.g., "it's OK to go hiking based on air quality conditions")
and red to represent "stop" (e.g., "stay indoors particularly if you have a respiratory
problem").
• Icons. The term "icon" is used here in a very general sense to describe any visual cue
or image used to communicate information—anything from a physical placard (e.g., a
beach closure symbol or sign) to a symbol on a computer screen. Although words can
be added, an icon ideally should be able to convey at least its basic meaning without
relying on verbal language.
• Graphs. Graphs are another commonly used and relatively easy-to-understand data
visualization tool. They often convey information about how several variables are
related or compare to each other. Some projects allow users to generate graphs as
needed by specifying which variables they want plotted and how they would like
them plotted.
DEPICTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 5-1
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• GIS. A GIS is an effective data visualization tool for displaying, analyzing, and
modeling spatial or geographic information. GIS maps, animations, and two- and three-
dimensional models can be generated after detailed data are input into the system. This is
usually done by skilled staff in a process that can be labor-intensive and fairly expensive.
Two key advantages of GIS are the ability to quickly overlay and view several different
data layers simultaneously (such as open lands, water resources, and population) and the
ability to view and compare different future scenarios (such as future land uses) and their
possible impacts (e.g., on environmental resources).
By applying these tools to environmental information, you can help your community's
residents gain a better understanding of the information. Once you begin using data
visualization tools, you will immediately be impressed with their ability to model and
analyze your data for a variety of purposes, from making resource management decisions
to supporting public outreach and education efforts.
5.2 DATA VISUALIZATION TDDLS EMPLOYED
IN THE PASO DEL NDRTE
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROJECT
The Paso del Norte Project uses several data visualization tools to communicate environmental
information to the public. Examples include maps, color-coding, tables and charts, GIS, and
live and static images of the Paso del Norte region.
5.2.1 MAPS
Animated maps are used on the Paso del Norte Web site to depict air quality with respect to
both carbon monoxide and ozone (see Figures 5 and 6). They emulate a three-dimensional
perspective, as though the Paso del Norte region were being viewed at an oblique angle from
an airplane flying south of Cd. Juarez, Mexico. The maps provide an animated movie for-
mat, which local television stations can download for rebroadcast and which the public
can view on the Internet. Text on the maps can be viewed in both English and Spanish.
ozonemap.org
Ctiiln>ii Monoxide Peak - Dec 5. 2001
Good
Moderate
Unhealthy for
Sensitive Groups
Unhealthy
Very Unhealthy
Link to AQI
Click Here for Map Animation!!
Map is updated every weekuay a! 4:30 p.m.
Figure 5. Paso del Norte animated carbon monoxide map.
5-2
CHAPTER B
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ozonemap.org
Ozone Penk July 18. 2000
Good
Moderate
Unhealthy for
Sensitive Groups
Unhealthy
Very Unhealthy
Link to AQI
Click Here for Map Animation!!
Map is updated every weekday a! 4:30 p.m.
Figure 6. Paso del Norte animated ozone map.
Another map on the Web site for the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project is a
map of the United States that shows the current UV Index for the country. Colors are used
to show how the value for the index varies. The Web site also contains information about the
UV Index and what the values for the index mean.
5.2.2 COLOR CODING
Color coding is used on the Project Web site's U.S. map to indicate the value for the UV
Index, on the animated maps of the Paso del Norte region to indicate air quality with respect
to ozone and carbon monoxide, and on the Web page that presents the Air Quality Index for
the region. The Web site also describes the condition represented by each color on the ani-
mated maps and the Air Quality Index (see the table below). This is particularly important
because some people may not know what a color means. The colors used in the Paso del
Norte Project are the same as the colors used to for the Air Quality Index nationally. This
makes it easier for people who are not from the Paso del Norte region to understand the
information communicated through the Paso del Norte Project.
AQI Color-Coding System Health Ris.
Green
Yellow
Orange
Good
No limitations on outdoor exertion.
Moderate
Unhealthy to sensitive
groups
Unusually sensitive people should consider
limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
Active children, adults, and people with
respiratory disease (such as asthma) should
limit prolonged outdoor activity.
Very unhealthy
Active children, adults, and people with
respiratory disease, such as asthma, should
avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else,
especially children, should limit prolonged
outdoor exertion.
Active children, adults, and people with
respiratory disease, such as asthma, should
avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else,
especially children, should limit outdoor exertion.
DEPICTING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
5-3
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In addition, the Project Web site discusses the relationship between the color codes and the
numerical values used in conjunction with those codes. For example, on the Web site for the
Air Quality Index, the reader is directed to "click here" for more information on the numeri-
cal value for the index. The Web site also discusses the numerical values for the ground-level
ozone and CO levels.
5.2.3 TABLES AND CHARTS
Tables and charts are used on the Paso del Norte Project Web site to report various informa-
tion. Examples include weather conditions, the latest wait times at the international bridges
(see Figure 7), trends in weather data, and the relationship between the value for the Air
Quality Index for a pollutant and the color codes.
Bridge Hours 1 IVMnutes Lanes Onen ^LasUlndated at:
Americas-Lincoln
Americas-Perez Serna
DCL-Stanton
Paso del Norte
Ysleta
Sta. Teresa
Fabens
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
50
50
10
20
3
0
0
1 1 of 1 1 total
11 of 11 total
1 of 1 total
10 of 10 total
13 of 13 total
2 of 2 total
2 of 2 total
01 -May-02 7:22:42 a.m.
01 -May-02 7:22:55 a.m.
01 -May-02 7:23:04 a.m.
01 -May-02 7:23:1 3 a.m.
01 -May-02 8:02:21 a.m.
26-Mar-02 6:37:02 a.m.
21 -Mar-02 7:34:37 a.m.
Figure 7. International bridge crossing wait times.
5.2.4 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM
An industry standard GIS-based transportation model, TransCAD, is used to visualize traffic
volumes in the Paso del Norte region. The model predicts and displays the impact on traffic
volumes and levels of service from construction activities, accidents, and other roadway
impedances. This information helps commuters and emergency response personnel avoid
congested areas. It also estimates vehicle emissions in the area based on traffic volume data.
5.2.5 LIVE AND STATIC IMAGES
Live and static images are provided by the Paso del Norte webcam system (see Figure 8).
These images allow researchers, community leaders, and the citizens of the Region to see
how air quality affects visibility. By actually seeing the impact of air pollution, those groups
are encouraged to learn more about what they can do to improve air quality.
ir*inc H« Sp&ft vitibinty Cjn*r»t * Pwmm*t *nn of HM
104 T*QQTI
IC'i *fi\?
J) lln.ly |L''I l'i
5-4
Figure 8. Visibility webcam images.
CHAPTER B
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COMMUNICATING TIMELY
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
A s your community develops its near real-time environmental monitoring and report-
L\ ing systems, you need to think about the best ways to communicate the information
JL JLchese systems yield. This chapter is designed to help you do that. It outlines the steps
involved in developing an outreach plan (Section 6.1), and it profiles the outreach initiatives
impl mented by the Paso del Norte project team (Section 6.2). It also provides guidelines for
effe tively communicating information, and contains examples of text that you can incorpo-
rate into your own communication and outreach materials (Section 6.3).
6.1 CREATING AN OUTREACH PLAN FDR
NEAR REAL-TIME ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
Outreach is most effective if you plan it carefully: Whom do you want to reach? What
information do you want to disseminate? What are the most effective mechanisms to reach
people? Developing a plan ensures that you consider all important elements of an outreach
project before you begin. The plan itself provides a blueprint for action.
An outreach plan is most effective if you involve a variety of people in its development.
Where possible, consider involving:
• A communications specialist or someone who has experience developing and
implementing an outreach plan.
• Technical experts in the subject matter (both scientific and policy).
• Someone who represents the target audience (i.e., the people or groups you want to
reach).
• Key individuals who will be involved in implementing the outreach plan.
As you develop your outreach plan, consider whether you would like to invite any organiza-
tions to partner with you in planning or implementing the outreach effort. Partners might
include local businesses, environmental organizations, schools, local health departments,
local planning and zoning authorities, and other local or state agencies. Partners can partici-
pate in planning, product development and review, and distribution. Partnerships can be
valuable mechanisms for leveraging resources while enhancing the quality, credibility, and
success of outreach efforts.
Developing an outreach plan is a creative and iterative process involving a number of inter-
related steps, as described below. As you move through each of these steps, you might want
to revisit and refine the decisions you made in earlier steps until you have an integrated,
comprehensive, and achievable plan.
An outreach plan does not have to be lengthy or complicated. You can develop a plan
simply by documenting your answers to each of the questions discussed below.
This will provide you with a solid foundation for an outreach effort.
COMMUNICATING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION s-i
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WHOM ARE You TRYING To REACH?
Identifying Your Audience(s)
The first step in developing an outreach plan is to clearly identify your target audience or
audiences. The goals of your outreach program often define their target audiences. You
might want to refine and add to your goals after you have specifically considered which
audiences you want to reach.
Target audiences for an outreach program for environmental information might include the
general public, local decision-makers, land management agencies, educators and students
(high school and college), and special interest groups (e.g., homeowner associations). Some
audiences, such as educators and special interest groups, might serve as conduits to help
disseminate information to other audiences you have identified, such as the general public.
Consider whether you should divide the public into two or more audience categories. For
example: Will you be providing different information to certain groups, such as citizens and
businesses? Does a significant portion of the public you are trying to reach have a different
cultural or linguistic background from other members? If so, it likely will be most effective
to consider these groups as separate audience categories.
Profiling Your Audience(s)
Outreach is most effective if the type, content, and distribution of outreach products are
tailored specifically to the characteristics of target audiences. Once you have identified your
audiences, the next step is to develop a profile of their situations, interests, and concerns.
This profile helps you identify the most effective ways of reaching the audience. For each
target audience, consider:
• What is their current level of knowledge?
• What do you want them to know?
• What information is likely to be of interest to the audience? What will they likely
want to know once they develop some awareness of environmental issues?
• How much time are they likely to give to receiving and assimilating the information?
• How does this group generally receive information?
• What professional, recreational, and domestic activities does this group typically
engage in that might provide avenues for distributing outreach products? Are there any
organizations or centers that represent or serve the audience and might be avenues for
disseminating your outreach products?
Profiling an audience essentially involves putting yourself "in your audience's shoes." Ways to
do this include consulting individuals or organizations who represent or are members of the
audience, consulting other agencies or individuals who have successfully developed other
outreach products for the audience, and using your imagination.
WHAT ARE YOUR OUTREACH GOALS?
Defining your outreach goals is the next step in developing an outreach plan. Outreach goals
should be clear, simple, action-oriented statements about what you hope to accomplish
through outreach. Once you have established your goals, every other element of the plan
should relate to them.
s-2 CHAPTER 6
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mtmf
WHAT Do You WANT To COMMUNICATE?
With your audience and goals identified, you should think about what you want to commu-
nicate. In particular, think about the key points, or "messages," you want to communicate.
Messages are the "bottom line" information you want your audience to walk away with, even
if they forget the details.
A message usually is phrased as a brief (often one-sentence) statement. For example:
• The Air Quality Index allows you to track daily changes in air quality.
• The Air Quality Index helps you decide whether to participate in outdoor activities.
Outreach products often have multiple related messages. Consider what messages you want
to send to each target audience group. You might have different messages for different
audiences.
WHAT OUTREACH PRODUCTS WILL You DEVELOP?
The next step in developing an outreach plan is to consider what types of outreach products
are the most effective for reaching each target audience. There are many different types of
outreach product: print, audiovisual, electronic, events, and novelty items. Some examples
are provided below.
Type of Outreach Product
Print
Audiovisual
Electronic
Events
Novelty Items
Examples of Outreach Products
Brochures
Educational curricula
Question-and-answer
Press releases
Book covers
Cable television
Videos
E-mail messages
Web pages
Briefings
Fairs and festivals
One-on-one meetings
Public meetings
Banners
Buttons
Floating key chains
Magnets
Editorials
Fact sheets
sheets Posters
Utility bill inserts
Newspaper and magazine articles
Public service announcements
Exhibits and kiosks
Subscriber list servers
Community days
Media interviews
Press conferences
Speeches
Bumper stickers
Coloring books
Frisbee discs
Mouse pads
(radio)
The audience profile information you assembled earlier will help you select appropriate
products. A communications professional can provide valuable guidance in choosing the
most appropriate products to meet your goals within your resource and time constraints.
Questions to consider when selecting products include:
• How much information does your audience really need to have? How much does
your audience need to know now? The simplest, most effective, most straightforward
product generally is most effective.
• Is the product likely to appeal to the target audience? How much time does it take to
interact with the product? Is the audience likely to make that time?
• How easy and cost-effective is the product to distribute or, in the case of an event,
organize?
COMMUNICATING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
6-3
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• How many people is this product likely to reach? For an event, how many people are
likely to attend?
• What time frame is needed to develop and distribute the product?
• How much does it cost to develop the product? Do you have access to the talent and
resources needed for development?
• What other related products are already available? Can you build on existing products?
• When will the material be out of date? (You probably will want to spend fewer
resources on products with short lifetimes.)
• Is it effective to have distinct phases of products over time? For example, a first phase
of products designed to raise awareness, followed at a later date by a second phase of
products to encourage changes in behavior.
• How newsworthy is the information? Information with inherent news value is more
likely to be rapidly and widely disseminated by the media.
Haw WILL YOUR PRODUCT REACH YOUR AUDIENCE?
Effective distribution is essential to the success of an outreach strategy. There are many
avenues for distribution. Some examples are listed below.
Examples of Distribution Avenues
Your mailing list
Partner's mailing list
Phone/Fax
E-mail
Internet
Journals or newsletters of partner organizations
TV
Radio
Print media
Hotline that distributes products on request
Meetings, events, or locations (e.g., libraries, schools,
marinas, and public beaches) where products are
made available
You need to consider how each product is distributed and determine who is responsible for
distribution. For some products, your organization might manage distribution. For others,
you might rely on intermediaries (such as the media or educators) or organizational partners
who are willing to participate in the outreach effort. Consult with an experienced communi-
cations professional to obtain information about the resources and time required for the
various distribution options. Some points to consider in selecting distribution channels
include:
• How does the audience typically receive information?
• What distribution mechanisms has your organization used in the past for this
audience? Were these mechanisms effective?
• Can you identify any partner organizations that might be willing to assist in the
distribution?
• Can the media play a role in the distribution?
• Will the mechanism you are considering reach the intended audience? For example, the
Internet can be an effective distribution mechanism, but certain groups might have
limited access to it.
6-4
CHAPTER 6
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• How many people is the product likely to reach through the distribution mechanism
you are considering?
WHAT FDLLDW-UP MECHANISMS WILL You ESTABLISH?
With a successful outreach program, the targeted audience may request further information.
Consider whether and how you will handle this interest. The following questions can help
you develop this part of your strategy:
• What types of reactions or concerns are audience members likely to have in response to
the outreach information?
• Who will handle requests for additional information?
• Do you want to indicate on the outreach product where people can go for further
information (e.g., provide a contact name, number, mailing or office address, e-mail
address, or Web address)?
WHAT Is THE SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION?
Once you have decided on your goals, audiences, messages, products, and distribution
channels, you need to develop an implementation schedule. For each product, consider how
much time is needed for development and distribution. Be sure to factor in sufficient time
for product review. Wherever possible, build in time for testing and evaluation by members
or representatives of the target audience in focus groups or individual sessions so that you can
get feedback on whether you have effectively targeted your material for your audience.
Section 6.3 contains suggestions for presenting technical information to the public. It also
provides information about online resources that provide easy-to-understand background
information you can use in developing your own outreach projects.
6.2 ELEMENTS OF THE PASO DEL NDRTE
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROJECT
OUTREACH PROGRAM
The Paso del Norte project team uses a variety of mechanisms to communicate timely envi-
ronmental information to the public. Elements of the Project's outreach program are
highlighted below.
Web site. The Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project Web site
(http://www.ozonemap.org) is the main vehicle through which timely environmental informa-
tion is conveyed to the public. The site contains the current conditions in the region with
respect to several air pollutants (e.g., ground-level ozone and carbon monoxide), traffic, and
weather. It also contains health facts on air pollutants, animated ozone and carbon monoxide
maps of the region, the current Air Quality Index for the region, and current traffic images
from cameras located throughout the region. In addition, it contains live and static images
that allow the public to see how air quality affects visibility in the Paso del Norte region.
The Web site also encourages people to report smoking vehicles and identifies a person to
contact to obtain information. Information on the Web site is presented in both English
and Spanish. Figure 9 shows the site's home page.
COMMUNICATING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION G-E>
-------
Ozone Action Days
Do Your Sh
Current Conditions
Health Facts
Animated Ozone Maps
Air Quality Index
Who to Contact
Border Clean Air
Last Updated:
July 2, 2002
Home | Archive | Search | Site Map \ Contacts | Webmaster | Espartol
Figure 9. Home page for Paso del Norte Web site.
Community Scholars Program. The Community Scholars Program is a non-profit summer
internship program funded primarily by grants from local businesses and individual contribu-
tors. It is designed to foster leadership skills by involving El Paso high school honor students
directly in researching solutions to the City's social and civic problems. Through a competitive
process, the program hires junior and senior honor students from 14 local high schools.
Student interns undergo 40 hours of after-school training in May, then begin full-time
research at the University of Texas at El Paso during the summer months. This program
allows the students to focus on key environmental issues and develop materials appropriate
for educating the public about those issues. One such issue is air pollution.
As part of the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project, 15 laptop computers were
purchased and placed in the home schools of the students. The computers are equipped with
Web development software, geographic information systems, standard office applications,
and Internet access. This allows the Community Scholars Program to extend research on
air pollution initiated by the summer interns throughout the school year. It also allows
the interns to encourage other students to become involved in educational activities that
promote a better understanding of air pollution and the effects of meteorology, terrain,
and emission sources in the bi-national Paso del Norte region.
The home page for the Community Scholars Program is shown in Figure 10.
6-6
CHAPTER 6
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Kfc"
Community Scholars
QUALIFICATIONS
* Ba a junior in high school
• PsnN smonsj lN> tsp 15 peitsmt al your
* HIVB i ruccfd of community service
REQUIREMEm'5
* Mu:l. make Carnmuntjf Scbja'aia you pnorrty in Simmer JJUU
• Must itlefld *f training eass«on9 sflei school -n May
| i-^r x~'
APPLICATION FORM
':• ....
and Sup J ApyAc i!!' I I'.. .. •_ rn«ilmjj
I "vn i h C- ii . i> .1 .
c.:ui.-i Hafe
F '.• n . i> .1
Figure 10. Home page for the Community Scholars Program
Book covers. As part of the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project, 45,000 book
covers were purchased and distributed to students. The cover contains important health
information about ozone as well as information on the animated ozone map on the Paso del
Norte Project Web site.
Television. All of the local broadcast affiliates broadcast air quality and related health infor-
mation, including announcements of ozone action days, during their evening broadcasts.
Visualizations of the ozone conditions are made available to the broadcast media through
FTP over the Internet. Ozone action days and suggestions are also announced on the
electronic signs that are part of the TransVista Intelligent Transportation System.
Channel 56 includes a daily "bump," a short animation that summarizes the critical environ-
mental conditions, during its nightly weather report. Each afternoon, a Web page is built that
announces current environmental conditions and gives a forecast of air quality for the following
day. The Web page is customized to meet the design requirements of Channel 56. Channel 56
captures the image through a secure intranet site and imports it into its AccuWeather system
for broadcast (see Figure 11).
Ozone action days. The Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project Web site includes
an "Ozone Action Days" page (see Figure 11). This page describes an ozone action day,
provides information on how to protect yourself on such days, and provides recommendation
on what not to do (e.g., driving at lunchtime) on an ozone action day. It also allows someone
to sign up for the ozone action day notification list server. Subscribers to this list-server are
notified when there is an ozone action day.
COMMUNICATING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
s-v
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Fb E<* fnv
"
Calidad del Aire Regional
Contaminate Principal:
Ozano
MANAMA
Puftftlfri
AHGRA'
Tltmpo Max de Eipe^a: 1 hr. 10 mlr-L
Puenf*: Americas - Ave. P&f&z Serna
Hem df-i diar 6;66 im
Qu«mg; Perm ft do
Indice UV
Figure 11. "Bump" used by Spanish television.
Digital readouts. Digital readouts are used in the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring
Project to provide information on traffic conditions. The information, including bridge wait
times, is presented on billboards located in strategic areas of the region.
6.3 RESOURCES FDR PRESENTING
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC
As you begin to implement your outreach plan and develop the products selected in the
plan, make sure that these products present your messages and information as clearly and
accurately as possible. You might want to review the available resources on the Internet—see
if any can help you develop your outreach products or serve as additional resource materials
(e.g., fact sheets).
Haw Da Yau PRESENT TECHNICAL INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC?
Environmental topics are often technical in nature, and air quality is no exception.
Nevertheless, this information can be conveyed in simple, clear terms to nonspecialists, such
as the public. Principles of effective writing for the public include avoiding jargon, translat-
ing technical terms into everyday language the public can understand, using the active voice,
keeping sentences short, and using headings and other format devices to provide a very clear,
well-organized structure. You can refer to the following Web sites for more ideas about how
to write clearly and effectively for a general audience:
&-B
CHAPTER 6
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mtmf
• The National Partnership for Reinventing Government has developed a guidance
document, Writing User-Friendly Documents, that can be found on the Web at
http://www.plainlanguage.gov/.
• The Web site of the American Bar Association (http://www.abanet.org/) has links to
important online style manuals, dictionaries, and grammar primers.
As you develop communication materials for a specific audience, remember to consider what
the audience members are already likely to know, what you want them to know, and what
they are likely to understand. Then tailor your information accordingly. Provide only infor-
mation that is valuable and interesting to the target audience. For example, environmentalists
in your community might be interested in the details of the Air Quality Index. But it's not
likely that school children will be interested in this level of detail.
When developing outreach products, be sure to consider special needs of the target audience.
For example, if your community has a substantial number of people who speak little or no
English, you may need to prepare communication materials in their native language. This is
particularly true for the Paso del Norte region because both English and Spanish are spoken
there.
The rest of this section contains examples of text about ozone, carbon monoxide, particulate
matter, and the air quality index. These examples are written in a plain-English style designed
to be easily understandable by the public. You can use this text as a model to stimulate ideas
for your own outreach language or you can incorporate components of this text directly into
your products.
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Figure 12. Ozone Action Days page.
OZONE POLLUTION
• What is ozone?
Ozone is an odorless, colorless gas composed of three atoms of oxygen.
Is ozone good or bad for people's health and the environment?
Ozone occurs both in the Earth's upper atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone can
be good or bad depending on where it is found.
COMMUNICATING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
6-9
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- Good ozone. Ozone occurs naturally in the Earth's upper atmosphere—10 to 30 miles
above the Earth's surface—where it forms a protective barrier that shields people from
the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. This barrier is sometimes called the "ozone layer."
- Bad ozone. Because of pollution, ozone also is found in the Earth's lower
atmosphere, at ground level. Ground-level ozone is a major ingredient of smog and it
can harm people's health by damaging their lungs. It also can damage crops and
many common man-made materials, such as rubber, plastic, and paint.
EPA's booklet Ozone: Good Up High, Bad Nearby (found on the Web at
http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/gooduphigh] contains additional information about both
good and bad ozone.
How is ground-level ozone formed?
Ground-level ozone is not emitted directly into the air but forms when two kinds
of pollutants—volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides—mix in the air and
react chemically in the presence of sunlight. Common sources of volatile organic
compounds (often referred to as VOCs) include motor vehicles, gas stations, chemical
plants, and other industrial facilities. Solvents such as dry-cleaning fluid and chemicals
used to clean industrial equipment are also sources of VOCs. Common sources of
nitrogen oxides include motor vehicles, power plants, and other fuel-burning sources.
1 Are there times of the day and year when ozone pollution is of particular concern?
Yes. Ozone levels vary during the day. They are highest in the late afternoon and
decrease rapidly at sunset.
In most parts of the United States, ozone pollution is likely to be a concern during the
summer months, when the weather conditions needed to form ground-level ozone—lots
of sun, hot temperatures—occur. Ozone pollution is usually at its worst during the
summer heat waves when air masses are stagnant.
1 In what way can ozone affect people's health?
Ozone can affect people's health in many ways:
- Ozone can irritate the respiratory system. When this happens, you might start cough-
ing, feel an irritation in your throat, or experience an uncomfortable sensation in
your chest. These symptoms can last for a few hours after exposure to ozone and may
even become painful.
- Ozone can reduce lung function. When scientists refer to "lung function," they
mean the volume of air that you draw in when you take a full breath and the speed
at which you are able to blow out the air. Ozone can make it more difficult for you
to breathe as deeply and vigorously as you normally would.
- Ozone can aggravate asthma. When ozone levels are high, more asthmatics have asthma
attacks that require a doctor's attention or the use of additional asthma medication.
- Ozone can aggravate chronic lung diseases, such as emphysema and bronchitis.
- Ozone can inflame and temporarily damage the lining of the lung. Ozone damages the
cells that line the air spaces in the lung. Within a few days, the damaged cells are
replaced and the old cells are shed. If this kind of damage occurs repeatedly, the lung
can change permanently in a way that could cause long-term health effects.
s-i D CHAPTER 6
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• Who is sensitive to ozone?
- Children. Active children are the group at highest risk from ozone exposure. Such
children often spend a large part of their summer vacation outdoors, engaged in
vigorous activities. Children also are more likely to have asthma or other respiratory
illnesses, which can be aggravated by exposure to ozone.
- Adults who are active outdoors. Healthy adults who exercise or work outdoors are
considered a "sensitive group" because they have a higher level of exposure to ozone
than people who are less active outdoors.
- People with respiratory diseases, such as asthma. There is no evidence that ozone causes
asthma or other chronic respiratory disease, but these diseases do make the lungs
more vulnerable to the effects of ozone.
- People with unusual susceptibility to ozone. Scientists don't yet know why, but some
healthy people are simply more sensitive to ozone than are others. These individuals may
experience more health effects from exposure to ozone than does the average person.
- Are the elderly sensitive to ozone? Scientists have found little evidence to suggest that
either the elderly or people with heart disease have heightened sensitivity to ozone.
For additional information about the health effects of ozone you can read EPA's booklet
Smog: Who Does It Hurt? (found on the Web at http://www.epa.gov/airnow/health).
CARBON MONOXIDE
• What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is a odorless, colorless gas.
• How is carbon monoxide formed?
Carbon monoxide forms when the carbon in fuels does not burn completely.
• How does carbon monoxide affect people's health?
Carbon monoxide enters the bloodstream and reduces oxygen delivery to the body's
organs and tissues. The health threat from carbon monoxide is most serious for those
who suffer from cardiovascular disease. Healthy individuals are also affected, but only
at higher levels of exposure. Exposure to elevated carbon monoxide levels is associated
with visual impairment, reduced work capacity, reduced manual dexterity, poor learning
ability, and difficulty in performing complex tasks.
• What are the sources of carbon monoxide?
Vehicle exhaust contributes roughly 60 percent of all carbon monoxide emissions
nationwide, and up to 95 percent in cities. Carbon monoxide concentrations typically
are highest during cold weather because combustion is less complete in cold tempera-
tures.
For additional information about carbon monoxide, refer to the EPA Web site at
http:llwww. epa.gov/airloaqpsl.
PARTID u LATE MATTER
• What is paniculate matter?
Particulate matter includes both solid particles and liquid droplets found in air.
COMMUNICATING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION s-i i
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• How is paniculate matter formed?
Many man-made and natural sources emit particulate matter directly to the air or emit
pollutants that react in the atmosphere to form particulate matter.
• What is the size of particulate matter?
Solid and liquid particles come in a wide range of sizes. Particles less than 10 microme-
ters in diameter (PM10) tend to pose the greatest health concern. Particles less than 2.5
micrometers in diameter (PM2 5) are referred to as "fine" particles. Sources of fine par-
ticles include all types of combustion process (e.g., power plants) and some industrial
processes. Particles with a diameter between 2.5 and 10 micrometers are referred to as
"coarse." Sources of coarse particles include grinding operations and dust from paved
or unpaved roads.
• What are the health effects from exposure to particulate matter?
When exposed to particulate matter, people with heart or lung disease (e.g., congestive
heart disease, coronary artery disease, asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease) are at increased health risk. People with heart disease may experience symp-
toms such as chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Symptoms for
people with lung disease include coughing, phlegm, chest discomfort, wheezing, and
shortness of breath. Even healthy people may experience some respiratory systems from
exposure to particulate matter. Children are at increased risk of experiencing respiratory
symptoms from exposure to particulate matter because they are more active outdoors
and are more likely to have asthma. Particles with a diameter less than 10 micrometers
tend to pose the greatest health risk because they can be inhaled into and accumulate
in the respiratory system.
For additional information about particulate matter you can refer to the EPA's Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards Web site at http://www.epa.gov/air/oaqps/.
AIR QUALITY INDEX
• What is the Air Quality Index?
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool developed by EPA to provide people with timely
and easy-to-understand information on local air quality and whether it poses a health
concern. It provides a simple, uniform system that is used throughout the country for
reporting levels of major pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Pollutants include ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate
matter, and nitrogen oxide. You may sometimes hear the AQI referred to as the
Pollutant Standards Index.
The AQI converts a measured air concentration for a pollutant to a number on a scale
of 0 to 500. An AQI value of 100 corresponds to the National Ambient Air Quality
Standard established for the pollutant under the CAA. This is the level or concentra-
tion that EPA has determined to be protective of human health. The higher the index
value, the greater the health concern.
• What do the Air Quality Index descriptors mean?
As shown below, the Air Quality Index scale is divided into six categories, each correspon-
ding to a different level of health concern. Each category also is associated with a color.
s-12 CHAPTER 6
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AQI Color-Coding System
Green
Health Risk
Yellow
Orange
OtoSO
51to100
101to150
Description
Good
Moderate
Unhealthy for sensitive groups
The level of health concern associated with each AQI category is summarized by a
descriptor:
Good. When the AQI value for your community is between 0 and 50, air quality is
considered satisfactory in your area.
Moderate. When the index value for your community is between 51 and 100, air qual-
ity is acceptable in your area. For ozone and fine particles, people who are extremely
sensitive may experience respiratory symptoms.
Unhealthy for sensitive groups. When AQI values are between 101 and 150, members of
sensitive groups may experience health effects. Some people are particularly sensitive to
the harmful effects of certain pollutants. For example, people with asthma may be sen-
sitive to sulfur dioxide and ozone, while people with heart disease may be sensitive to
carbon monoxide. Some groups of people may be sensitive to more than one pollutant.
Members of the general public are not likely to be affected when the AQI is in this
range.
Unhealthy. When AQI values are between 151 and 200, everyone may begin to experi-
ence health effects. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health
effects.
Very unhealthy. AQI values between 201 and 300 trigger a health effect for everyone.
Hazardous. AQI values over 300 trigger health warnings of emergency conditions.
AQI values over 300 rarely occur in the United States.
How is the Air Quality Index calculated?
State and local air quality monitoring networks measure the concentration of ground-
level ozone, fine and coarse particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and
sulfur dioxide several times a day. These raw measurements are then converted into
corresponding AQI values using standard conversion scales developed by EPA. For
example, an ozone measurement of 0.08 parts per million, which is the National
Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone, translates to an AQI of 100.
COMMUNICATING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
6-1 3
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After the AQI values for the individual pollutants are calculated, they are used to
calculate an overall single index value for the local area. One determines the single AQI
value simply by taking the highest index value calculated for the individual pollutants.
This value becomes the reported AQI for a community for the day. For example, say that
on August 10, your community has an AQI of 115 for ozone and 72 for carbon monox-
ide. The AQI reported that day for your community is 115. On days when the AQI for
two or more pollutants is greater than 100, the pollutant with the highest index level is
reported, but information on any other pollutant above 100 also may be reported.
When and how is the Air Quality Index reported to the public?
In metropolitan areas of the United States with populations over 350,000, state and
local agencies are required to notify the public on days when the AQI for a pollutant
exceeds 100. They also may report the AQI for all pollutants for which the index
exceeds 100. Even in areas where reporting is not required, EPA, state, and local offi-
cials may use the AQI as a public information tool to advise the public about how local
air quality might affect their health, and what actions they can take to protect their
health. You may see the AQI reported in the newspaper or on the Internet, or it may
be broadcast on your local television or radio station. In some areas, AQI information
is available on a recorded telephone message.
More information about the AQI is available at http://www.epa.gov/airnow/aqibroch/.
6-1 4
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•7
SUSTAINING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING INFORMATION
T
his chapter discusses how environmental monitoring can be sustained over time.
This is necessary to insure that the public and interested groups continue to have
the information.
The chapter begins with a discussion on using existing programs to collect timely environ-
mental information (Section 7.1). It then discusses where to house the database and Web
server for an environmental monitoring project (Section 7.2). Section 7.3 addresses public
support for environmental monitoring, and Section 7.4 discusses the environmental infor-
mation that can be collected given a certain level of funding.
7.1 BUILDING ON EXISTING PROGRAMS
A key aspect of an environmental monitoring program is the ability to sustain the program
over the long term. You can do this by building on existing programs whenever possible,
by using existing infrastructure, and by using low-maintenance automated equipment to
collect data. This approach reduces the funding needed to continue an environmental
monitoring program and at the same time helps ensure full use of existing facilities.
As discussed in the previous sections, the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project
leveraged several existing efforts. Information collected through these efforts includes:
• Air quality data (ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter) collected by various
agencies in Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico.
• Traffic volume data collected by the City of El Paso's Department of Traffic and
Transportation and by the Texas Department of Transportation.
• International bridge crossing information provided by the U.S. Customs and
Immigration Service. The Association of Maquilas also developed an infrastructure to
provide timely information on the number of bridge crossings and observed wait times.
• Static and live images from a webcam and video images of current traffic conditions at
various locations in the Paso del Norte region.
• Weather data obtained from the National Weather Service Web site.
Data from these existing programs are transferred to a database, managed, and displayed on
the Web site for the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project.
As discussed in Chapter 6, the Paso del Norte Project also leverages the Community
Scholars Program as part of its outreach efforts. Students enrolled in the program develop
educational materials to promote the involvement of other high school students in the
region's air pollution issues.
Another leveraged program is the Ozone Map Initiative. Austin College and the University
of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) developed an animated ozone map of the region using data
from the continuous air monitoring stations (CAMS) in the region. This map is displayed
on the Paso del Norte Project Web site. As part of the Paso del Norte Environmental
Monitoring Project, an animated map for carbon dioxide was prepared using the framework
developed for the ozone animated map and carbon monoxide data collected at the CAMS.
SUSTAINING TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING INFORMATION 7-1
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In addition, the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project leveraged the resources
of the Paso del Norte Air Quality Task Force, the Clean Air Partnership, the Paso del Norte
Health Foundation, and members of the Joint Advisory Committee. The Joint Advisory
Committee, which was established in 1997 by an amendment to Annex Five of the La Paz
Agreement between the United States and Mexico, is an advisory body that addresses the
binational air pollution problems in the region.
7.2 HOUSING YOUR DATABASE AND WEB SERVER
The database and Web server for an environmental monitoring project can be located at
several locations or at a single location. In deciding where to house your database and Web
server, consider the advantages of one location. These include having to secure only one loca-
tion, better administrative control, easier management, and less expense. In addition, fewer
software and licensing agreements are needed when the database and Web server are housed at
one location. One disadvantage is that redundancy has to be included at the single location.
Housing the database and Web server at multiple locations provides this redundancy.
During the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project, the El Paso Metropolitan
Planning Organization (MPO) housed a new Internet server to handle the bulk of public
Internet access. UTEP housed a new Internet server to provide for time-lapse visualization
of air quality on a three-dimensional CIS map and terrain model of the Paso del Norte air
basin. UTEP also housed a new database management server.
At the completion of the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project, all of UTEP's
equipment will be transferred to the City of El Paso and the El Paso City-County Health
and Environment District (EPCCH) for ongoing implementation and maintenance. UTEP
also will train City and EPCCH personnel on the use of the equipment.
7.3 PUBLIC SUPPORT
Public support is needed to sustain an environmental monitoring program because it
makes decision-makers aware of the desire to have such a program. This is important when
decisions are made on funding for a project. Without public support, there is little to no
impetus to either initiate or continue an environmental monitoring program.
Several organizations support the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project. These
include EPCCH, El Paso MPO, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the New
Mexico Environmental Department, and the Institute of Municipal Planning and Research
(Cd. Juarez). Other organizations that support the project include Austin College, UTEP,
the KFOX television station, the Joint Advisory Committee, the Paso del Norte Air Quality
Task Force, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, and the Clean Air Partnership.
7.4 WHAT DATA TO COLLECT
Data collected in a near real-time environmental monitoring program depend on the
available funding. When funds are limited, determine the critical environmental parameters
for an area and focus the monitoring effort on collecting data for those parameters. Consider
any seasonal variation in the critical parameters when designing the monitoring program.
The critical air quality parameters for the Paso del Norte region are ground-level ozone,
carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. For this reason, near real-time data are collected
for these parameters. Data also are collected that have an impact on the air concentration of
those parameters. These include traffic volume data, bridge crossing and wait time data, and
weather data. All of these data are used to inform the public about air quality in the Paso del
Norte region and to encourage them to take actions (e.g., don't drive on days when the
ozone level is high) to improve air quality in the region.
v-z CHAPTER V
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APPENDIX A
CASE STUDY: TUCSON, ARIZONA, AIR INFO NOW PROJECT
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Air Info Now program works to produce media and public communication programs
about air quality, health concerns related to air pollution, and local solutions to improve air
quality in the Tucson, Arizona, community. Tucson is located in Pima County, and the Pima
County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) leads the program. The program
began in 1999 to address community concerns about air pollution and its effects on public
health and the environment. The program goals are:
• To collect timely air quality information.
• To disseminate timely air quality information to the public.
• To expand the community's awareness of health and environmental effects that air
pollution may cause.
• To address local air pollution problems.
Under this program, air quality samples are taken from 18 locations around the Tucson area.
Monitored air parameters include ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate
matter. The Tucson area is an attainment area for all the criteria air pollutants. The area has
been designated as a maintenance area for carbon monoxide.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
PDEQ developed its Air Info Now Web site under a grant from EPA. The program also
receives assistance from the University of Arizona, the American Lung Association, and the
Pima Association of Governments.
COLLECTING AND MANAGING THE DATA
PDEQ maintains 18 monitoring locations throughout the Tucson area. Ground-level ozone is
monitored at eight locations. Other monitored parameters include carbon monoxide and partic-
ulate matter. In addition to air quality, the monitors measure wind speed, wind direction, and
ambient air temperature. The Web site provides further details on each monitoring location.
Like the Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project, the Air Info Now Program needed
to standardize the format of the data collected. The University of Arizona and PDEQ estab-
lished a standard format that allows data to be used in near real-time mapping applications.
PDEQ performs quality assurance/quality control on the air monitoring data using the stan-
dard practices defined in 40 CFR Part 58, Ambient Air Quality Surveillance (available online
at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html#pagel}. They include standard oper-
ating procedures for data collection, sample analysis, and data processing. They also include
defined calibration and performance test schedules, and tolerances not to be exceeded.
PDEQ uses a Microsoft (MS) NT Server to display the air quality monitoring data on the
program's Web site. To convert the air quality monitoring data to a Web-compatible format,
PDEQ wrote computer macros for MS-DOS batch files and MS Excel, Access, and Visual
Basic programs to convert the hourly air quality monitoring data from the proprietary Data
Management System file structure to MS Access database tables. The data then can be
accessed via Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), which pulls data out for Web page
displays. PDEQ also developed computer routines to create HTML tables.
APPENDIX A A-I
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PDEQ creates data graphs using a package of Java applets, Object Planets' Line Charting
application. PDEQ staff wrote routines using this application to display air quality informa-
tion on the Web site.
For the telephone hotline, PDEQ purchased Enview2000 software from Envitech and their
U.S. affiliate, DR DAS. This software uses the data from MS Access and stores the data in a
SQL Server 7 database. PDEQ staff recorded the "voices of air quality" in English and
Spanish for use on the hotline.
DATA VISUALIZATION TOOLS
The ozone air pollution maps shown on the Air Info Now Web site are based on near real-
time measurements of ground-level ozone in the Tucson metropolitan area. Several ozone
monitors within the Tucson metropolitan area provide continuous measurements of hourly
averaged ground-level ozone. The program then promptly transfers the hourly averages to a
central computer hub where the ground-level ozone maps are generated.
With only eight ozone monitors to work with, the Air Info Now Program team developed a
regression-based spatial modeling approach to map ozone levels in the region. The geography
of Tucson allows the model to estimate ozone concentrations at locations where measure-
ments are not taken regularly. The model relates near real-time ozone measurements to the
local geography of the monitors in Tucson's monitoring network. The program team used
several years (1995-1998) of hourly averaged ozone data to "train" the model and to develop
statistical relationships between local geography and measured ozone concentrations. The
model provides a continuous surface map of estimated ground-level ozone concentrations
across the Tucson metropolitan area.
DUTREACH BARRIERS AND STRATEGIES
As with any environmental monitoring program, successful communication with
the community is key to achieving the program goals. The Air Info Now program's
outreach activities include the development and operation of its Air Info Now Web site
(http://www.airinfonow.org/). Because the Tucson community includes English- and Spanish-
speaking residents, the Web site can be viewed in either English or Spanish. The Web site
provides air quality information to the community, including the Air Quality Index for
ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter and a ground-level ozone map for the area.
The public can use these data to plan their daily activities.
The Web site includes tools to educate the public about air pollution. The "Activities" page,
for example, includes:
• Online games to teach users about ozone and carbon monoxide, and the effect air
pollutants have on your lungs.
• Experiments to teach users about particulate matter, smog, and greenhouse gases.
• List of 50 things you can do to reduce air pollution.
The Web site also includes air pollution information specifically geared toward teachers for
incorporation into lesson plans for various age groups and details on the health effects of
ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter.
A-Z APPENDIX A
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In addition to the Web site, the Air Info Now Program operates a hotline for accessing
regional air quality information. The hotline number is 520-882-4AIR.
To inform the community about the Web site and hotline, the Air Info Now Program
performed an extensive public and media outreach process to educate the targeted audience
about these tools. PDEQ staff developed promotional literature and artwork for the following
outreach tools:
• The Air Info Now logo.
• Fact sheets (for the media, educators, and healthcare providers).
• Bookmarks (in English and Spanish).
• Flingers.
• Pens.
• Mirage boards.
• Magnets.
The Air Info Now partners provided information about the availability of these new air
pollution resources to a variety of groups in the targeted audience, including teachers,
students, local health department staff, school nurses, home health care practitioners,
pharmacists, physicians, and the media. In addition, the Web site was linked to several
relevant Web sites to increase the number of visits to the site.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
E-mail the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality at
'.co.pima.az.us.
APPENDIX A
A-3
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II
CASE STUDY: AIRBEAT PROJECT DF
RDXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Over the past 15 years, an epidemic of asthma has been occurring in the United States.
American children in particular have been severely affected. EPA's Office of Children's Health
Protection estimates that 4.8 million children under 18 years of age—one out of every 15
children—have asthma. Asthma rates have increased 160 percent in the past 15 years in
children under 5 years of age.
The problem is even worse among some inner-city populations. In certain neighborhoods of
New York City, for example, one out of every five children has asthma. In Roxbury an urban
neighborhood in the heart of Boston, the asthma hospitalization rate is annually among the
highest in Massachusetts (in 1992 it was five times the state average). Although Americans of
all ages, races, and ethnic groups have been affected by asthma, nationwide data show that
the epidemic is most severe among lower-income and minority children.
These data have led to heightened concern about the quality of air that inner-city children
are breathing—both indoors and out. In recent years, scientists have developed a better
understanding of the role that air pollutants can play in exacerbating asthma symptoms and
triggering asthma attacks. Much work has been done to reduce children's exposures to indoor
air pollutants and allergens such as cigarette smoke, cockroach particles, dust mites, and
animal hair, because these are considered among the most common asthma triggers. At the
same time, there is growing recognition of a need for better information on children's
exposures to outdoor air pollutants.
Throughout most of the United States, levels of outdoor air pollutants are much lower today
than they were in the past. However, in some parts of the country (particularly urban areas),
outdoor air is getting worse, not better. Pollutants of concern include ground-level ozone
(formed by the chemical reaction of pollutants in emissions from vehicles, power plants, and
other sources) and particulate matter (dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets emitted
into the air by sources such as cars, trucks, buses, factories, and construction activities). Both
of these pollutants have been linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses, and both tend
to be in the highest concentration in urban areas.
To protect their health, inner-city residents need timely access to air quality data. Levels
of outdoor air pollutants such as ground-level ozone and particulate matter vary from day to
day and even during the course of a single day. Access to air quality forecasts and real-time
data allow residents to reduce their exposures when pollutant levels are high. For children
and others with asthma, reducing exposures to asthma triggers can be part of a multi-faceted
approach to managing symptoms that also includes behavior changes, drug therapy, and
frequent medical follow-ups. Patient education is also key to this approach.
In 1999, a team of academic, community, and government organizations launched a pilot proj-
ect to collect and communicate real-time data on air pollution in Roxbury, Massachusetts. This
pilot project, which became known as AirBeat, was funded with a grant from EPA's EMPACT
Program. The AirBeat Project had two main goals: 1) to collect near real-time ambient air
quality data for ground-level ozone, particulate matter (PM2 5),and other pollutants, and to
develop data techniques for managing those data and 2) to communicate near real-time air
quality data to the public in a way that can be easily understood and used by community
residents to reduce human exposure.
APPENDIX A A-5
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PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Roxbury, Massachusetts, was chosen as the site for the pilot program for three reasons:
• Historically, Roxbury has documented high rates of asthma and other respiratory
illnesses, raising widespread concern about the local air quality.
• Diesel-powered vehicles have been shown to be major contributors to PM2 5
emissions, and there are more than 15 bus and truck depots housing more than
1,150 diesel-powered vehicles within the Dudley Square area of Roxbury.
• Roxbury is home to a number of strong community organizations that have been
working for years on a variety of environmental health and justice issues.
Local organizations involved in the AirBeat Project include the Suffolk County Conservation
District, Alternatives for Community and Environment, Harvard School of Public Health,
the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP), and Northeast
States of Coordinated Air Management.
COLLECTING AND MANAGING THE DATA
AirBeat's near real-time pollution data come from a single monitoring station located in
Dudley Square, a major commercial hub in the center of Roxbury. This monitoring station
is part of a statewide network of 42 monitoring sites operated by MA DEP to gather data on
ambient air concentrations of criteria pollutants.
In 1997, MA DEP began investigating the possibility of siting a PM2 5 monitor in Roxbury
to comply with new PM2 5 monitoring requirements set by EPA earlier that year. In siting
the monitor, MA DEP invited the input of several local community organizations, including
Alternatives for Community and Environment, an environmental justice organization that
advocated the need for air quality monitoring in Roxbury. Together, they agreed on the
Dudley Square location. Out of this cooperative effort, the AirBeat project was born. The
driving motivation behind the project was a desire to leverage the air quality information
from the new monitoring site by making the data accessible to Roxbury residents in real
time. The project partners also hoped to use the air quality data to address community con-
cerns that elevated concentrations of certain air pollutants, such as ozone and particulate
matter, might be contributing to Roxbury's high asthma hospitalization rate and the inci-
dence of other respiratory illnesses.
To address these concerns, the AirBeat team arranged to include the following monitoring
capabilities at the Dudley Square site:
• Continuous monitoring for PM2 5.
• Continuous monitoring for black carbon soot (BC), which is a strong indicator of
diesel emissions. Although BC is a component of PM2 5 (typically about 10 percent
by mass), its temporal variation can be very different—BC concentrations often peak
during morning rush hour.
• Continuous monitoring for ozone.
• Meteorological monitoring to track weather conditions.
The AirBeat team also made arrangements with MA DEP to download the raw monitoring
data directly from the Dudley Square station via a modem-to-modem connection, so that
AirBeat could process the data and deliver it to the public in real time.
A-s APPENDIX A
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The AirBeat project uses two innovative methods for air pollution monitoring, both ideal for
highly urbanized centers with large diesel fuel emissions. The first of these, the Continuous
Ambient Mass Monitor, is a new tool for measuring PM2 5 concentrations in ambient air.
The AirBeat team also tested an innovative method for monitoring BC concentrations: the
Aethalometer, which provides a surrogate measurement of diesel emissions. Both of these
methods have proved reliable.
DATA VISUALIZATION TOOLS
The ozone air pollution maps shown on the AirBeat Web site are based on near real-time
measurements of ground-level ozone in the northeastern United States. The map uses color
codes to display the recent ozone levels.
OUTREACH STRATEGIES
The AirBeat team planned an extensive outreach program to communicate the air quality
monitoring results in an understandable manner to local citizens and to educate them about
the connections between air pollution and health effects.
Starting in 2000, the AirBeat team began presenting the data collected by the ambient air
quality monitoring station in near real-time for public access on the AirBeat Web site
(http://www.airbeat.org/) and via a telephone hotline system.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Consult the following resources for more information about the AirBeat Project:
• Alternatives for Community and Environment
http://www. ace-ej. orgl
• Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
http://www. state, ma. us/dep/dephome. htm
• Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management
http://www. nescaum. org
CONTACTS FOR THE AIRBEAT PROJECT
George Allen
Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management
Phone: 617-367-8540
E-mail: gallen@nescaum.org
Jodi Sugerman-Brozan
Alternatives for Community and Environment
Phone: 617-442-3343 x23
E-mail: jodi@ace-ej. org
Matthew Goode
Suffolk County Conservation District
Phone: 617-451-9141
Jerry Sheehan
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Phone: 617-292-5500
E-mail: jerry.sheehan@state. ma. us
APPENDIX A A-V
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II
APPENDIX B
LIST DF USEFUL WEB SITES AND REFERENCES
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROJECT WEB SITES
• Office of Research and Development Technology Transfer Web Site:
http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl—provides information on EMPACT projects,
environmental topics (e.g., air, drinking water, watersheds), and pollution prevention.
• Paso del Norte Environmental Monitoring Project Web Site:
http://www.ozonemap.org—provides information on air quality, traffic and transit, and
weather for the El Paso, Texas, metropolitan and surrounding area.
• Air Info Now Environmental Monitoring Project Web Site:
http://www.airinfonow.org—provides information about air quality, health concerns related
to air pollution, and local solutions to improve air quality in the Tucson, Arizona, area.
AIR QUALITY MONITORING RESOURCES
• EPA's Ozone Monitoring, Mapping, and Public Outreach (EPA/625/R-99/007) docu-
ment helps users identify monitoring locations and equipment for ground-level ozone.
Available online at: http://www.epa.gov/airnow/cdmanual.pdf.
• Clean Air Act information: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/laws.htm—includes the full
Clean Air Act law and a plain English Guide to the Act.
• Office of Air and Radiation's Technology Transfer Network: http://www. epa.gov/ttn/amtic—
provides links to information on air quality monitoring, including methods and standards.
• EPA's AirNow Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/airnow/—lists information on the Air
Quality Index.
TRAFFIC MONITORING RESOURCES
• Federal Highway Administration: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/—search this Web site for
additional information on traffic monitoring and transit planning.
• The Federal Highway Administration's A Summary of Vehicle Detection and Surveillance
Technologies Used in Intelligent Transportation Systems document describes the various
traffic monitoring equipment and applications. Available online at:
http://www.fhwa. dot.gov/ohim/tvtw/vdstits. htm.
• U.S. Department of Transportation's Travel Model Improvement Program:
http://tmip.tamu.edu/—provides information on traffic monitoring, transit modeling,
and data collection.
QUALITY CONTROL RESOURCES
• EPA's Guidance for the Preparation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Quality-
Related Documents (EPA/600/R-96/027) helps users develop standard operating
procedures. Available online by searching the EPA Web site by publication number
(http://www. epa.gov/clhtml/pubtitle. html).
• The EPA Ambient Monitoring Technology Information Center's quality assurance/quality
control page: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/qaqc.html.
COMPUTER MODELS
• EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality Web site: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/—
provides details on the vehicle exhaust emissions model MOBILE 6 (most recent version).
APPENDIX B B-I
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&EPA
Un ted States
Env ronmenta Protect on
Agency
Developing and Implementing
a Lead Dust Outreach,
Monitoring, and Education
Program in Your Community
The Syracuse Lead Dust Project
E M P A C T
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access
& Community Tracking
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Chapter 6 Errata
(when reading the pdf file,
please substitute the following corrections in bold)
Section 6.2 Requirements and Qualifications
Manufacturer's Training (page 43)
In most states, operators must be trained by the manufacturer or receive equivalent training.
Syracuse staff took a one-day free training course on the use of the XRF instrument offered by
the manufacturer, Niton. The course met New York state requirements and covered radiation
safety, XRF theory, worker exposure, as well as hands-on analysis of dust wipes, soils and
paint
Costs for the Instrument (page 44)
In addition to investing in trained, licensed, and certified staff, those seeking to implement an
extensive lead dust monitoring program may want to buy their own field-portable XRF. Syracuse
purchased a Niton Model XL-309, which costs about $21,000, making it the most substantial
expense the project faced. This model costs less than other Niton instruments (mainly the
XL-700 series) that test for a wide range of metals, yet more than instruments that only
analyze for lead-based-paint. The same model with soil analysis capability would cost an
additional $2500. Programs will face an additional expense to replace the instrument's
radioactive source once every two years, if not more frequently. NITON's 40mCi Cd-109
source costs $7,300.
Section 6.3 Quality Control
EPA Verifies Use of XRF for Measurement of Lead in Dust (Highlighted Box, Page 44)
In the fall of 2002, EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program published a
report verifying the use of five field-portable XRF technologies for the measurement of lead in
dust. The Niton XL-300 and XL-700 series XRF instruments were among the five brands tested.
ETV evaluated overall performance of the Niton XL-300 series as "... having a slight
negative bias (but one with an acceptable range of bias) precise, and comparable to the
NLLAP [National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program] laboratory results."
XRF Usage and Radiation Exposure (Highlighted Box, Page 46)
State regulations concerning the use of dosimetry vary, however, it is typically
recommended that an XRF operator wear a dosimetry badge, which monitors exposure to
radiation. Even though no radiation dosimetry is required for some isotopes, users should wear a
dosimetry badge for the following reasons:
Safe Operating Distance (Highlighted Box, Page 47)
XRF instruments used in accordance with manufacturer's instructions will not cause significant
exposure to ionizing radiation. But the instrument's shutter should never be pointed at anyone,
-------
even if the shutter is closed. Also, the operator's hand should not be placed on the end plate
during a measurement.
The safe operating distance between an XRF instrument and an individual depends on the
radiation source type, radiation intensity, quantity of radioactive material, and the density of the
materials being surveyed. As the radiation source quantity and intensity increases, the required
safe distance also increases. Placing dense materials, such as a wall, between the user and
others and a source of radiation, further help to ensure that the possible exposure to
radiation is minimal.
According to NRC rules, a radiation dose to an individual in any unrestricted area must not
exceed 2 milliremsper hour. One of the most intense sources currently used in XRF instruments
is a 40-millicurie 1 Cd (Cd-109) radiation source. Other radiation sources in current use for
XRF testing of lead-based paint generally produce lower levels of radiation. Generally, an XRF
operator following manufacturer's instructions would be exposed to radiation well below the
regulatory level. Typically, XRF instruments with lower gamma radiation intensities can use a
shorter safe distance, provided that the potential expo-sure to an individual will not exceed the
regulatory limit
Section 6.5 Maintaining Equipment (Page 48)
Day-to-day maintenance of the XRF is generally not difficult or costly. Operators should clean
the instrument's display window with cotton swabs, clean the case with a soft cloth, and charge
the batteries as directed in the owner's manual. Beyond that, operators usually just need to take
care not to drop the instrument, get it wet, or neglect the calibration checks recommended by the
manufacturer.
Over the long term, however, XRF owners face the very significant isotopes decay at a fixed
rate. The half-life of 109Cd (cadmium-109), for example, is about 15 months. After that, the XRF
can still be used, but the instrument becomes progressively less efficient. Readings that once
took 30 to 60 seconds take progressively longer. Eventually the wait becomes burdensome, and
the isotope must be replaced. Syracuse sends its instrument back to the manufacturer, which
disposes of the spent radioactive source, installs the new source, upgrades the instrument's
software, and provides whatever preventive maintenance is needed. See Chapter 7, Section 7.3
for more information on managing and disposing of hazardous wastes generated in a lead dust
monitoring and mitigation program.
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D I SCLAI MER
This document has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and approved for publication.
Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation of their use.
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EPA/625/R-02/014
February 2003
Developing and Implementing
a Lead Dust Outreach,
Monitoring, and Education
Program in Your Community
The Syracuse Lead Dust Project
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with vegetable-based ink on paper that contains a minimum of
50% postconsumer fiber.
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C DNTENTS
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
1.1 About EPA's EMPACT Program 1
1.2 About the Syracuse Lead Dust Outreach, Monitoring, and Education Project 2
1.3 Related Lead Dust or Lead Monitoring Programs 3
1.4 Alternative Programs 4
1.5 Are the Practices in this Case Study Consistent with Federal Regulations? 4
1.6 How To Use This Case Study 6
1.7 Acknowledgments 7
1.8 Resources for Additional Information 7
Chapter 2: Lead Dust: Why Is it a Problem? 9
2.1 What Is Lead Poisoning? 9
2.2 Sources of Lead in Dust 10
2.3 Exposure Pathways for Lead Dust 11
2.4 Resources for Additional Information 11
Chapter 3: Lead Dust Project Overview 15
3.1 Steps in the Development of Syracuse's Lead Dust Project 15
3-2 Project Implementation Steps 18
3-3 Selecting Project Partners 21
Chapter 4: Communicating about Lead Dust 26
4.1 Syracuse's Outreach Methods and Materials 26
4.2 Approaching and Recruiting Program Participants 28
4.3 Resources for Additional Information 29
Chapter 5: Collecting and Managing Data on Lead Dust 37
5-1 Chronology: From Data Collection to Reporting 37
5.2 Visiting the Home (Step-By-Step In-Home Sampling) 38
5.3 Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) 40
5-4 Resources For Additional Information 40
Chapter 6: Analyzing Lead Dust Samples Using XRF Technology 42
6.1 Advantages of XRF Technology 42
6.2 Requirements and Qualifications 43
6.3 Quality Control 44
6.4 Health and Safety When Using XRF 46
6.5 Maintaining Equipment 47
6.6 Resources For Additional Information 48
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Chapter 7: Mitigation and Maintenance 50
7.1 Lead Dust Mitigation 50
7.2 HEPA Vacuum Loaner Program 52
7.3 Disposal of Lead Dust Debris and Used HEPA Filter 52
7.4 Maintaining Lead-Safe Practices in the Home 53
7.5 Resources for Additional Information 54
Chapter 8: Reporting 57
8.1 Participant Reports 57
8.2 Public Reports 58
8.3 Web Site 59
8.4 Resources For Additional Information 59
Chapter 9: Evaluating Syracuse's Lead Dust Project 73
Appendix A: Glossary 78
Appendix B: Quality Assurance Project Plan 80
Appendix C: Minneapolis Lead Hazard Control Program 89
Appendix D: EMPACT Lead-Safe Yard Project in Boston, Massachusetts 92
Appendix E: Memorandum from Elizabeth Cotsworth, Director, Office of Solid Waste, on
"Regulatory Status of Waste Generated by Contractors and Residents from
Lead-Based Paint Activities Conducted in Households" 95
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1
I NTRD DU CTI D N
Lead poisoning in children under the age of six continues to be a serious environmental
health problem in the United States. Children from all socio-economic segments are
potentially at risk, whether they are members of immigrant families living in old
apartment buildings in inner cities, or members of well-to-do households living in historic resi-
dences. They can be exposed to lead where they live and play primarily from the lead dust cre-
ated when lead-based paint rubs off windows and other surfaces inside their homes. The good
news is that many communities are taking effective action to raise awareness of lead-based paint
and reduce the hazards of lead exposure to young children.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) share joint responsibilities for the environmental and health risks
of lead-based paint, and the two agencies are protecting children through issuing grants to local-
ities such as Syracuse with the goal of reducing childhood lead poisoning.
This technology transfer case study is designed to address two main goals. The first goal is to
show how the Lead Dust Outreach, Monitoring, and Education Project in Syracuse, New York
(Syracuse Lead Dust Project), is using a variety of effective, low-cost public information and
education techniques to reduce children's exposure to elevated levels of lead dust in their homes
and day care facilities. The second goal is to provide information, recommendations, sugges-
tions, and tools to assist individuals or groups who are developing similar programs to address
the problem of lead dust in their communities. The lessons learned are based on the experiences
of the Syracuse Lead Dust Project and several other programs that are highlighted at various
points throughout this case study.
This document is written primarily for community organizers, nonprofit groups, local govern-
ment officials, tribal officials, and other decision-makers who will implement, or are considering
implementing, lead dust outreach, monitoring, and mitigation programs. Much of the informa-
tion will also be useful to tenants and homeowners interested in finding low-cost ways to reduce
children's exposure to lead dust.
Before attempting to implement the process described in this case study, project staff, commu-
nity organizers, homeowners, and tenants must be aware of the potential hazards associated
with lead-based paint in housing. Everyone should carefully read those passages of the case
study that describe lead hazards (Chapter 2).
1.1 ABOUT EPA's EMPACT PROGRAM
This case study was developed by EPA's EMPACT Program (www.epa.gov/empact). EPA creat-
ed EMPACT (Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking) to pro-
mote new and innovative approaches to collecting, managing, and communicating
environmental information to the public. Working with communities across the country, the
program takes advantage of new technologies to provide community members with timely,
accurate, and understandable environmental information they can use to make informed, day-
to-day decisions about their lives. EMPACT projects cover a wide range of environmental
issues, including water quality, ground water contamination, smog, ultraviolet radiation, and
overall ecosystem quality.
INTRODUCTION
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The Technology Transfer and Support Division of the EPA Office of Research and
Development's (ORD's) National Risk Management Research Laboratory initiated the develop-
ment of this case study to help interested communities learn more about lead dust monitoring
and education programs, to provide them with the technical information they need to develop
their own programs, and to minimize the resources needed to implement similar programs in
other cities. Both print and CD-ROM versions of the case study are available for direct online
ordering from ORD's Technology Transfer Web site at . A PDF version
of the case study can also be downloaded from the Syracuse Lead Dust Outreach, Monitoring,
and Education Project at . In addition, copies of the case study
are available by contacting ORD publications at:
EPA ORD Publications
26 W. Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268-0001
EPA National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
Toll free: 800490-9198
Local: 513 489-8190
Available in hard copy or CD-ROM.
1.2 ABOUT THE SYRACUSE LEAD DUST DUTREACH,
MONITORING, AND EDUCATION PROJECT
Syracuse initiated its Lead Dust Outreach, Monitoring, and Education Project (the Syracuse
Lead Dust Project) in 1998. The objective was to establish a community-based effort to provide
local residents with information to assist them in reducing their exposure to lead dust in resi-
dential and public buildings. The project targets minority, immigrant, and low-income residents
with a focus on families with small children who live in buildings constructed prior to 1978.
Priority is given to households with children under the age of six.
Syracuse's Lead Dust Project collects lead dust level samples, analyzes the samples, reports
results to the residents, and coordinates community outreach and education. If a lead hazard is
present in a home, Syracuse staff contacts the participant, provides training in a three-step
cleaning method, and informs the resident about a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vac-
uum loaner program. If the data indicate that a lead hazard is not present, the participant
receives a written copy of their individual sample results.
Syracuse, located in central New York, is a medium-sized city with a 2000 Census population of
147,000. The city's housing stock is relatively old—more than 58 percent of the housing units
were built prior to 1940, more than 22,000 of which are considered substandard.
Approximately 64 percent of the housing stock is rental property. In the city's revitalization
areas, 68 percent of children under age 5 live in poverty, and 1,435 children under the age of
six have elevated blood levels, according to 1998 data collected by Onondaga County Lead
Poisoning Control.
Working cooperatively with the county's poison control program and its Healthy
Neighborhoods Division, along with seven community-based organizations (CBOs), Syracuse is
using grant funding from EPA's EMPACT program for lead dust outreach, monitoring, and
mitigation in 350 homes located in the same neighborhoods targeted by the city's HUD lead
hazard control program.
CHAPTER
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The city of Syracuse has set up partnerships
with the following seven CBOs to implement J~| efore beginning its lead dust project, Syracuse
its EMPACT Lead Dust Project: |_| already had a HUD-funded lead hazard reduction
r „ program in place. Both programs share common goals:
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse .r , ,, ,
, to identity areas where lead dust presents a hazard, to
. / . 11111
educate homeowners and tenants about lead hazards,
Southeast Asian Center
< www. irccny. org/programs/seac. shtml;
Brighton Family Center
Girls, Inc. of Central New York
and to suggest ways to reduce exposure to lead dust.
Having the HUD lead hazard control program in place
helped pave the way for the EMPACT Lead Dust
Project because the Lead Risk Assessors had an existing
relationship with the community, as well as with the
Mayor and with other city decision-makers. Since
HUD's lead program already had a working office, EPA
Southwest Community Center able about the hazards posed by lead in the home.
Syracuse Northeast Community Center
• Westcott Community Center
These project partners play a critical role in implementing the Syracuse Lead Dust Project.
CBOs recruit residents in the neighborhood to participate in the HEPA vacuum program, store
the HEPA vacuums, assist with translation to non-English speakers, and provide critical pro-
gram feedback from the community. Read more about CBOs and their role in Chapter 3.
1 .3 RELATED LEAD DUST OR LEAD MONITORING PROGRAMS
In developing this technology transfer case study, EPA contacted several other similar lead dust
programs to gain their perspectives. EPA gathered information from the following other pro-
grams:
• The Minnesota Environmental Health Lead Hazard Control Program
Minneapolis/St. Paul (See Appendix C)
The city of Minneapolis Lead Hazard Control Program, in partnership with Atrix International
Corporation, has developed and implemented a cooperative HEPA vacuum rental program.
This program is structured to assist homeowners, tenants, rental property owners, and renova-
tors (do-it-yourselfers) in safely removing lead-based paint dust and chips from their homes.
• HELP Lead Safe Center
Providence, Pvhode Island
Health & Education Leadership for Providence (HELP) is a community partnership of colleges
and hospitals in Providence, Pvhode Island. The HELP Lead Safe Center assists families dealing
with the complex needs of the lead-poisoned child and works to prevent the poisoning of other
children in the home. The Lead Center offers medical and nonmedical case management, envi-
ronmental and nutritional education, child development assessment, housing advocacy, social
service referrals, and an innovative window replacement program for eligible families.
INTRODUCTION
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As part of its comprehensive array of services relating to lead safety, the Lead Center conducts
home environmental visual assessments. A trained assessor walks through the home with the
family, room by room, identifying lead hazards. If lead dust is discovered, the Lead Center rec-
ommends cleaning techniques and teaches proper cleaning procedures, such as wet-cleaning
lead dust using trisodium phosphate diluted in water. The organization also makes HEPA vacu-
ums available on a loaner basis and provides instructions for their proper use.
• EMPACT Lead-Safe Yard Project
Boston, Massachusetts (See Appendix D)
The EMPACT Lead-Safe Yard Project (LSYP) in Boston used a variety of low-cost techniques
to reduce children's exposure to elevated levels of lead in residential soil. The project used inno-
vative field-portable x-ray fluorescence (XPvF) technology to communicate data to residents and
implemented low-cost and sustainable landscape measures in residents' yards to reduce chil-
dren's risk of exposure to contaminated soil. The project also developed a template that other
communities and public agencies can use to address the issue of lead in residential soil.
The project improved 61 homes at no cost to the owners; conducted a number of seminars on
lead-safe yard work; and developed a "Tool Kit" for use by other communities. These methods
were then incorporated into a handbook titled Lead-Safe Yards: Developing and Implementing
a Monitoring, Assessment, and Outreach Program for Your Community.
1 .4 ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS
Homeowners or tenants living in an area where no lead dust program exists might want to have
trained and licensed consultants determine whether they have a lead problem in their house. In
this case, the homeowner or tenant should have dust wipe samples collected by a certified lead-
based paint inspector, risk assessor, or sampling technician. For a list of qualified lead profes-
sionals, including inspectors, risk assessors, abatement contractors, and analytical laboratories,
go to and click on "Finding A Qualified Lead Professional for Your Home"
under "Additional Resources." For EPA-run states, call 1-800-424-LEAD.*
Homeowners can contact their state or local childhood lead poisoning prevention program for
more information about obtaining lead dust testing. The following Web sites list state and local
lead poisoning prevention contacts:
• The Lead Program of the National Safety Council's Environmental Health Center:
.
The National Conference of State Legislatures' Directory of State Lead Poisoning Prevention
Contacts: .
1 .5 ARE THE PRACTICES IN THIS CASE STUDY CONSISTENT
WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS?
Syracuse's Lead Dust Project complies with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Title IV
and the Section 403 rule, under which EPA establishes standards for lead-based paint hazards,
including hazard levels for lead-contaminated dust in houses.
EPA-run states are Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota, Nevada, New
Mexico, New York, South Carolina, Washington, and Wyoming.
CHAPTER
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HUD and EPA set reference levels indicating the amounts of lead that might create adverse
health effects to pregnant women and children younger than 6 years old. These standards allow
landlords, tenants, parents, and child care providers to identify problems and make informed
decisions. The Syracuse project based its own hazardous levels of concern on these standards
(see table below).
SYRACUSE REFERENCE LEVELS FOR LEAD DUST HAZARDS
Floor 40 ug/ft.2
Window Sill 250 ug/ft.2
Window Trough1 400 ug/ft.2
1 Syracuse's Lead Dust Project uses EPA's clearance level of 400 ug/ft.2 for window
troughs.
Syracuse's Lead Dust
Project provides resi-
dents (particularly low-
income, urban,
minority residents) with
practical, low-cost dust
cleanup measures that
will reduce exposure to
lead-contaminated dust
in the home. These
low-cost measures may be used as interim shorter term solutions until permanent, higher cost
solutions are employed as long as homeowners and/or residents carefully and conscientiously
follow and continue to practice the recommended cleanup procedures.
Before applying the Syracuse Lead Dust Project's model to your situation, consult local regula-
tory authorities to determine their specific requirements, such as reference levels for lead-con-
taminated dust. State, tribal, and local government regulations might be more restrictive than
existing federal guidance.
LINKS TD REGULATIONS RELATED TD LEAD DUST
HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing.
Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992.
The National Conference of State Legislatures' Directory of State Lead Poisoning Prevention Contacts
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
HUD's Lead Safe Housing Rule
EPA's final standards (TSCA 403) for lead-based paint hazards (including lead dust). Office of
Pollution Prevention and Toxics Web site
SW-846 is EPA's Office of Solid Waste's official compendium of analytical and sampling methods that
have been evaluated and approved for use in complying with RCRA regulations.
INTRODUCTION
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1 .6 Haw TD USE THIS CASE STUDY
This case study provides information communities can use to create and implement a lead dust
project. It provides examples of program planning and implementation along with important
background information on lead poisoning.
• Chapter 2 discusses why lead dust is a health hazard; the incidence of lead poisoning; sources
of lead; and its pathways into the body.
• Chapter 3 describes the steps taken by Syracuse to plan and implement its lead dust project,
including identifying potential target communities, getting to know the community, and
selecting program partners.
• Chapter 4 discusses Syracuse's recommendations for communicating about lead dust to resi-
dents and property owners. It covers the language and cultural challenges of communicating
with immigrant and low-literacy populations and provides examples of effective outreach
and educational materials used by Syracuse.
• Chapter 5 provides information about collecting and managing data, including how to inter-
act with residents as dust samples are collected from their homes.
• Chapter 6 discusses use of the field-portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instruments to collect
timely data, role of field sampling technicians, testing protocols, quality control, health and
safety precautions, and equipment maintenance.
• Chapter 7 discusses the mitigation (cleaning) process recommended by Syracuse and the
HEPA vacuum loaner program and discusses the importance of continued maintenance.
• Chapter 8 discusses data reporting to residents, landlords, and the public. It also covers
recordkeeping and confidentiality.
• Chapter 9 provides information on how Syracuse evaluates the performance of its program.
This case study also includes references to supplementary sources of information, such as Web
sites, guidance documents, and other written materials. In addition, the case study includes the
following appendices:
• Appendix A provides a glossary of technical terms used in this case study.
• Appendix B comprises Syracuse's Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP).
• Appendix C provides a case study on the Minneapolis Lead Hazard Control Program.
• Appendix D contains a case study on the EMPACT Lead-Safe Yard Project in Boston,
Massachusetts.
• Appendix E provides a memorandum from Elizabeth Cotsworth, Director, Office of Solid
Waste on "Regulatory Status of Waste Generated by Contractors and Residents from Lead-
Based Paint Activities Conducted in Households."
Initiating and managing a lead dust program is a challenging but worthwhile undertaking. This
case study aims to provide information and resources that will help develop new programs,
maintain current programs, and educate individuals on how to decrease occurrences of lead dust
poisoning in children. We hope that you find the case study informative and easy to use.
CHAPTER
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1 .V ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The development of this case study was managed by Scott Hedges (U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research
Laboratory) with the support of Eastern Research Group, Inc., an EPA contractor. Technical
guidance was provided by the Syracuse Lead Dust Project. EPA would like to thank the follow-
ing people and organizations for their substantial contributions to the contents of this case study:
Theresa Bourbon, U.S. EPA, Region 2 EMPACT Project Officer
Jeremy Giller, Executive Director, HELP Lead-Save Center, Providence, Rhode Island
Mike Goss, Syracuse Lead Dust Project
Robert Maxfield, U.S. EPA Region 1
Pat McLaine, National Center for Healthy Housing
Johanna Miller, Minnesota Environmental Health Lead-Hazard Control Program
Betsy Mokrzycki, Syracuse Lead Dust Project
Donna Ringel, U.S. EPA, Region 2 EMPACT Program Manager
Patrick Strodel, Lead Safe, LLC
Robert Vanderslice, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Adam VanHoose, Syracuse Lead Dust Project
1 .B RESOURCES FDR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The following publications and resources provide a wealth of information on lead and lead-con-
taminated dust:
Department of Housing and Urban Development. 1995- HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation
and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing. Available online at .
Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2000. Residential Lead Desktop Reference,
2nd Edition. CD-ROM containing more than 140 documents, including ASTM scopes,
screening guidance, community outreach materials, lead resources, scientific studies and reports,
lead statutes and regulations, lead training materials, regulation support documents, reports to
Congress, HUD guidelines, and other resources. Available for $10 by calling HUDUSER at
1-800-245-2691.
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction and Financing Task Force. 1995- Putting the Pieces
Together: Controlling Lead Hazards in the Nation's Housing. Available online at
< www. hud. gov/offices/lead/reports/report. pdf>.
U.S. Congress. 1992. Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992. Title X (42
USC 4851). Available online at .
INTRODUCTION
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1994. EPA Guidance on Residential Lead-Based Paint,
Lead-Contaminated Dust, and Lead-Contaminated Soil. EPA540-F-94-045. Order online at
< www. epa. gov/ncepihom/ordering. htm>.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1995- EPA Residential Sampling for Lead: Protocols for
Dust and Soil Sampling. EPA747-R-95-001.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1997. Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your
Home. EPA747-K-97-001. Order online at .
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2001. Lead Paint Safety—A Guide for
Painting, Home Maintenance, and Renovation Work. HUD-1779-LHC.
LINKS
U.S. EPA National Lead Information Center at .
A federally funded hotline and clearinghouse that provides information on lead hazard reduc-
tion and exposure prevention. To speak with one of the Center's clearinghouse specialists, call
1-800-424-LEAD Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST.
U.S. EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) at
.
Responsible for EPA programs related to lead poisoning prevention and lead regulation. OPPT
also provides educational packets for parents, teachers, day care providers, and librarians, as well
as technical information and publications.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at .
Sets standards for evaluating and managing lead in federal-assisted housing and promotes efforts
to reduce lead hazards in privately owned housing. In addition, provides grants to communities
to reduce lead hazards in housing.
CHAPTER
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2
LEAD DUST:
WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
This chapter provides an overview of the problems posed by lead dust. The information
in this chapter should be useful to anyone interested in lead dust hazards and mitiga-
tion, including community organizers responsible for implementing a lead dust pro-
gram or homeowners concerned about elevated lead levels in their own homes.
• Section 2.1 discusses what lead poisoning is and how it affects children's health.
• Section 2.2 discusses the sources of lead in dust.
• Section 2.3 describes the key pathways for childhood exposure to lead.
• Section 2.4 lists resources for additional information.
2. 1 WHAT Is LEAD POISONING?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1 million children
living in the United States in the early 1990s had lead in their blood at levels high enough to
cause irreversible damage to their health. CDC defines elevated lead levels in children as 10
micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (ug/dL) or higher. Although there is no known safe
level of lead in blood, lead poisoning is entirely preventable.
The CDC recommends certain actions for various blood lead levels. In its 1991 report,
"Preventing Lead Poisoning In Young Children," the CDC recommended an intervention plan,
which is currently still in use. In general, CDC recommends urgent follow up for children with
blood lead levels of 45 ug/dL. These children should be taken to a clinic or medical center with
experience in managing childhood lead poisoning. A child with a blood lead level greater than
70 ug/dL should be hospitalized immediately. The CDC recommends that treatment for lead
toxicity at any level, must always involve removing the child from further exposure. Treating a
child for lead toxicity is futile unless the child's exposure can be reduced.
Although childhood lead exposure has diminished in the past 25 years, the problem is far from
solved. Deteriorating housing, lack of resources, lack of access to medical care, poor nutrition,
and language barriers all contribute to poor and minority children being at risk for lead poison-
ing. However, no economic or ethnic/racial group is free from the risk of lead poisoning. Many
affluent families renovating older homes, for example, have inadvertently exposed themselves
and their children to lead hazards through unsafe lead paint removal techniques.
HEALTH EFFECTS OF LEAD POISONING
Lead poisoning affects nearly every system in the body and often occurs without noticeable
symptoms. Although lead can affect adults, children under the age of 6 are especially vulnerable
to the adverse effects of lead. The incomplete development of the blood-brain barrier in fetuses
and very young children (up to 36 months of age) increases the risk of lead's entry into the
nervous system. Low but chronic exposure can affect the developing nervous system in subtle
but persistent ways. In children, blood lead levels as low as 10 to 15 ug/dL can stunt growth
rates, affect attention span, cause learning disabilities, lower IQ scores, impair hearing acuity,
and cause behavioral problems. In addition, fetuses exposed to elevated levels of lead can suffer
LEAD DUST: WHY Is IT A PROBLEM?
-------
from low birth weight, impaired hearing, and altered gestational age, which can lead to further
complications.
In addition to damaging the nervous system, elevated blood lead levels can also affect the kid-
neys and reproductive system and cause high blood pressure. Very high levels (greater than 80
ug/dL) can cause convulsions, coma, or death. Levels greater than 150 ug/dL are fatal if not
treated quickly. Fortunately, exposures resulting in such high levels of lead are rare.
2.2 SOURCES DF LEAD IN DUST
Lead dust from deteriorated paint is the most significant contributor to childhood lead poison-
ing.1 While the use of lead paint in residential buildings was federally banned in the United
States in 1978, many homes built prior to 1978 still contain lead-based paint. Paint used in
homes built between 1950 and 1978 contained between 0.5 and 50 percent lead, and the paint
used prior to 1950 contained higher concentrations. One estimate is that more than 3 million
tons of lead-based paint remain in the 57 million homes built prior to 19802.
Lead dust forms as lead-based paint peels, chips, chalks, or cracks. Dust also forms when paint-
ed surfaces bump or rub together (called friction surfaces, particularly found on doors and win-
dows) . The primary sources of lead dust are interior painted building components that receive a
lot of wear-and-tear: windows, trim, and sills; doors and door frames; columns, stairs, railings,
and banisters; and porches and fences. Lead dust can also form when lead-based paint is dry
scraped, dry sanded, or heated during building renovations. Lead dust is especially problematic
when found on surfaces that children can reach and chew or mouth, such as window sills, rail-
ings, and stair edges that are at child height. Another important source of lead dust is lead that
has been deposited in soil. Lead in residential soil comes from several different sources, includ-
ing lead-based exterior paint. Before 1978, lead paint was widely used on the exteriors of resi-
dential and other buildings. As the paint on a building's exterior deteriorates, lead paint chips
and dust concentrate in the surrounding soil. Renovating, remodeling, and performing routine
home maintenance also will mobilize this lead if proper precautions are not taken. As with inte-
rior paint, dry scraping, sanding, and blasting of exterior lead-based paint can mobilize large
amounts of lead in a short time. Disturbing the old lead-based paint can increase lead concen-
trations in soil, especially in the "drip zone," or "drip line," the area surrounding and extending
out about 3 feet from the foundation of a building. (See Appendix D for information about an
EMPACT program that addresses lead in residential soil).
For additional information refer to an EPA fact sheet entitled, Identifying Lead Hazards in
Residential Properties, which is included at the end of this chapter.
While not primarily responsible for childhood lead poisoning, other sources of lead in the environment
include emissions from industrial sources such as smelters, mining operations, and battery-recycling plants;
soil contaminated from vehicular emissions (before leaded gasoline was banned in 1986); lead water pipes;
lead-containing tableware and crystal glassware; some hobbies, such a stained glass-making; some folk
remedies; and some types of jewelry and pewter-ware.
Centers for Disease Control, Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children, 1991.
ID CHAPTER
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2.3 EXPOSURE PATHWAYS FDR LEAD DUST
The main way that lead enters the body in through ingestion3. The most common way for a
child to ingest lead is by putting into their mouths objects (e.g., toys or hands) that have lead-
contaminated dust or dirt on them. The dust and dirt inside the house may contain lead from
deteriorating lead-based paint or from lead-contaminated soil tracked in from outside by people
or pets. In addition, when children play outdoors, lead-contaminated dirt and dust can get on
hands, toys, and food. Putting these items in the mouth can lead to ingestion of lead.
Young children tend to ingest more lead than adults in a given environment because of their
normal hand-to-mouth behavior. They also take in more food and water per kilogram of body
weight. Children are at higher risk when their nutritional needs are not being met. Calcium,
iron, zinc, and protein deficiencies, in particular, increase lead absorption rates.
2.4 RESOURCES FDR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
PUBLICATIONS
American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs. 1995- "Treatment Guidelines for Lead
Exposure in Children." Pediatrics. 96:155-160. Available online at .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2002. "Managing Elevated Blood Levels Among
Young Children," Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead
Poisoning Prevention. Available online at , or call (toll-free) 1-888-232-6789.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1997. Risk Analysis To Support Standards for Lead in
Paint, Dust, and Soil, volumes 1 & 2. EPA747-R-97-006. Available online at
< www epa. gov/ncepihom/ordering. htm>.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1999. Lead in Your Home: A Parent's Reference Guide.
EPA747-B-99-003.
LINKS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
< www. cdc. gov/nceh/lead/lead. htm>
Provides information about childhood lead poisoning, promotes state and local screening
efforts, and develops improved treatments for lead exposure.
Lead Poisoning Prevention Outreach Program
< www. nsc. org/ehc/lead. htm>
The Lead Poisoning Prevention Outreach Program is funded through a cooperative agreement
between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Environmental Health Center
(EHC).
Children can also inhale lead dust from deteriorating paint, from clothing brought home by parents
exposed to occupational lead sources, or from fumes from hobbies that use lead. In addition, children can
breathe lead dust stirred up by conventional vacuuming or during building renovations. These instances are
not considered significant exposure pathways, however.
LEADDUSTlWHYlSlTAPROBLEM? 11
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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
ATSDR conducts a public health assessment at sites on the EPA National Priorities List to
determine if people are being exposed to hazardous substances, which includes lead. The public
can search by region to see which health assessments are currently available in an online data-
base located at: .
National Conference of State Legislatures
Contains NCSLnet Search — a directory of state lead poisoning prevention contacts.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
Identifies and regulates sources of lead exposure in consumer products.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
< www. osha-slc. gov/S LTC/lead/index. html>
Develops work practice standards and worker exposure limits to protect workers from occupa-
tional lead exposure.
12 CHAPTER
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA)
Prevention, Pesticides
and Toxic Substances
(7404)
EPA747-F-01-002
April 2001
(http://www.epa.gov/lead)
£EPA FACT SHEET
Identifying Lead Hazards in Residential Properties
EPA has developed standards to help property owners, lead paint professionals, and government agencies
identify lead hazards in residential paint, dust, and soil. These hazards may be paint chips, lead in household
dust, child-accessible or mouthable painted surfaces, friction surfaces of windows and doors, and lead in
residential soil. The Agency has released this fact sheet to summarize new standards and recommendations to
better address lead hazards in and around homes. The complete text of the final rule is available through the
National Lead Information Center or EPA 's Web site (see For More Information).
LEAD PAINT HAZARD
STANDARDS
Lead paint is usually not a hazard if the paint:
- Is in good condition.
- Is not on an impact or friction surface (like a
window, door, or a stair).
WHAT MAKES LEAD PAINT A HAZARD:
The lead paint is deteriorating. As the paint
breaks down, it releases paint chips and lead
dust that can contaminate the home and be
easily ingested by young children through hand-
to-mouth activity.
This deteriorated lead paint may be inside
residential buildings or child-occupied facilities or
on the exterior of any residential building or child-
occupied facility.
The lead paint is on friction or impact surfaces.
Impact to surfaces like door frames or stairs can
damage the paint and release lead. Also, the
paint on friction surfaces like windows, stairs,
and floors can break down during normal use
and release lead.
The lead paint is on child-accessible surfaces
that show evidence of teeth marks. Beware of
lead paint on surfaces such as window sills,
railings, and stair edges that are at child height
and have been or may be chewed on or mouthed
by a child.
All testing for, and identification of, lead
hazards should be completed per EPA
regulations.
LEAD DUST: WHY I
I T
PROBLEM?
~\ 3
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LEAD DUST HAZARD
STANDARDS
The following two standards have been set
for lead hazards in dust:
* 40 micrograms per square foot (g/ft2) for
floors (including carpeted floors).
* 250 g/ft2 for interior window sills.
LEAD SOIL HAZARD
STANDARDS
The following two standards have been set
for lead hazards in soil:
* 400 parts per million (ppm) in play areas of
bare residential soil.
* 1,200 ppm (average) in bare soil in the
remainder of the yard.
LEAD ABATEMENT
CLEARANCE
REQUIREMENTS
Following lead abatement, dust cleanup
activities must be repeated until testing
indicates that lead dust levels are below the
following:
* 40 g/ft2 for floors (including carpeted floors).
* 250 g/ft2 for interior window sills.
* 400 g/ft2 for window troughs.
THIS REGULATION AFFECTS...
The standards established in this regulation apply
to most pre-1978 housing and child-occupied
facilities (pre-1978 non-residential properties
where children under the age of six spend a
significant amount of time such as daycare
centers and kindergartens).
Anyone who must comply with other Title X
regulations, whether issued by EPA, HUD, or by a
State under an authorized program, may be
affected by this regulation. The following list
identifies some of the groups potentially affected
by these standards:
- Residential and child-occupied property owners,
and owners receiving federal housing assistance.
- Lead paint professionals.
- Training providers.
- Federal agencies.
- Parents.
WHAT HAPPENS IF A LEAD HAZARD Is IDENTIFIED?
Property are required to notify occupants if they
are aware of lead, whether or not it is identified as
a hazard. However, this regulation does not
require anyone to identify lead hazards, or that
any specific action be taken if a lead hazard is
identified. Please refer to the Protect Your Family
brochure available through the National Lead
Information Center for further information on
disclosure of lead hazards to residents.
Owners and other decision-makers should
actively seek to reduce or prevent children's
exposure to lead in paint, dust, or soil that equals
or exceeds these hazard levels. The Protect Your
Family brochure provides some of these options.
State, local, or tribal governments may have
different standards or requirements. EPA
recommends you contact them before beginning
any work with lead paint.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
*The National Lead Information Center at
1-800-424-LEAD (5323).
* ERA'S Web site at .
CHAPTER
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3
LEAD DUST
PROJECT OVERVIEW
T
his chapter discusses the process followed by Syracuse to start and manage a lead dust
mitigation program.
• Section 3-1 presents a summary of the program development steps involved in planning and
launching Syracuse's Lead Dust Project. It also outlines the roles and responsibilities of pro-
gram partners and staff.
• Section 3.2 reviews the steps Syracuse took in implementing its Lead Dust Project.
• Sections 3.3 and 3.4 discusses selecting program partners, provides an overview of the role of
community-based organizations (CBOs), and discusses how to better understand the target
community. These topics are covered in greater detail in Chapter 4.
Outreach, sampling and analysis, mitigation, reporting, and evaluation are discussed briefly in
this chapter and are covered in more detail in Chapters 4 through 9.
3. 1 STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT DF SYRACUSE'S LEAD
DUST PROJECT
The EPA (EMPACT)-funded Syracuse Lead Dust Project works with both homeowners and
tenants—particularly those with small children—and provides free and immediate lead dust
mitigation to significantly reduce lead dust levels where small children live and play Although
the program does not eliminate the source of the lead hazard (i.e., deteriorated lead-based
paint), it treats the problem in part by providing personalized instruction of proper cleaning
techniques. The program also educates parents and child care providers to teach children about
the importance of hand washing and keeping their hands out of their mouths.
The target population for the Syracuse Lead Dust Project are households with small children
living in the city's revitalization areas. Syracuse knew from the start that essentially all of the
inner city rental housing stock had lead dust problems. To inform tenants about the lead haz-
ards and to gain their trust and participation, Syracuse partnered with seven CBOs. The rela-
tionship built by the lead dust project with these organizations has been key to the project's
development and success.
The following briefly explains Syracuse's major programmatic benchmarks in the development
of its lead dust project:
Step 1: Project Planning
First Syracuse developed a project plan with clearly defined goals and objectives, project scope,
schedule, and identification of possible funding sources. Since Syracuse decided to use XRF
technology, which is not an EPA-approved method for lead dust analysis, confirmatory labora-
tory analysis was considered necessary to demonstrate the reliability of the technology. To
accomplish this, the project was designed in two phases. In Phase I the XRF findings were veri-
fied against laboratory analysis. During Phase II the project was implemented based on the
results of this analysis.
LEADDUSTPRDJECTDVERVIEW 15
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Step 2: Identifying and Securing Funding
Syracuse spent considerable time identifying sources of funding and determining grant application
procedures and schedules. Syracuse allotted time for the application process, which included prepar-
ing the grant application, the review process, dealing with grant award procedures, and announcing
the grant award to the public with a press event (project kickoff).
Step 3: Establish Quality Assurance Plan and Procedures (QAPP)
Since Syracuse secured an EMPACT grant, the next step was to draft a Quality Assurance Plan
and Procedures (QAPP). All work performed or funded by EPA that involves the acquisition of
environmental data must have an approved QAPP, which documents the planning, implementa-
tion, and assessment procedures for a particular project, as well as any specific quality assurance
and quality control activities. It integrates all the technical and quality aspects of the project in
order to provide a "blue print" for obtaining the type and quality of environmental data and
information needed for a specific decision or use. (See Appendix B).
Step 4: Secure Necessary Equipment and Licenses
Syracuse then had to secure a New York State radiation license, purchase the HEPA vacuums
and XRF equipment, and establish other contracts as necessary. Syracuse found that city pro-
curement procedures increased the time needed to finalize this program step. Other programs
might consider other options, which include renting or leasing the necessary equipment or hir-
ing consultants who have their own equipment.
Step 5: Hire and Train Staff
Concurrent with Step 4, Syracuse recruited, hired, and trained qualified staff to perform home
walk-throughs and to collect lead samples using the XRF At the same time, Syracuse began the
process of training other project partners, such as CBO staff, about lead dust hazards and in the
use of the HEPA vacuums. Syracuse's full-time staff play multiple roles which are shown in the
table below. Syracuse required that its field sampling technicians be EPA-certified
inspectors/risk assessors. They also must be licensed by New York State to handle radioactive
equipment. It is important to check with applicable state and local regulatory agencies to deter-
mine the certification and licensing requirements for staff in comparable lead dust programs.
ROLES DF SYRACUSE LEAD DUST PROJECT STAFF
Title Role
Program Manager
Outreach Coordinator
Field Sampling Technician
HEPA Vacuum Coordinator
Data Analyst/Certified
Risk Assessor
Secures funding, recruits project partners, hires staff, oversees
project implementation
Works with CBOs, educates residents about lead dust hazards,
and enrolls them in the project.
Conducts walk-throughs of homes to identify dusty areas;
collects and analyzes lead dust samples.
Trains residents in three-step cleaning process and
demonstrates use of HEPA vacuums.
Reports site-specific results to residents, interprets significance,
and consolidates and reports data for the community.
1 6
CHAPTER
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With project staff and equipment in place, Syracuse began to develop outreach and educational
materials. These included promotional flyers, informational booklets, report templates, and
"how to" guides for wet cleaning and using the HEPA vacuums. Chapter 4 contains specific
information and examples of these outreach materials.
Step 7: Project Implementation
To get the project underway, staff worked
with the CBOs to recruit participants, con-
ducted dust sampling and analysis, set up
home visits for mitigation and training on the
cleaning process, initiated the HEPA vacuum
lending program, started conducting post-
mitigation sampling and reporting, and began
holding regular meetings with program part-
ners. Syracuse also designed a program Web
site. See Section 3.2 below for more details
on the steps taken by Syracuse to implement
its lead dust project.
In the implementation of its program,
Syracuse found that its schedule was influ-
enced by many variables—some not antici-
pated and out of its control. Project staff
successfully resolved several major implemen-
tation hurdles that affected the original proj-
ect schedule. Two steps, in particular, took
longer than expected and required significant
effort to accomplish. The first was the devel-
opment, refinement, and ultimate approval of
the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP),
as required by EPA. The QAPP is discussed
in Chapters 5 and 6 and is provided in its
entirety in Appendix B. The second was the
sequence of steps involved in purchasing the
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) equipment. A New
York State radiation license is required for the
purchase of an XRF. Since Syracuse did not
already have a radiation safety officer involved
Step 8: Program Evaluation
Because of EMPACT's focus on monitoring
and outreach, measuring the effectiveness of
the mitigation component of the project has
not been elaborate. Nonetheless, the project
conducted a "spot check" of the effectiveness
of its mitigation intervention (e.g., informa-
tion about the 3-step cleaning method and
the HEPA vacuum loaner program).
MITIGATION Is NOT ABATEMENT
Using a HEPA vacuum and following the mitiga-
tion steps explained in Chapter 7 of this case
study only cleans the accumulation of lead dust but does
not abate, or eliminate, the source of lead dust in a
home. Mitigation helps curb exposure to lead dust but
will not prevent lead dust from recurring. Residents or
homeowners who want to determine whether their lead
dust problem is serious enough to require abatement
should consult with a certified risk assessor.
A certified risk assessor is trained to determine the exis-
tence, nature, severity, and location of lead-based paint
hazards in a residential dwelling. A risk assessor can rec-
ommend ways to control lead-based paint hazards,
including abatement. The National Lead Center Hotline
(800 424-LEAD) can help residents locate a certified
risk assessor, or visit
and click on "Training and Certification" then scroll
down to the bottom of this page for an interactive map
of authorized state lead programs. These links provide
lists of lead professionals. Untrained individuals should
never attempt to abate lead-based paint hazards in their
home without professional help.
When lead-based paint exists on surfaces such as walls,
ceilings, woodwork, windows, and sometimes floors, res-
idents and homeowners should take the following pre-
cautions to prevent the creation of dust:
• Do not dry scrape or dry sand on painted surfaces.
• Avoid puncturing holes in walls with lead-based paint
or encapsulated or enclosed walls.
• Do not repeatedly bump furniture or other objects
into older painted surfaces.
• Avoid unnecessarily opening and closing windows or
doors with painted sills or frames; these friction sur-
faces can cause paint to deteriorate and can cause lead
dust to be generated.
LEAD DUST PROJECT OVERVIEW
1 7
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in its lead hazard control program, staff first had to undergo training in order to apply for the
state radiation license.
3.2 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION STEPS
The following briefly summarizes the steps taken by the Syracuse Lead Dust Project to imple-
ment its program.
PROJECT INTAKE (RECRUITING PARTICIPANTS)
Syracuse identified at-risk children by targeting neighborhoods with older, wood-framed hous-
ing (generally with wooden clapboard siding). Such houses are likely to have lead-based interior
or exterior paint. Neighborhoods made up of older housing units, especially homes built before
1978, when the use of lead paint was federally banned in the United States, are more likely than
newer communities to have a lead problem. In Syracuse, therefore, officials target buildings
built before 1978 that house children. In fact, the prevalence of such structures made intake
screening unnecessary—Syracuse accepts all referrals from CBOs that involve small children.
First, CBOs work to inform residents about the city's lead dust project. Then residents or
property owners fill out a HEPA Vacuum Intake Questionnaire (see copy at end of Chapter 5)
which is submitted to the Syracuse lead team for evaluation. This questionnaire collects basic
data, such as household size, number of children under 6, and the age of the building. The
team then contacts the resident to set up a time to collect dust wipe samples from the proper-
ty. At the same time they also provide the individual with a clear understanding of how the
process will work. See Chapter 5 for more information on in-home dust sampling conducted
by Syracuse.
LEAD DUST SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
Once a resident is enrolled in the Syracuse project, a field sampling technician (accompanied by
a CBO representative, as needed), visits the residence and explains the sampling procedure.
Prior to sampling, the technician does an initial walk-through to locate the dustiest areas of
floors, window sills, and window wells that are most accessible or exposed to children. He col-
lects samples in the house using dust wipes. Then the dust wipe samples are analyzed by field-
portable XRF technology. In some cases confirmatory laboratory analyses are also performed, as
discussed in Chapter 6.
LEAD DUST MITIGATION (CLEANING)
In houses where lead levels exceed minimum reference levels for lead hazards, the Syracuse Lead
Dust Project provides each participating resident with training in proper cleaning techniques
and free access to a HEPA vacuum. (See Section 1.5 of this handbook for Syracuse's reference
levels for lead hazards). The project provides HEPA vacuums at no cost to all participants who
wish to use them. The Syracuse Lead Dust Project also provides ongoing training and education
to the seven participating CBOs to promote the use of the HEPA vacuums.
The resident signs a free seven-day lease agreement and takes responsibility for proper care and use
of the vacuum. The HEPA vacuum coordinator trains the resident in a three-step cleaning process,
and the actual mitigation is completed by the resident. In some cases, the field sampling techni-
cian returns to the home for post-mitigation sampling and also to collect the vacuum. The
IS CHAPTER
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Syracuse Project offers free vacuum pick-up and delivery to residents, making the use of the vacu-
um convenient and attractive to program participants. See Chapter 7 for more information on
mitigation and the cleaning process.
A WORD ABOUT LEAD DUST CLEANING COSTS
As shown below, Syracuse calculated the average unit costs for the various steps involved in lead
dust sampling and cleaning activities. Once the city had purchased its own XRF equipment and
had a licensed risk assessor on staff, it discontinued using a consultant to perform many of these tasks.
Using in-house staff and equipment, Syracuse's average costs were $181 per home, less than half the cost
of using a consultant ($375). The single most expensive cost was for laboratory analysis: $54 for pre-
cleaning sampling analysis ($9 per sample; 5—6 samples per household) and $27 for post-cleaning analy-
sis ($9 per sample; 2—3 samples per household).
SYRACUSE'S LEAD DUST CLEANING—AVERAGE UNIT COSTS
Step
Initial Sample
Analyze initial samples via XRF;
submit confirmations to lab
Generated initial results report
Home visit to drop off vacuum;
educate occupants on three-step cleaning
Post-sampling; pick up vacuum
Analyze post-cleaning samples via XRF;
submit confirmations to lab
Laboratory analysis
Time
30 minutes
1.5 hours
15 minutes
30 minutes
30 minutes
1.5 hours
Pre-samples (5—6 samples)
Post-samples (2—3 samples)
Cost
$5-25
$15-75
$2.60
$5-25
$5-25
$15-75
$54.00
$27.00
Vacuum bag replacement $ 15 - 00
Vacuum filter replacements $35-00
*Average cost per home (in-house, City of Syracuse) $181.00
*Total cost per home (contractor at $50 per hour) $375-00
*This cost does not include administrative overhead. Syracuse used a consultant and Niton instrument
until the City was able to purchase its own Niton and train its own risk assessor.
*Total costs ranged from $181.00 to $375.00 per home
CO NT. ON NEXT PAGE
LEAD DUST PROJECT OVERVIEW
1 9
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A WORD ABOUT LEAD DUST CLEANING COSTS, CDNT.
Overhead Cost:
Program Manager: Reviews all aspects of
program, reports, and development of the QAPP 10% yearly cost $6,032.00
Purchase of 30 HEPA Vacuums @ $272.00 each $8,160.00
(One-time purchase)
Training of staff (risk assessor, $470.00
EPA Region 2 certification)
Purchase of XRF machine (one-time purchase) $24,880.00
Replacement of the radiation source of Niton $7,300.00
Radiation licensing (New York State) $1,695-00
Safe for Niton $200.00
Computer equipment/XRF and office supplies $2,500.00
Dosimetry badges ($64.00 per quarter) $256.00
TOTAL $51,473.00
REPORTING
Each participating resident receives a report stating whether a sampled area was above or below
the reference levels for lead dust hazard. (See the sample pre-mitigation letter and report at the
end of Chapter 8). Originally, the Syracuse project team intended to have these report templates
translated into Spanish and Vietnamese but this was determined to be impractical due to the
need to communicate site-specific information. Instead, the report is immediately mailed to the
resident. For those households requiring mitigation, the report is also presented and explained
by the data analyst/certified risk assessor at the time of the home visit, when the HEPA vacuum
is delivered and the cleaning process is explained. When necessary, the risk assessor is accompa-
nied by a native speaker who interprets the information for the resident.
In addition to the report, each resident receives printed information on appropriate use of HEPA
vacuums, the three-step cleaning process, and a list of suggested cleaning agents. In approximate-
ly ten percent of the homes tested, the field sampling technician collects additional samples after
the resident cleans the home with a HEPA vacuum. These samples are used to present a post-
mitigation report that compares dust levels after mitigation to the reference levels. To reach a
larger segment of the public, Syracuse's Web site at posts maps
and data showing lead levels in the community, while keeping property-specific lead levels confi-
dential. See Chapter 8 for more information on reporting.
EVALUATION
The Syracuse Lead Dust project ensures program effectiveness in several ways. It solicits a direct
response from the residents who participated in the cleaning and HEPA vacuuming program.
Z O CHAPTER
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The Syracuse lead dust technician asks residents a series of questions, including their thoughts
on the effectiveness of the program and about using the HEPA vacuum. Another way the
Syracuse team measures program success is by tracking the number of lead dust walk-throughs
conducted, and the number of residents that use the HEPA vacuums through the loaner pro-
gram. In addition, the Syracuse team conducts post-mitigation sampling (see section 5-1) and
encourages residents to continue lead dust mitigation activities such as using a HEPA vacuum
(see section 7.1). See Chapter 9 for more information on program evaluation.
3.3 SELECTING PROJECT PARTNERS
Syracuse has successfully involved people with diverse and specialized skills in its lead dust proj-
ect. These include people with skills in program management, risk assessment, and communica-
tions. Syracuse has effectively partnered with several organizations, including EPA, an analytical
laboratory, the Onondaga County Health Department, and the seven CBOs. Lead Safe, LLC, a
contractor, handles coordination and implementation of sampling efforts, and coordinates with
the contracted laboratory.
TESTING LABORATORY ^ amples from potentially lead
l^_l dust-contaminated houses
Syracuse established the following requirements for laboratory , , , , , ,
1 ' should be sent to a testing laboratory
testing services: . , , rri., XT . IT j
recognized by EPAs National Lead
• The selected laboratory must be certified by EPAs National Laboratory Accreditation Program
Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP). (NLLAP). Labs accredited by the
I NLLAP are proficient in testing for
lead in air, paint, soil, or dust (see
Syracuse Lead Dust Project with a copy of its accreditation Selecting a Laboratory for Lead Analysis:
from the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). The EPA Nationai Lead Laboratory
• The laboratory must show proficiency during the past five Accreditation Program, EPA 747-F-99-
f~\f~\f~} A "1 1 OOO\
consecutive years in the Environmental Lead Proficiency ' Pri
Testing (ELPAT) Program which is administered by the
AIHA for paint chips, dust wipes, and soils.
• Laboratories must be New York State Department of Health ELPAT-approved.
• The selected firm is required to comply with the City of Syracuse's equal employment
opportunity requirements. A copy of these requirements can be obtained from the Office of
Economic Development upon request.
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBDs)
Like most urban areas in the United States, the City of Syracuse has experienced a dramatic
influx of immigrants from Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe. These ethnic populations
have been hard to reach with information about lead exposure, because of language barriers and
unfamiliarity with the issue. Preoccupied with pressing issues of daily survival, new immigrants
often fear government agencies or programs. Establishing a link to these people through com-
munity organizations that have bilingual members is key to reaching this population.
The CBOs involved in the Syracuse Lead Dust Project offer a diverse array of services to help
immigrants, including teaching English as a second language, child care, and job placement
LEADDUSTPRDJECTDVERVIEW 21
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services. Through its existing HUD program, the lead hazard control program already had
working relationships with some of the CBOs. Thus, when Syracuse launched its lead dust
program, it involved those CBOs that provided geographic coverage, as well as those that
already were reaching mothers and families with small children through their other program
activities. In addition, Syracuse actively advertised the project and recruited additional CBOs
to participate.
CBDs PROVIDE COMMUNITY ACCESS
As previously mentioned, one of the primary ways that Syracuse's staff gain trust and access to
potential program participants is through their involvement in CBOs that typically serve people
in a two- to three-mile radius around the center. The following CBOs participate in lead dust
education and outreach activities in Syracuse:
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse—A youth development agency whose goal is to inspire
and enable all young people in the Syracuse area, especially those from disadvantaged cir-
cumstances, to realize their potential as productive citizens,
• Brighton Family Center—A neighborhood center that provides a variety of services in a
predominantly African-American neighborhood. Services provided include a Young Mothers
Program for teens who are pregnant or parenting, preschool and after-school programs, and
teen programs.
• Girls, Inc. of Central New York—Provides opportunities for girls to meet the challenges of
the future by developing their potential through creative programs for girls and their fami-
lies.
• Syracuse Northeast Community Center—Helps ensure the physical and emotional well
being of children, families, seniors, and other individuals in the north/northeast section of
Syracuse,
• Southeast Asian Center—Serves the Southeast Asian population in Syracuse, which
includes more than 3,400 Hmong, Laotian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Cambodian
people. The center provides various supportive community-building activities, programs, and
services to assist Southeast Asian immigrants in assimilating into the central New York com-
munity. < www irccny. org/programs/seac. shtml>
• Southwest Community Center—Works with individuals, families, and communities to
promote health and well being through prevention, intervention, and education.
• Westcott Community Center—Provides a safe, accessible community space for activities
and programs that meet community needs; strengthens and unites the community by bring-
ing together its diverse elements; raises awareness through public education and art; and pro-
motes the full inclusion of all persons,
The CBOs play a primary role in program outreach, and Syracuse's Lead Dust Project has
developed strong and cordial working relationships with them. Through the trust and positive
reputation engendered by these organizations, the city's lead program has been able to reach a
segment of the population it had difficulty reaching before. The CBOs have helped translate
information into Spanish and Vietnamese. The program also intends to produce Bosnian trans-
lations to provide that growing population with information about lead safety.
22 CHAPTER
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COMMUNICATING WITH A NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING AUDIENCE
Partnering with agencies and community based organizations (CBOs) that cater to a large non-
English speaking audience often presents special challenges, but working with these CBOs pro-
vides a vital link to the non-English-speaking community in Syracuse.
First and foremost, their clientele is often frightened. Arriving from third-world countries and war-torn
nations, these people are easily intimidated by any type of government intervention. Populations of
Vietnamese, Bosnians, and Hispanics are more concerned about getting jobs, locating housing, and appro-
priate schooling for their children. Childhood lead poisoning is not a priority issue as these people are just
struggling to survive every day in a new and foreign land. Fear of government is another obstacle when
dealing with immigrants. Syracuse partners with organizations that represent these non-English speaking
groups since they have already gained the trust of community residents. This makes the job easier—with-
out the CBOs it would be nearly impossible to reach these special groups. CBO representatives serve as
interpreters during face-to-face meetings with prospective program participants (tenants) to ensure effective
communications. This involves more time and scheduling to arrange meetings and home visits.
Many residents near the Southeast Asia Community Center speak Vietnamese, Chinese, and
Korean, so the project conducts outreach and education in those languages.
Project staff have worked to gain trust, knowing the sensitivities involved in interacting with
residents in their homes. Syracuse staff knew that homeowners or tenants might be reluctant to
participate because cleanliness and housekeeping are generally considered to be private issues.
New immigrants with few alternative housing options might be reluctant to apply for fear they
could get in trouble with the landlord. By ensuring confidentiality, Syracuse successfully avoid-
ed these pitfalls.
Because the CBOs are located in neighborhoods with high lead levels, they are the logical and
convenient locations from which to operate a HEPA vacuum-loaner program. Each participat-
ing CBO is given wide latitude in the way it recruits residents to participate in the lead dust
monitoring project. The CBOs are encouraged to design creative, effective outreach tactics.
Several CBOs have initiated competitions to increase recruitment. For example, the Boys and
Girls Clubs (of which there are three in the city), rewarded the club with the most lead dust
project applications with a pizza party.
Maintaining the strong personal relationships is also vital to the program's success. Project staff
visit each CBO at least once a week to touch base about community issues and to restock the
lead information on display there. Syracuse's outreach
coordinator is invited by the CBOs to many different
community events, including holiday parties, picnics, — _he H£Lp Lead Safe program in
| Pr
and meetings. Often, the Syracuse staff gives the CBOs | Providence) Rhode Island> ^ has found it
crayons, coloring books, pencils, and small bars of soap tremendously important to involve bilingual
to hand out to children. Much of the handout material members of the community in program out-
is donated by local businesses. The crayons are printed reach> especially mose wim lead_sick children
with an important safety message— they are labeled as themselves. Providence also has a Spanish-speak-
bemg lead free according to ASTM D-4236. The bars of ing staff member to build tmst with the large
soap are a perfect way to remind children of the impor- Latino population targeted by me program.
tance of hand-washing.
LEADDUSTPRDJECTDVERVIEW 23
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PARTNERSHIPS THAT WORK
The city of Minneapolis partnered with neighbor-
hood hardware store owners to implement the
HEPA vacuum loaner program. The city has educated
and trained hardware store personnel and has established
Neighborhood Lead Centers in several locations.
Minneapolis successfully recruits these business owners
by showing them how they can benefit and how their
knowledge about lead dust can serve as a marketing tool.
The program also educates day care providers, who then
educate the parents. Minneapolis also has enlisted the
involvement of public health nurses who educate the
children in day care settings about the importance of
washing their hands and taking off their shoes.
Once a month, Syracuse brings all seven
CBOs together to discuss successes and chal-
lenges in signing up community members for
the HEPA vacuum program. The group dis-
cusses performance goals and measures they
have taken to meet these goals. While atten-
dance at monthly EMPACT meetings is
good, high CBO staff turnover requires both
continual and often repeated training.
The CBOs also recruit bilingual community
members, who become ambassadors for the
lead dust effort and help enlist program par-
ticipants. Chapter 4 has examples of tools the
Syracuse Lead Dust Project and the CBOs
have used in conducting outreach.
Syracuse conducted a CBO survey in the
Spring of 2002 to assess program effectiveness
and to determine ways to increase program participation. A copy of the survey questionnaire is
included in Chapter 9. The survey findings indicate that:
• Tenants can be reluctant to participate in the HEPA vacuum program for a variety of rea-
sons, including not wanting strangers to come in their house, fear of upsetting their land-
lord, or thinking the program does not pertain to them.
• Tenants often are embarrassed because they feel they are being judged on their housekeeping
or cleanliness.
• CBOs need more tools like flyers, newsletters, and Web sites to educate the tenants in their
community.
Based on the survey findings, Syracuse asked the CBOs to write implementation plans to guide
their outreach activities and to bolster recruitment. As of July 2002, six of the seven plans had
been submitted. Syracuse reviews and approves the plans, which then serve as blueprints for
program implementation. The plan for the Westcott Community Center is shown on page 25
as an example.
2 4
CHAPTER
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WESTCDTT COMMUNITY CENTER
EMPACT DUTREACH ACTION PLAN
Activities within the After School Program in the month of June:
• Poster contest with the After School Program during the month of June as well as viewing the Sesame
Street video to prepare the kids with information. (Target yield is to have 7-10 kids involved).
• Dinner with the kids and their parents. We would like to have a showing of a presentation of the
HEPA VAC. Also at this time, the winner of the poster contest will be honored. (Target yield is 4-6
families that would get involved in and go through the HEPA program).
• We plan to follow-up with a letter to the parents and ask them again if they would like to go
through the process.
Membership Involvement
• We plan to target a key group of members through a letter campaign and get them to go through
the HEPA VAC program.
Board Involvement
• During a board meeting, we will request that all board members sign up to go through the HEPA
VAC process. Target yield is 11 of 15 members. This would include a letter campaign.
• We would like to have Mike Goss and Adam present on this board.
Employee Involvement
• We will request that all employees and stakeholders living within city limits go through the HEPA
VAC Program. Target yield is 5- (Susan and Gloria)
Volunteer Involvement during the Fall of 2002 and Spring of 2003
• Encourage all student volunteers (college, university, high school) to go through HEPA VAC
Program. We hope to have at least 25 percent of volunteers get involved.
Local Organization Involvement
• Attempt to partner with local schools to write articles regarding the HEPA VAC Program.
• Credit Union: Home Ownership Program.
• Partner with the Westcott Community Development Corporation in relation to joint marketing
schemes. He periodically performs outreach to the neighborhood through door hangers.
Program Involvement
• We plan to target a small group of key program users and renters to encourage them to go through
the HEPA VAC Program. (Target yield is 5-6 families).
• We have put in a grant proposal to become a site for the Parent Success Initiative. Should we
receive it, we would encourage residents to go through the HEPA VAC Program.
Direct Outreach
• Newsletter.
• Vista Volunteer.
• Letters to members and program users.
What we need to assist us in the process:
• We are hoping to receive a one-page document that can be given to potential HEPA VAC renters
that would clearly define and explain the process and what they can expect, should they go through
the process.
• Be available for the booking of speakers and presentations.
LEADDUSTPRDJECTDVERVIEW 25
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4
C D M M U N I C AT I N G
ABOUT LEAD DUST
This chapter describes how Syracuse educated residents about the problem of lead dust
in homes and the benefits of their participation in the project. Information in this
chapter is designed primarily for managers who are implementing lead dust monitoring
and outreach programs and for outreach workers who are responsible for communicating about
lead in the home.
• Section 4.1 describes the outreach methods and materials used by Syracuse to inform and
involve affected households and community members.
• Section 4.2 discusses the types of skills needed by Syracuse's outreach workers, dealing with
language and cultural barriers, interviewing potential program participants, and promoting
and advertising the lead dust program.
• Section 4.3 provides examples of some of the most effective outreach and educational mate-
rials used by Syracuse.
4.1 SYRACUSE'S DUTREACH METHODS AND MATERIALS
Syracuse's strategy for reaching parents and care givers of at-risk children was to utilize the
CBOs. Through them, the lead dust project tapped into community events. Communities with
mature lead awareness and abatement programs will probably just need to add specific lead dust
information to existing lead outreach materials and activities. A municipality without a HUD
or other lead program in place will need to develop a more comprehensive lead dust outreach
plan. The following are some of the creative lead dust education and outreach tools developed
by the city of Syracuse. Several examples are provided at the end of this chapter:
• Milk cartons. Syracuse's outreach coordinator contacted a local dairy and requested that the
lead program's message be printed on the back of its milk cartons. The dairy worked the
"Got Lead?" message into its rotation of milk carton panels. More than 100,000 households
in central New York learned about lead dust through this outreach method.
• Ce-LEAD-brity. Syracuse wrote personal letters to more than 100 local and national celebri-
ties asking them to help fight childhood lead poisoning by sending an 8" by 10" autographed
photo with a personal message, such as "Be a lead fighter," or "Keep your neighborhood lead
safe." The city collected more than 40 autographed photos from TV and radio personalities
and celebrities, including Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Carrey, Big Bird, Mr. Rogers, the Sesame
Street gang, Fats Domino, John Travolta, and numerous athletes. Syracuse's display has been
exhibited widely in the community, as well as at two national lead safety shows.
• Slide show. The City of Syracuse has created several slide shows for various conferences and
exhibitions. "Soup to Nuts", in particular, is a step-by-step sequence of the city's lead dust
program. The slide show—a useful tool for communicating to homeowners, landlords, and
other prospective clients—gives prospective applicants an idea of the various steps required
to go through the program.
• Free soap. Because the project emphasizes that children keep their hands clean, Syracuse
puts bars of soap in "goodie bags" handed out to children. The program contacted local
26 CHAPTER
-------
hotels and restaurants and persuaded them to donate thousands of small bars of soap. These
businesses benefit from the positive community relations engendered by their donation, and
the children receive a real tool that helps reduce their lead exposure.
• Holiday-related outreach. Syracuse developed a "Hol-lead-day Coloring Book" and distrib-
utes it to children during the winter holiday season. It also developed another coloring book
with a St. Patrick's Day theme. The books included holiday-themed pictures for children to
color, along with safety messages to help reduce lead exposure. The city also held a pump-
kin-painting contest at Halloween to promote National Lead Poisoning Awareness Week and
distributed information on getting children tested for lead poisoning with Thanksgiving
food baskets.
The following table summarizes the various outreach materials, languages, and distribution
channels used by three lead dust programs to provide a sense of the types of materials that can
be used to recruit program participants:
Program/City
Syracuse, NY
EXAMPLES OF COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS AND MEDIA
USED To REACH RESIDENTS BY SEVERAL LEAD DUST PROGRAMS
Communications Format/Material Languages Media/Distribution Channels
Coloring/activity books for children
Milk cartons
Celebrity photos
"Look Out for Lead" flyer
Parents' Reference Guide
Video PSA
Publications and pamphlets
English
Spanish
Vietnamese
Hmong
Chinese
Korean
Laotian
Cambodian
Bosnian
Braille
CBOs
Directly to residents and
kids
Local food markets
Personal contact
Web site
Cable television
Holiday gift baskets
Luncheons
Special events at the
convention center
Providence, RI
Pamphlets
Videos
Minneapolis/St.
Paul, MN
Pamphlets
Video
Radio announcements
In-store posters, signs,
counter displays
English
Spanish
Cambodian
Nigerian
Liberian
HELP Lead Safe program
English
Somali
Spanish
Hmong
Cable TV
Radio
Transit ads (bus shelters)
Visiting Nursing Association
Public health clinics
Libraries
Neighborhood retailers
Day care providers
COMMUNICATING ABOUT LEAD DUST
2 7
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MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL PLUGS INTO
LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS
The Minneapolis/St. Paul area has the largest
Somali immigrant population in the United
States. Many of these residents are fearful of govern-
ment and are largely illiterate. In addition to reaching
them through CBOs and with translated material dis-
tributed in public health clinics, the program is also
using local Somali-language cable TV and radio sta-
tions. Minneapolis also is using donated advertising
space to place informational posters in bus stop shel-
ters within targeted neighborhoods. Minneapolis
finds that free "remnant" (unsold) transit advertising
space is often available in low-income neighborhoods.
• Video Public Service Announcement.
Syracuse produced a video public service
announcement (PSA) for the local cable televi-
sion station. The mayor's public relations coordi-
nator, who had been a local television news
anchor, was instrumental in getting the PSA pro-
duced and aired. The PSA text is included at the
end of this chapter.
4.2 APPROACHING AND
RECRUITING PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS
In Syracuse, one of the biggest challenges has
been overcoming residents' discomfort with
strangers coming into their homes. Some people
might worry that if inspectors identify a lead
hazard, the government might make them move
or might call social services to report lead poisoning in the children. In addition to the frustra-
tions of trying to communicate with limited English language skills, residents might also feel
anxious about the possibility that their child might be lead-poisoned. Syracuse overcame these
challenges by hiring non-threatening, sensitive, appropriately dressed staff with strong "people
skills" to conduct home visits and to teach affected households the proper cleaning methods.
According to Syracuse's outreach coordinator, "Many people don't want someone telling them
how to clean their homes. It's like trying to teach an adult how to brush their teeth—they don't
want to learn because they've been doing it for years." As an example, a woman in Syracuse who
was remodeling her home had exposed her child to lead poisoning. She very much feared that if
she enrolled in the program, something would happen to her child or to her home. She was
finally persuaded to participate and was so pleased after using the HEPA vacuum and seeing the
post-intervention results that she purchased her own HEPA vacuum to keep treating her house.
A warm, friendly disposition goes a long way toward gaining trust. "Be assertive but still friend-
ly, and emphasize that the program promotes children's health," representatives from Syracuse
advise. Thanks to their success in relationship building, Syracuse's Lead Dust Project staff can
MINNEAPOLIS' LEAD INSPECTORS NEED "PEOPLE SKILLS"
The city of Minneapolis recognizes the important interactive role lead inspectors play. Not only are
they technical experts and program enforcers, but they also are program ambassadors. Because inter-
personal skills are so vital, the city is adding such requirements to its job description for lead inspectors.
In fact, "people skills" are necessary not only to recruit program participants, but also to interact with
property owners, who must ultimately remediate the lead contamination in their buildings. The draft job
description includes the following language:
Human relations communication and group facilitation skills are of primary importance because of the inter-
action with large numbers of people and organizations from diverse backgrounds. Excellent oral and written
communications skills are, therefore, essential, as is the ability to mediate and resolve disputes.
2 a
CHAPTER
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Syracuse project staff meet with CBO representatives
walk into any of the CBOs and be greeted
with a smile and a hug.
DTHER LESSONS LEARNED
Syracuse learned the importance of timing in
program implementation. Project staff learned
the hard way to wait until all elements were
finalized and approved before making public
announcements. Early outreach efforts drew
participants who were ready to begin treating
their homes, but EPA could not allow
Syracuse to collect dust wipe samples until the
Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) was
finalized and approved. Therefore, Syracuse
staff had to delay the start of the implementa-
tion phase until all program components were
in place, but they felt the wait was worthwhile because of the valuable framework provided by
the QAPP.
Another pitfall of successful outreach occurred when a large number of people wanted to bor-
row the HEPA vacuums without formally joining the program. The solution to this dilemma
was to lend the vacuums to anyone interested but to give first priority to those who had signed
up for the full program.
4.3 RESOURCES FDR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
EPA and the City of Syracuse have developed a variety of resources to help community mem-
bers learn more about lead dust issues. Several examples of Syracuse's lead dust materials are
included at the end of this chapter. Residents can also order the following publications to teach
them more about safely managing lead dust in their homes:
A series of pamphlets: City of Syracuse Lead Program for Homeowners and Investor-Owners;
City of Syracuse Lead Dust Outreach, Monitoring and Education Program (in English and
Vietnamese), City of Syracuse Department of Community Development. Order by calling 315
448-8710.
Lead in Your Home: A Parent's Reference Guide (in English and Vietnamese), U.S. EPA Office
of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, EPA 747-B-99-003, May 1999.
Identifying Lead Hazards in Residential Properties (EPA Fact Sheet), U.S. EPA Office of
Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, EPA 747-F-01-002, April 2001.
Risk Communication in Action: Environmental Case Studies, U.S. EPA, EPA 625-R-02-011,
September 2002.
Testing Your Home for Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil, U.S. EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention
and Toxics, EPA 747-K-00-001, July 2000.
Fight Lead Poisoning with a Healthy Diet, U.S. EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention and
Toxics, EPA 747-F-01-004, November 2001.
COMMUNICATING ABOUT LEAD DUST
2 9
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Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home (in English and Spanish) U.S. EPA, U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, EPA 747-K-99-001, September 2001.
Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home (in English and Spanish) U.S. EPA,
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, EPA 747-K-97-001, September 1997.
For more resources, visit EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) Lead Web
Page at or call 1-800-LEAD FYI to order EPA publications.
3D CHAPTER
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n
D
I
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z
Cl
ra
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c
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m
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Community Partners:
Brighton Family Ctr.
424-9378
Gir/s/nc. ofCNV
474-0746
Boys <£ Girls Clubs
of Syracuse
472-67/4
Southeast Asian Center
422-/593
Syracuse Northeast Com. Ctr.
472-6343
Southwest Community Ctr.
474-6823
Westcott Community Ctr.
478-8634
*- r *>##-* A* f
Working Together to Create Low
Cost Solutions
SEPA
LEAD-SAFE
AMERICA
Deportment of
Community Deve/opment
Betsy Mokrzycki
Lead Hazard Control Program
201 E.Washington St.
Syracuse, N.Y. 13202
Phone:448-8710
Fax: 448 - 8659
http://www.syracuse-empact.com
1
SERA
•
EMPACT
© 2001 Lead Safe, LLC All Rights Reserved. (315)685-0864
CITY OF SYRACUSE
Lead Dust
Outreach,
Monitoring and
Education Project
Matthew]. Driscoll, Mayor
Department of
Community Development
Tel: 315-448-8710
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LJ
N
n
i
H
m
EMPACT^
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access 6 Community Tracking
WhatisEMPACT?
In 1996 a Presidential initiative charged EPA and its
partners with developing a program to improve
the measurement, access, understanding and dis-
semination of key environmental information in
the US metropolitan areas.
What are EMPACT's goals?
• D Incorporate improved and upda ted
tec hnologies for time -relevant enviro n-
mental measurement and monitoring.
• D Facilitate public access to comprehe n-
sive, easily understood environmental
information.
• D Provide effective tools for communica t-
ing, interpreting, and applying enviro n-
mental data and information.
• D Establish partnerships within metro a r-
eas to ensure the information is useful
and timely for families and communities
• D Develop a management and data
from ework within which communities
can work, but which also provide the
ability to aggregate information on a D
local, regional, and n ational scale.
How Does the City of Syracuse fit in?
Funded by a grant from USEPA, the City of Syracuse has
developed a program designed to measure the lead dust
content in homes. Aided by community based organiza-
tion partners, the City will make available HEPA Vacuums
that can be borrowed as needed to control leaded dust.
Also, the program will provide current data and informa-
tion on a web site.
How much of a hazard is lead dust? More children
are poisoned by exposure to lead dust from lead-based
paint in older homes than by any other source, usually
through normal hand-to-mouth activity after getting lead
dust on their hands and toys!
What is a HEPA Vacuum? A High Efficiency P articu-
late A ir vacuum is a vacuum that is equipped with a filter
that is capable of trapping 99.97% of the dust that it col-
lects.
Why can't I just use my household vacuum? The
lead dust is so fine that your regular vacuum cannot
contain the dust. It simply flows through the bag only
to be spread around your home.
A HEPA vacuum looks just like my shop vacuum,
can't I just use that? No! Shop vacuums are not
equipped with HEPA filtering equipment and therefore
cannot trap the tiny lead particles.
http://www.syracuse-empact.com
Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning
How do they measure lead in the dust? The
program will collect samples from various places in
your home to determine if a lead dust hazard ex-
ists. These samples will be analyzed utilizing a
portable XRF.
What is an XRF? An XRF is a testing device
that is capable of determining the presence of lead
in a dust wipe sample. Since this is cutting edge
technology, some of the samples will be sent to a
lab for confirmatory analysis.
How do I pan icipate in the program? Simply
call the City or the partner listed on the back in
your area and request to enroll in the HEPA vac-
uum program. Its easy and it's a simple way to
protect your family from lead hazards.
CALL TODAY!!
448-8710
Department of
Community Development
Betsy Mokrzycki
Lead Hazard Control Program
201 E.Washington St.
Syracuse, N.Y. 13202
Phone:448-8710
Fax: 448 - 8659
http://www.syracuse-empact.com
-------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
LEAD HAZARD CONTROL PROGRAM
Matthew J. Driscoll, Mayor
PSA...EMPACT PROGRAM
If you own a home or rent an apartment in the City of Syracuse, or
if you are an investor-owner of City residential property, take
advantage of the free use of our Hepa-vacuum cleaner in your
home today. This specially designed vacuum cleaner can help
eliminate potentially hazardous lead dust, allergens, pollens and
dust mites from your home. For more information call the City of
Syracuse's Lead Hazard Control Program at 448-8710.
"We 're puttin' the ain't in lead paint!"
4/02/02
mag
COMMUNICATINGABOUTLEADDUST 33
-------
WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE ©
WHO RESIDE IN THE CITY WHO
WOULD LIKE TO USE OUR HEPA-
VAC FREE FOR 1 WEEK.
THIS SPECIALLY DESIGNED
VACUUM CLEANER CAN HELP
ELIMINATE POTENTIALLY
HAZARDOUS LEAD DUST FROM
YOUR HOME OR APARTMENT.
CALL US AT 448-8710 AND ASK
FOR ADAM OR MIKE. ©
City of Syracuse
— Lead Paint Program: 315-448-8710 —
34 CHAPTER 4
-------
ATTENTION KIDS!!!
Have your moms and dads fill out the Intake Form
and
They can use one of our special hepa-vacuum
cleaners free for one week.
These vacuum cleaners are specially designed to pick
up and trap dangerous lead dust particles. It also
removes dust mites and other particles that might
cause allergies and/or other breathing disorders.
Just bring the filled-out form back to the Boys &
Girls Club and your name will be put in our raffle
box. You could win a computer game just for
getting mom or dad to fill out the form. Now that's a
good deal!!! ©
If you mom or dad has any questions tell them to call
Mike or Adam at 448-8710. We're in 8:30 to 4:30
Monday thru Friday.
Help us make your home cleaner and healthier and
you can be our lucky winner. Be lead safe and
remember healthy kids are happy kidsl © © ©
City of Syracuse Lead Program
448-8710
COMMUNICATINGABOUTLEADDUST 35
-------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
LEAD HAZARD CONTROL PROGRAM
Matthew J. Driscoll, Mayor
Attention Landlords;
Enclosed is some lead-friendly information provided to you by the
City of Syracuse's Lead Hazard Control Program. We offer
money for qualified owner-occupants as well as investor-owners to
reduce potential lead hazards in City homes. Through our
EMPACT Program we can also provide homeowners and/or
tenants the use of a Hepa-vac free for one week. This specially
designed vacuum cleaner can significantly reduce hazardous lead
dust as well as dust mites and other allergens in your home.
For more information on either program, please contact us at
(315)448-8710.
We're hoping to make your homes lead-safer for your children.
Thanks for helping us!
City of Syracuse
Lead Hazard Control Proaram
www.syracuse.ny.us
http:.'V'\v\v\v.svrempact.!ead-safe.corn
201 E. WASHINGTON ST. • RM. SCO • SYRACUSE. NEW YORK 13Z02-143O • (315) 448-8710
Web Pace: www.iyracute.ny.u*
36 CHAPTER
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COLLECTING AND MANAGING
DATA ON LEAD DUST
This chapter describes the steps taken by Syracuse to collect and manage samples on lead
dust in homes. With a target of 350 homes, Syracuse collects dust wipe samples in a
way that ensures the quality of the data and that also helps participants understand the
procedure and findings.
• Section 5-1 outlines the chronology of interactions with participants, including sampling,
mitigation, and reporting.
• Section 5-2 discusses step-by-step in-home lead dust sampling.
• Section 5-3 describes the role of the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP).
• Section 5-4 offers resources for additional information.
Syracuse has integrated X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology into its lead dust program. An
XRF is a small portable device capable of reading lead dust wipes and determining lead levels in
seconds. This technology provides significant time savings when compared to sending dust
wipes away for traditional laboratory analysis. Although XRF technology is not yet an EPA-
approved method for analyzing lead dust, it has been demonstrated to provide reliable and rep-
resentative results when compared with laboratory data.
Syracuse's QAPP specifies the procedures for using XRF analysis of lead dust samples. It also out-
lines the steps necessary to statistically correlate XRF results with laboratory results. Read more
about how Syracuse established a statistical correlation between XRF and laboratory results in
Chapter 6. See Section 5-3 below and Appendix B for more information about the QAPP
5.1 CHRONOLOGY: FROM DATA COLLECTION TO REPORTING
After a resident signs up for the program, Syracuse staff visits the home and collects lead dust
data. The protocol used by Syracuse staff to interact with participants is as follows:
Step 1. Call participant to set up appointment to collect pre-mitigation dust samples.
Step 2. Gather pre-mitigation samples from the designated sampling locations; leave residence.
Step 3. Read samples with XRF (see Chapter 6).
Step 4. If necessary, send pre-mitigation samples to accredited laboratory for confirmatory
analysis.
Step 5. Call participant to report results and mail written report.
Step 6. If necessary, set up appointment to review sample results, drop off HEPA vacuum, and
explain three-step cleaning procedure. (See Chapter 7 on Mitigation).
Step 7. Arrange for HEPA vacuum pickup and post-mitigation sampling, if necessary.
Step 8. Read post-mitigation samples with XRF.
COLLECTING AND MANAGING DATA ON LEAD DUST 37
-------
Step 9. If necessary, send post-mitigation samples to accredited laboratory for confirmatory
analysis.
Step 10. Mail or deliver final report to participant and landlord. (See Chapter 8 for Reporting.)
A Syracuse Lead Dust Project staff member interacts with residents during sampling and mitiga-
tion. This person is a certified inspector/risk assessor who collects the samples following the
protocol in the QAPP and ensures that the samples are labeled and recorded correctly before
sending them off for confirmatory analysis. He also sets up appointments and explains the ben-
efits of the program and the cleaning process to participants. He makes the experience pleasant
and positive for the resident and assures them that the information is confidential and will not
jeopardize their tenancy at the property. As soon as results are available they are mailed to the
resident and project staff visit the home if the resident decides to participate in the HEPA loan-
er program.
5.2 VISITING THE HOME (STEP-BY-STEP IN-HOME SAMPLING)
Syracuse usually allots about a half-hour for sampling a typical residence. Initially, sampling
took about an hour, but Syracuse soon halved that time as staff became more familiar with the
process and began using XRF to analyze samples offsite instead of at the residence.
As previously discussed in Section 3.2, project staff first interviews the resident using the HEPA
Vacuum Intake Questionnaire, a copy of which can be found at the end of this chapter. During
the home visit, staff review the information with the resident and also visually examines the
house, identifying the principal play areas and determining where children spend most of their
time. By asking questions and observing current conditions in the house, high-risk or high-use
areas are identified.
Syracuse uses the same protocol for collecting samples, whether they are analyzed by traditional
laboratory analysis, field portable XRF technology, or both. The field sampling technician col-
lects dust wipe samples in accordance with the HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control
SYRACUSE USES CERTIFIED RISK ASSESSORS
New York State is one of 13 states that choose to follow federal regulations for lead hazard control
activities rather than establish their own state regulatory programs. Syracuse, therefore, requires
that their field sampling technicians be EPA-certified inspectors/risk assessors. An EPA lead inspector
conducts a surface-by-surface investigation to determine whether lead-based paint is present in the home,
how much is present, and where it is located. He determines the existence, nature, severity, and location
of lead-based paint hazards in a residential dwelling. The assessor performs visual inspections, tests house-
hold dust from floors and windows and other locations, and presents a report identifying the location of
the types of lead-based paint hazards and ways to control them.
The Syracuse Lead Dust Project initially contracted with an EPA-certified risk assessor but then trained
one of its own staff to become certified, thereby realizing a substantial cost savings.
Visit for a map of the United States with links to state lead programs,
or call 1-800-424-LEAD for information on the 13 EPA-run states (Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Idaho,
Montana, North and South Dakota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, South Carolina, Washington, and
Wyoming).
33 CHAPTER
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of Lead-Based Paint in Housing at , and HUD's Lead Safe Housing Rule at .
The results are then compared to the EPA regulations at TSCA Chapter 4, Section 403 lead haz-
ard standards. Although each house is different and must be approached with its unique charac-
teristics in mind, Syracuse's testing typically focuses on three to four main areas: the principal
play area, the kitchen, and the bedrooms of the youngest children (there might be more than one
child's bedroom to test).
The most common method for collecting a dust sample is a surface wipe. Because XRF instru-
ments are very sensitive, however, the sampling medium (dust wipe) should meet ASTM E
1792-96a "Standard Specification for Wipe Sampling Materials for Lead in Surface Dust."
Syracuse purchased a Niton XRF, and initially, the sampling media provided by the contract
laboratory did not meet the Niton specifications for XRF use. The Syracuse team found that
the moisture content of the various wipes can affect the accuracy of the Niton XRF readings.
They researched and experimented with several different sampling media before finding the one
that met its needs. Syracuse found that Palintest and PACE wipes provided the most accurate
results for use with the XRF.
GUARDING AGAINST LEAD HAZARDS
When handling lead dust and samples, lead
can enter the body through ingestion,
which occurs as a result of routine hand-to-
mouth activities such as eating, drinking, and
smoking. Inspectors needed to wear gloves and
refrain from hand-to-mouth activities on the job.
When work is complete, inspectors wash their
hands upon leaving a site.
Although various testing formats are possible,
Syracuse's QAPP calls for the following 10 samples:
1. Principal play area floor
2. Principal play area interior window sill
3- Kitchen floor
4. Kitchen window sill
5. Kitchen window and trough
6. Youngest child's room floor
7. Youngest child's room window sill
8. Youngest child's room window trough
9. Floor of next youngest child's room
10. Sill of next youngest child's room
Two field blanks, labeled 11 and 12, are submitted to the laboratory with each set of samples.
At 10 percent of the residences, Syracuse plans post-mitigation sampling (i.e., samples are taken
after residents have completed the three-step cleaning/HEPA procedure). These samples, plus
two additional field blanks, are labeled 13 through 24.
Each sample bag is given a unique number (e.g., 012-07) that identifies the house (range: 001-
350) and the sampling location within the house (01—10). As inspectors take samples, they
record the lead level of each sampling location on a site worksheet. Any other relevant descrip-
tive information, such as the general condition of the paint, high levels of dust, or unusual use
of the area, is noted on the worksheet as well. Finally, the worksheet provides convenient spaces
to write down any relevant descriptive information such as the condition of paint or excessive
levels of dust.
COLLECTING AND MANAGING DATA
LEAD DUST
3 9
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5.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN (QAPP)
A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) documents the planning, implementation, and
assessment procedures for a particular project, as well as any specific quality assurance and
quality control activities. It integrates all the technical and quality aspects of the project in
order to provide a "blue print" for obtaining the type and quality of environmental data and
information needed for a specific decision or use. All work performed or funded by EPA that
involves the acquisition of environmental data must have an approved QAPP. For more infor-
mation, visit EPA's Web site at .
Development of the QAPP required Syracuse to address essential project details. How will the
data be collected? How will the data be used? Will the data support the decision-making
process? How will the data be stored and presented? This up-front planning allowed Syracuse to
work through issues before actually encountering them and saved time during project imple-
mentation.
Syracuse found that the exercise of developing a QAPP imposed an important discipline that
guided the entire project. Syracuse took six months to develop the QAPP and continues to
update it as the project matures. Although the initial push can be challenging, Syracuse staff
believes that the process is worthwhile. A copy of the Syracuse QAPP appears in Appendix B.
5.4 RESOURCES FDR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Methods 6200, 601 OB, and 7420 from EPA (entitled Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste,
Physical/Chemical Methods). Ordering information or a copy of the text can be obtained
online by accessing .
ASTM D1792-96a, Standard Specification for Wipe Sampling Materials for Lead in Surface
Dust, ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. For individual
reprints call 610-832-9585; visit www.astm.org; or send an e-mail to service@astm.org.
4 O CHAPTER
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HEPA VACUUM
INTAKE QUESTIONNAIRE
Occupant Address:
Name:
Date:
Address:
Street, City, Zip Code
Telephone:,
Telephone^
Day Time
Owners Address (If Different):
Name:
Evening
Date:
Address:
Telephone:
Tenant:
Street, City, Zip Code
Day Time
(Y/N)
Telephone:
Owner/Occupant:
Evening
Age of person Leasing HEPA Vacuum: (Please Check One)
18-21: 22-30: 31-45: 46-60: 61 orOlder:.
Household Size:
Number of Children 6 and under:
Do any children have a known elevated blood level?_
.(Y/N)
Do you know the approximate age/ year of the residence?
Length of time living in residence: Years Months:_
How did you become aware of the program? (Check One)
Friend/Relative Intemet_
Other
Media (Newspaper, Brochure)_
Community Organization
COLLECTING AND MANAGING DATA ON LEAD DUST
4 1
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ANALYZING LEAD DUST SAMPLES
USING XRF TECHNOLOGY
This chapter describes the steps taken by the Syracuse Lead Dust Project to incorporate
cutting-edge technology into its program. The field-portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF)
instrument is a hand-held, battery-powered device that produces timely data on lead
levels in household dust, soil, or paint. The XRF user must be trained and certified to meet fed-
eral, state, or local requirements for collection of environmental samples.
• Section 6.1 describes the advantages of XRF technology used by the Syracuse Lead Dust Project.
• Section 6.2 provides information on how Syracuse obtained the XRF equipment and associat-
ed licensing, operator training and certification, and laboratory verification of XRF analysis.
• Section 6.3 discusses the importance of quality control.
• Section 6.4 covers health and safety precautions for inspectors.
• Section 6.5 highlights equipment maintenance.
• Section 6.6 provides resources for more information.
6. 1 ADVANTAGES DF XRF TECHNOLOGY
Experience has shown that lead concentrations inside homes vary significantly. The XRF instru-
ment can instantly detect unusually high lead levels and the field sampling technician can tell
residents where children or other occupants of the household are most likely to be exposed to
lead. While Syracuse made a substantial capital investment to purchase XRF technology, in the
long term, the city is saving money with this equipment because it has dramatically reduced
costs for laboratory analysis.
To analyze a sample using the XRF, the technician places a folded wipe sample in the XRF sam-
ple holder and follows the manufacturer's procedures to get results. A 30- to 60-second meas-
urement should yield reliable results. An important benefit of XRF analysis is that the sample
remains intact so that the same samples subsequently can be analyzed by a laboratory.
Appropriate wipes that meet the requirements
of ASTM E1792-96a, Standard Specification for
Wipe Sampling Materials for Lead in Surface
Dust, should be used. See Chapter 5 for more
information on the types of wipes that Syracuse
used for sampling, and for important lessons
learned about the choice of sampling media.
The resource section at the end of this chapter
includes information for obtaining a copy of
the ASTM standard specification.
Although an XRF instrument has many advan-
tages, its purchase and use requires careful con-
sideration. Because XRFs contain radioactive
materials, operators must have valid licenses or
4 2
CHAPTER
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permits from the appropriate federal, state, and local regulatory bodies and must meet any
applicable state or local notification requirements.
6.2 REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS
Depending on the state, operators may be required to hold three forms of proof of competency:
a manufacturer's training certificate (or equivalent), a radiation safety license, and a state lead-
based paint inspection certificate or license.
MANUFACTURER'S TRAINING
In most states, operators must be trained by the manufacturer or receive equivalent training.
Syracuse staff took a one-day free training course on the use of the XRF instrument offered by
the manufacturer, Niton. The course met New York state requirements and covered radiation
safety, XRF theory, worker exposure, as well as hands-on analysis of dust wipes and paint chips.
RADIATION LICENSING AND SAFETY TRAINING
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requires radiation safety training for licens-
ing purposes. Radiation safety officer certification is necessary before NRC will grant a license
to own, operate, transfer, or store an XRF unit. Since Syracuse did not already have a radiation
safety officer involved, staff first had to undergo a rigorous training program required by the
state of New York to handle radioactive equipment. Once personnel were trained, Syracuse was
XRF USE LICENSES AND CERTIFICATION
In addition to training and any required accreditation, a person must have valid licenses or permits
from the appropriate federal, state, and local regulatory bodies to operate XRF instruments. All
portable XRF instrument operators should be trained by the instrument's manufacturer (or equivalent).
Depending on the state, operators may be required to hold three forms of proof of competency: a manu-
facturer's training certificate (or equivalent), a radiation safety license, and a state lead-based paint inspec-
tion certificate or license. To help ensure competency and safety, EPA and HUD recommend hiring only
operators who hold all three.
The regulatory body responsible for oversight of the radioactive materials contained in portable XRF
instruments depends on the type of material being handled. Some radioactive materials are federally reg-
ulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); others are regulated at the state level. States
are generally categorized as "agreement" and "non-agreement" states. An agreement state has an agree-
ment with NRC to regulate radioactive materials that are generally used for medical or industrial applica-
tions. (Most radioactive materials found in XRF instruments are regulated by agreement states). For
non-agreement states, NRC retains this regulatory responsibility directly. At a minimum, however, most
state agencies require prior notification that a specific XRF instrument is to be used within the state. Fees
and other details regarding the use of portable XRF instruments vary from state to state. Contractors
who provide inspection services must hold current licenses or permits for handling XRF instruments,
and must meet any applicable state or local laws or notification requirements.
As an NRC-agreement state, New York regulates the handling of radioactive materials and the Syracuse
Project is in compliance with all relevant state regulations.
ANALYZING LEAD DUST SAMPLES USING XRF TECHNOLOGY 43
-------
able to apply for a New York state radiation license. A special safe had to be purchased to secure
the XRF with its radioactive source.
COSTS FOR THE INSTRUMENT
In addition to investing in trained, licensed, and certified staff, those seeking to implement an
extensive lead dust monitoring program may want to buy their own field-portable XRF.
Syracuse purchased a Niton Model XL309, which costs about $21,000, making it the most sub-
stantial expense the project faced. This model costs less than other Niton instruments because it
tests only for lead rather than a wide range of metals detectable with other models. The same
model with soil analysis capability would cost an additional $3,000. Programs will face an addi-
tional expense to replace the instrument's radioactive source once every two years, if not more
frequently. The Niton source costs $7,300.
Programs committed to a combination of dust, paint, or soil inspection for the long term will
find that the investment will more than pay for itself. In addition to its EMPACT Lead Dust
Project, the city of Syracuse also uses XRF technology for its HUD lead abatement program,
plus a new soil analysis program, making the cost per sample less than it would be for laborato-
ry analysis for each sample. Sending samples to a lab involves not only charges for the analysis
itself, but also the expenses of shipping and handling. After Syracuse completed Phase I and
started using only the XRF for most of the analysis, the cost savings became more apparent.
EPA VERIFIES USE OF XRF FOR
MEASUREMENT OF LEAD IN DUST
In the fall of 2002, EPA's Environmental Technology
Verification (ETV) program published a report veri-
fying the use of five field-portable XRF technologies for
the measurement of lead in dust. The Niton XL-300
and XL-700 series XRF instruments were among the
five brands tested. ETV evaluated overall performance
of the Niton as "... biased slightly high (but within
the limits of acceptable bias), very precise, and in good
linear agreement to an NLLAP-laboratory [National
Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program] result."
The ETV program facilitates the deployment of inno-
vative or improved environmental technologies
through the performance of verification and dissemi-
nation of information. The goal of the ETV program
is to further environmental protection by substantially
accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and
cost-effective technologies. For more information visit
the ETV Web site at .
6.3 QUALITY CONTROL
Quality control is an important component of
the Syracuse Lead Dust Project. The QAPP (See
Appendix B) ensures that staff follow consistent
protocols, test methods, and data management
procedures. Syracuse employs additional quality
control measures, as described in the following
section, that help meet its objectives of confirm-
ing the capabilities of XRF and training resi-
dents to reduce lead dust levels in homes.
DATA EVALUATION AND
CONFIRMATORY ANALYSIS
One objective of the Syracuse Lead Dust Project
is to validate the accuracy of XRF readings for
lead dust monitoring by comparing field XRF
data to laboratory data. Because there is no
EPA-approved method for lead dust analysis by
XRF, Syracuse judged XRF results against the
highest standards of accepted practice; namely,
inductively coupled plasma/atomic emission
4 4
CHAPTER
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(ICP/AE) and atomic absorption (AA) methods, both of which are conducted in a laboratory
and typically take two to four days to get results.4
During Phase I, Syracuse sent all samples from the first 15 homes to the laboratory for analysis
using these methods. In addition, Syracuse provided XRF data for these samples. The laborato-
ry performed a statistical comparison between samples analyzed by XRF and the same samples
analyzed by ICP/AE + AA, yielding a percent difference for each set of values. The EPA Region
2 laboratory reviewed these values and helped establish performance criteria to be used by the
field XRF operators. In conducting this evaluation, Syracuse took into account the fact that
XRF technology tends to have a bias to the low side of laboratory determined values. To protect
against false negative results due to instrument bias, Syracuse reviewed results from tests where
both XRF and laboratory methods were used. Results where the XRF reading taken was above
the laboratory result for the same sample were disqualified from the analysis as outliers. The
remaining data were separated by location type (i.e., floors, window sills or window wells); the
difference between the XRF and laboratory methods were taken for each set of samples; and a
standard deviation calculated for each location type. Results within one standard deviation
below the acceptable level are also considered positive results as a "worst case estimate". To pro-
tect against false positive results, where the
worst case estimates are within 2 times the
limit of detection, samples are sent to the
laboratory to confirm results.
The project team used these findings during
Phase II to determine which new samples
would be sent for laboratory confirmation.
After establishing a statistical correlation,
Syracuse started sending only those XRF
samples falling within a specific range to the
laboratory for confirmation (See table adja-
cent as well as the post mitigation report
entitled "Settled Dust Sample Results"
included at the end of Chapter 8). Syracuse
expects that the laboratory will continue to
refine this statistical analysis as more data
become available. Current results, however,
show an acceptable correlation between XRF
and laboratory data.
XRF READINGS REQUIRING LABORATORY
CONFIRMATION
Lab
Confirmation?
Sample Type XRF Reading
Floor >40 ug/ft2 (MDL)
Floor <40 ug/ft2
Window Sill < 100 ug/ft2
Window Sill 100 ug/ft2 and 250 ug/ft2
Window Sill >250 ug/ft2
Window Well < 180 ug/ft2
Window Well 180 ug/ft2 and 400 ug/ft2
Window Well >400 ug/ft2
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
DATA MANAGEMENT
In Syracuse, the XRF instrument is the main data management tool used by the field sampling
technician. The XRF has pre-loaded software that can read and store up to 3,000 entries
before data is downloaded to alternative storage. As explained in Chapter 5, each sample bag is
given a unique number designating the sampling location within the house. Upon completion
of sampling and analysis, Syracuse downloads the data from the XRF to the City of Syracuse
computers.
It should be noted that the samplings conducted by the Syracuse project are not regulatory compliance
tests and therefore do not require the use of an EPA-approved method.
ANALYZING LEAD DUST SAMPLES USING XRF TECHNOLOGY
-------
CALIBRATION
Niton XRFs are factory-calibrated, but regular checks are an essential aspect of quality control.
Before Syracuse's inspectors begin to test a property, they take readings on standard reference
materials (SRMs) whose lead levels are known to be within the anticipated range for lead in
household dust. A manufacturer's standard is used for this calibration check. If any of these read-
ings fail the quality control criteria, possible problems are investigated and the check is re-run
until the instrument passes. If the instrument does not pass, it is sent back to Niton to be re-cali-
brated. These same field checks need to be completed before and after each property is tested to
ensure that the calibration has remained intact throughout the testing period.
LABORATORY SELECTION
Using an accredited laboratory is an important quality control step for Syracuse. The residential
dust samples are analyzed by a laboratory on EPA's National Lead Laboratory Accreditation
Program (NLLAP) list for dust. Each state might have its own lead program and different regu-
lations. For example, the New York State Department of Health requires all labs analyzing sam-
ples from the state to be certified under its Environmental Laboratory Approval Program. For
more information, contact the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) at 1-800-424-LEAD,
visit , and your state and local health agencies.
PROFICIENCY THROUGH ELPAT
The Syracuse Lead Dust Project recommends that programs using XRF participate in the
Environmental Lead Proficiency Analytical Testing (ELPAT) program. ELPAT is run by the
American Industrial Hygiene Association and is designed to help a laboratory assess and/or
improve its analytical performance, by providing it with test samples on a quarterly basis and
evaluating the results. Participation in the ELPAT program is open to all laboratories, but it is
mandatory for laboratories seeking accreditation by one of the organizations recognized under
EPA's NLLAP program.
XRF USAGE AND RADIATION EXPOSURE
An XRF operator must wear a dosimetry badge, which monitors exposure to radiation. Even though
no radiation dosimetry is required for some isotopes, users should wear a dosimetry badge for the
following reasons:
• XRF instrument operators have a right to know the level of radiation to which they are exposed dur-
ing the performance of the job. In virtually all cases, the exposure will be far below applicable expo-
sure limits.
• The cost of dosimetry is low.
• Long-term collection of radiation exposure information can aid both the operator (employee) and the
employer. The employee gains peace of mind and the employer benefits by having an exposure record
that can be used in deciding possible health claims.
• The public benefits by having exposure records available to them.
• The need for equipment repair can be quickly identified.
46 CHAPTER
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SAFE OPERATING DISTANCE
XRF instruments used in accordance with manufacturer's instructions will not cause significant expo-
sure to ionizing radiation. But the instrument's shutter should never be pointed at anyone, even if the
shutter is closed. Also, the operator's hand should not be placed on the end plate during a measurement.
The safe operating distance between an XRF instrument and an individual depends on the radiation
source type, radiation intensity, quantity of radioactive material, and the density of the materials being
surveyed. As the radiation source quantity and intensity increases, the required safe distance also increas-
es. Placing materials, such as a wall, in the direct line of fire reduces the required safe distance.
According to NRC rules, a radiation dose to an individual in any unrestricted area must not exceed 2
millirems per hour. One of the most intense sources currently used in XRF instruments is a 40-millicurie
57Co (cobalt-57) radiation source. Other radiation sources in current use for XRF testing of lead-based
paint generally produce lower levels of radiation. Generally, an XRF operator following manufacturer's
instructions would be exposed to radiation well below the regulatory level. Typically, XRF instruments
with lower gamma radiation intensities can use a shorter safe distance, provided that the potential expo-
sure to an individual will not exceed the regulatory limit.
No one should be near the other side of a wall, floor, ceiling or other surface being tested. The operator
should verify this prior to initiating XRF testing activities and check on it during testing.
Finally, the effectiveness of the instrument's radiation shielding should be assessed every 6 months using a
leak test. The XRF manufacturer or owner's manual can be consulted to obtain vendors of leak test kits.
If these safety practices are observed, the risk of excessive exposure to ionizing radiation is extremely low
and will not endanger any inspectors or occupants present in the dwelling.
Each quarter, Syracuse receives sample kits with four concentration levels for each of three
matrices: paint chips, soil, and dust wipes. The city analyzes these samples and sends the results
back to ELPAT for evaluation. Performance ratings are based on accumulated results over four
rounds. The acceptable range is based on consensus values from all laboratories. A laboratory's
performance for each matrix is rated as proficient if either of the following criteria are met: in
the last two rounds, all samples are analyzed and the results are 100 percent acceptable; or,
three-fourths or more of the accumulated results over four rounds are acceptable. Syracuse has
consistently been rated as proficient using XRF.
For more information on the ELPAT Program, visit or contact the Laboratory Accreditation Department at AIHA, (703) 849-8888.
6.4 HEALTH AND SAFETY WHEN USING XRF
GUARDING AGAINST RADIATION HAZARDS
Portable XRF instruments used for lead analyses contain radioactive isotopes that emit X-rays
and gamma radiation. Proper training and handling of these instruments is needed to protect
the instrument operator and any other persons in the immediate vicinity during XRF use. The
XRF instrument should be in the operator's possession at all times. The operator should never
defeat or override any safety mechanisms of XRF equipment. The City of Syracuse has
dosimetry badges that are worn by each of the XRF operators whenever the instrument is in
ANALYZING LEAD DUST SAMPLES USING XRF TECHNOLOGY 47
-------
use. These badges are evaluated each quarter to check for
personal radiation exposure. In addition, in accordance with
New York State regulations, the instrument is leak-tested
every six months.
6.5 MAINTAINING EQUIPMENT
Day-to-day maintenance of the XRF is generally not difficult
or costly. Operators should clean the instrument's display
window with cotton swabs, clean the case with a soft cloth,
and charge the batteries as directed in the owner's manual.
Beyond that, operators usually just need to take care not to
drop the instrument, get it wet, or neglect the calibration
checks recommended by the manufacturer.
Over the long term, however, XRF owners face the very sig-
nificant maintenance concern of replacing the instrument's
radioactive source. All radioactive isotopes decay at a fixed
rate. The half-life of 109Cd (cadmium-109), for example, is
about 18 months. After that, the XRF can still be used, but
the instrument becomes progressively less efficient. Readings
that once took 30 to 60 seconds take progressively longer.
Eventually the wait becomes burdensome, and the isotope
must be replaced. Syracuse sends its instrument back to the
manufacturer, which disposes of the spent radioactive source,
installs the new source, upgrades the instrument's software,
and provides whatever preventive maintenance is needed. See Chapter 7, Section 7.3 for more
information on managing and disposing of hazardous wastes generated in a lead dust monitor-
ing and mitigation program.
6.6 RESOURCES FDR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
XRF ACCURACY
U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Technology Verification Report
on Field Portable X-ray Fluorescence Analyzer, Niton XL Spectrum Analyzer, March 1998,
EPA/600/R-97/150. Visit www.epa.gov/etv/verifications/vcenterl-22.html.
Midwest Research Institute, XRF Performance Characteristic Sheet, Edition Number 4, Niton
XL 309, 701-A, 702-A, and 703-A Spectrum Analyzers, April 17, 1998, in accordance with
EPA Methodology for XRF Performance Characteristic Sheets, September 1997, EPA 747-R-
95-008. Copies can be obtained from the National Lead Clearinghouse at 1-800-424-LEAD.
Clark, Scott, William Menrath, Mei Chen, Sandy Roda, and Paul Succop. Use of a Field
Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer to Determine the Concentration of Lead and Other
Metals in Soil and Dust Samples. To order, contact the University of Cincinnati Department of
Environmental Health at 513 558-1749.
4 a
CHAPTER
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TEST METHODS
SW-846 is EPA's Office of Solid Waste's official compendium of analytical and sampling meth-
ods that have been evaluated and approved for use in complying with RCRA regulations. Visit
to learn more about SW-846 and obtain a
copy online.
Methods 6200, 601 OB, and 7420 from EPA (entitled Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste,
Physical/Chemical Methods, SW-846). For ordering information, or to obtain a copy online, go
to .
ASTM E1792-96a, Standard Specification for Wipe Sampling Materials for Lead in Surface
Dust, ASTM, 1100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohoken, PA 19428-2959. For individual
reprints call 610-832-9585; visit www.astm.org or send an e-mail to service@astm.org.
ANALYZING LEAD DUST SAMPLES USING XRF TECHNOLOGY 49
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•7
MITIGATION AND MAINTENANCE
This chapter describes the mitigation (cleaning) steps for indoor areas identified as hav-
ing a lead dust hazard. This chapter presents the three-step wet cleaning method and
explains the use of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter vacuums used by the
Syracuse Lead Dust Project. Consistent with the goals of EMPACT, this mitigation approach is
low cost and convenient to the affected community.
• Section 7.1 is written for residents interested in learning how to mitigate (clean) lead dust in
their homes.
• Section 7.2 is written for managers and decision-makers who might be considering a lead
dust program in their community and for organizers who are actually implementing a lead
intervention program. It also describes Syracuse's HEPA vacuum loaner program.
• Section 7.3 provides information on the proper management and disposal of lead dust
debris.
• Section 7.4 contains information on maintaining lead-safe practices in the home.
• Section 7.5 provides resources for further information.
V.I LEAD DUST MITIGATION
Residents of homes and apartment buildings built before 1978 (the year a federal ban was
imposed on lead-based paint used in residential settings) should consider contacting the local
city or county health department to test for lead dust. In Syracuse,
once lead dust is detected through inspection and sampling, the
project allows participants to borrow a HEPA vacuum and recom-
mends a three-step wet cleaning process.
2002 entitled, Managing
Elevated Blood Lead Levels Among A HEPA vacuum cleaner is superior to other types of vacuums
Young Children, CDC's Advisory (including shop vacuums and other regular household vacuums)
Committee on Childhood Lead because it is equipped with a filter that can trap almost 100 percent
Poisoning Prevention states that of the dust that it collects. While the vacuum can be used without
repeated cleaning of household supervision, training might be necessary to properly and safely
lead dust has been associated with operate it, especially because lead dust is involved. Household vacu-
decreases in children's mean blood urns should never be used to pick up lead dust or paint chips.
lead levels. Conventional vacuum filters are not equipped to handle and hold
fine dust particles, and will simply redistribute lead dust through
the exhaust.
In a report published in March
2002 entitled, Managing
An area that contains lead dust or debris should also be wet cleaned with a cleaning agent and
then rinsed with water; it should never be dry wiped or dry dusted. Syracuse uses paper towels
or two disposable rags or sponges (one for the cleaning solution, and one for the rinse water).
This helps avoid recontaminating areas that have already been cleaned.
5D CHAPTER
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CLEANING AREAS
Lead dust comes from opening and closing windows and other friction surfaces painted with
old lead-based paint. Syracuse, therefore, recommends focusing wet cleaning efforts on areas
such as old windows, floors, and play areas. These areas should be cleaned at least once a week
or whenever they appear dirty, because windows can continually generate lead paint chips and
dust on their sills and wells. In addition, lead dust can get on the bottom of shoes by walking
on bare soil. This can occur if the exterior housepaint is chipping and releasing lead dust onto
porch areas or other outside surfaces. The Syracuse Lead Dust Project provides residents with
information to help them target their cleaning efforts on areas where lead dust tends to accu-
mulate in their specific living units.
MATERIALS
In addition to the HEPA vacuum, other useful items are a household cleaning agent (such as
dishwashing soap), waterproof gloves, disposable rags or towels (preferably paper towels), buck-
ets, and trash bags for disposing of any lead dust debris. The following cleaning agents can be
found in local grocery or hardware stores and are suggested by the Syracuse Lead Dust Project:
Although high-phosphate detergents such as
trisodium phosphate (TSP) are effective,
certain states have restricted the use of TSP
because of environmental concerns. TSP also is a
skin and eye irritant and must be used with cau-
tion. Non-TSP detergents developed for lead dust
removal are available at some hardware stores.
• Pine-Sol
• Liquid Tide
• Cascade (granular dishwasher formula)
• Spic and Span
• Lead Clean
CLEANING PROCESS
Once proper cleaning materials and a HEPA vacuum are obtained, removing lead dust and lead
debris from homes involves a few simple steps. In Syracuse, the coordinator meets with each
resident to explain the following cleaning procedure and to answer any potential questions:
Step 1: Vacuum. Use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA exhaust filter. Vacuum all sur-
faces in the room (e.g., ceilings, walls, trim, and floors). Start with the ceiling and work down,
while moving toward the entry door. Work from the back of the house or apartment and move
toward the main exit and finish there. Be sure to move slowly to ensure that the HEPA vacuum
can pick up all the lead dust. Use attachments, such as extension hoses, straight tubes, brushes,
crevice tools, and angular tools, to reach surfaces other than floors, including ceilings, light fix-
tures, radiators, built-in cabinets, and appliances. Pay close attention to surfaces such as window
troughs, porous concrete, old porous hardwood floors, and the corners of rooms, as they require
additional vacuuming to achieve an acceptable reduction in lead dust.
Step 2: Vffet-clean. Wear plastic or rubber gloves. Wash all surfaces with a lead-specific deter-
gent, high-phosphate detergent, or other suitable cleaning agent to dislodge any ground-in con-
tamination; then rinse. Wash the ceiling first and then proceed to the floors; plan the work so
you avoid passing through any rooms that have already been cleaned. Be careful not to scrub so
hard as to remove any intact paint. Consider using three separate buckets: one for the cleaning
solution, one for the clean rinse water, and one empty one, into which you can squeeze the
dirty sponge or rag when using the cleaning solution. Use a new batch of cleaning mixture for
MITIGATION AND MAINTENANCE
5 1
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each room to avoid recontaminating an area by cleaning it with dirty water. The cleaning mix-
ture can be put into a spray bottle, which will help keep dust levels down. Use paper towels to
avoid using dirty rags that might recontaminate areas that have already been cleaned.
Step 3: Vacuum again. Start at the far end of the unit, and again work toward the main exit.
Vacuum every inch of the windows, and use the attachments to reach difficult areas, such as
where the floor meets the floor boards. Use the brush attachment for the walls. Move slowly
and carefully to capture all the remaining dust.
V.Z HEPA VACUUM LDANER PROGRAM
The Syracuse Lead Dust Project makes HEPA vacuums available, free of charge, to the commu-
nity through the CBOs, who have trained staff that help residents implement recommended
cleaning methods. The HEPA vacuum coordinator demonstrates use of the HEPA vacuum and
instructs CBOs on proper equipment handling and
storage. Vacuum maintenance is performed by the
Syracuse staff, as explained in section 7.3 below.
Each CBO has program applications and lease agree-
ment forms for the HEPA vacuums. (See the back of
this chapter for a sample HEPA vacuum lease form).
Syracuse worked to develop a lease that not only cov-
ered legal issues, but that also avoided legal jargon that
might discourage residents from wanting to participate
in the program. After filling out a questionnaire that
requires basic information (e.g., name, address, tele-
phone, number of people living in the household), the
resident signs a lease form agreeing to properly operate
the vacuum. Syracuse arranges for the pick-up and drop-off of the HEPA vacuums at the resi-
dents' homes. This way, residents can get the vacuum in hand, avoiding the burden of transport-
ing the vacuum back and forth to the CBO storage area.
HEPA VACUUMS AVAILABLE THROUGH
RETAIL STORES IN MINNEAPOLIS
The city of Minneapolis' Lead Hazard Control
Program has established an innovative and highly
successful lead education and HEPA vacuum rental pro-
gram through local retailers.
Implemented through local community organizations,
the program provides "turnkey" information and techni-
cal assistance to local retailers such as hardware stores,
paint stores, and gardening centers, as well as neighbor-
hood churches and community centers, to establish and
run a lead center inside of their establishments. See
Appendix C for more information about Minneapolis'
Lead Dust program.
7.3 DISPOSAL DF LEAD
DUST DEBRIS AND USED
HEPA FILTER
EPA has interpreted federal hazardous waste
regulations to exclude lead dust and waste
from lead-based paint activities in residences.
This means that in states like New York that
follow federal guidelines, lead dust and debris
from cleaning activities can be disposed of
with regular household waste. EPA recom-
mends the following best management prac-
tices for the proper handling and disposal of
lead-based paint waste:
• Collect paint chips and dust, dirt, and
rubble in plastic trash bags for disposal.
5 2
CHAPTER
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• Store larger architectural debris pieces in containers until ready for disposal.
• Consider using a covered mobile dumpster (such as a roll-off container) for storage of lead-
based paint debris until the job is done.
• Contact local municipalities or county solid waste offices to determine where and ho
debris can be disposed of.
The full text of EPA's interpretation on the disposal of lead-based paint waste and lead dust is
included in a memorandum issued by the Office of Solid Waste, which is included in
Appendix E of this document.
It is important to note that certain states consider lead dust and debris to be hazardous
waste. It is imperative to contact your state government, local municipality, county solid
waste offices, and/or tribal authorities to determine if any restrictions apply to the dispos-
al of such waste. If restrictions do apply, these sources can tell you where lead dust and
debris can be disposed of, such as a household hazardous waste collection site.
In Syracuse, residents are instructed to place items used during cleaning (e.g., rags,
paper towels, paint chips, used cleaners) into a double-thick garbage bag, including the
HEPA filter if fully used. The waste bag should be sealed tightly and kept out of reach
of children and pets. In addition, wash water used for wet-cleaning should never be
poured onto the ground. Syracuse recommends consulting your local water and
sewage utility for directions on the proper disposal of the wash water in your area.
The Syracuse Lead Dust Project maintains all the HEPA vacuums. After 10 uses,
the bags are replaced; after 10 bags, the team replaces the HEPA filter. Syracuse
staff dampen the filter with water to control the potential spread of dust before
removing or disturbing it. It is extremely important that the HEPA filter not be
opened or emptied at anytime during removal as to avoid any exposure to
lead dust. The Syracuse Lead Dust Project uses triple-layered HEPA bags
that can be disposed of in the regular waste stream.
7.4 MAINTAINING LEAD-SAFE PRACTICES IN
THE HOME
Along with detecting and reducing high lead dust levels, continuing
lead-safe activities in the home is a crucial element in any lead dust program.
Syracuse HEPA vacuum coordinator provides residents with a comprehensiv
information packet that could be used in addition to, as well as independently of, the lead dust
project. Also, as explained in Chapter 9, Syracuse conducts an interview with residents who
have completed the program, during which they encourage continued lead dust cleaning.
EDUCATING RESIDENTS ABOUT CONTINUED REGULAR MAINTENANCE
Once a resident participates in the lead dust program, Syracuse staff encourages residents not
only to regularly follow the cleaning procedure for lead dust, but to contact Syracuse's lead pro-
gram or the CBO for further assistance. Residents also can request and are encouraged to have
their home rechecked for lead dust levels and to use the HEPA vacuum again.
MITIGATION AND MAINTENANCE
-------
Syracuse emphasizes to program participants the importance of regular cleaning and maintenance
as long as lead-based paint remains in the house. It is especially important to clean windows peri-
odically since lead dust is created every time a window with lead-based paint is opened or closed.
Paint on doors, door jambs, and walls also can be disturbed, creating paint chips or lead dust.
Syracuse has had to make clear to residents that if lead-based paint is disturbed by drilling into a
wall to hang a picture or cutting to access wiring, then the dust should be cleaned up immediately.
"7.5 RESOURCES FDR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information on EPA's final standards (TSCA 403) for lead-based paint hazards
(including lead dust), visit the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics Web site at
.
See Appendix E for a copy of a memorandum from Elizabeth A. Cotsworth, Director, U.S. EPA
Office of Solid Waste to RCRA Senior Policy Advisors entitled Regulatory Status of Waste
Generated by Contractors and Residents from Lead-Based Paint Activities Conducted in
Households., July 31, 2000. This document is also available at .
HUD's Requirements for Notification, Evaluation and Reduction of Lead-Based Paint Hazards
in Federally Owned Residential Property and Housing Receiving Federal Assistance (24 CFR
Part 35) can be found online at .
54 CHAPTER
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City of Syracuse Erapact Inv. #:
HEPA Vacuum Lease
THIS EQUIPMENT LEASE is made and effective 200S, by and
between ( ), herein named as
"Lessor" and "Lessee".
Name:
Home Address:_
City, Sjtate, Zip:_
Lessor desires to lease to Lessee, and Lessee desires to lease from Lessor, certain tangible
personal property.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises hereinafter set forth,
the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Lease
Lessor hereby leases to Lessee, and Lessee hereby leases from Lessor, the following described
equipment, the HEPA Vacuum.
2. Term
The term of this lease shall commence on , 200Zand shall expire seven(7) days
thereafter.
3. Use
Lessee shall use the Equipment in a careful and proper manner and shall comply with and conform
to all national, state, municipal, police and other laws, ordinances and regulations in any way
relating to the possession, use or maintenance of the equipment.[Other Restrictions]. The Lessee
shall sign an additional form stating that they have received instructions on the proper usage of the
HEPA Vacuum.
[Warranty Options] Lessor disclaims any and all other warranties express or implied.
inclitdine but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular
purpose, except that Lessor warrants that Lessor has the right to lease the equipment, as provided
in this lease.
4. Loss and Damage
A. Lessee hereby assumes and shall bear the entire risk of loss and damage to the HEPA Vacuum
from any and every cause whatsoever. If the Equipment is damages, Lessee at its own
expense, shall keep the HEPA Vacuum in good repair, condition and working order. No loss
or damage to the HEPA Vacuum or any part thereof shall impair any obligation of lessee
under this lease, which shall continue in full force and effect through the term of the lease.
B. In the event of loss or damage of any kind whatsoever to the HEPA Vacuum, Lessee shall, at
Lessor's option:
MlTIBATIDNANDMAINTENANCE 55
-------
I. Place the same in good repair, condition and working order; or
II. Repair the same with like equipment in good repair, condition, and working order;
III. Pay to Lessor the replacement cost of the HEPA Vacuum.
5. Surrender
Upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease, Lessee shall return the HEPA Vacuum to
Lessor in good repair, condition and working order, ordinary wear and tear resulting from proper
use thereof expected, by delivering the HEPA Vacuum at Lessee's cost and expense to such place
as Lessor shall specify within the city or county in which the same was delivered at Lessee.
6. Insurance
Lessee shall be responsible under their Homeowner's Insurance for-All risk insurance against loss
of and damage to the HEPA Vacuum for not less than the Ml replacement value of the HEPA
Vacuum.
7. Default
If Lessee fails to pay any rent or other amount herein provided within (10) days after the same is
due and payable, or if Lessee fails to perform any provisions of this lease the Lessor has the right
to exercise any or more of the following remedies:
A. To declare the entire amount of the HEPA Vacuum hereunder immediately due and payable
without notice or demand to Lessee.
B. To sue for and recover all costs of HEPA Vacuum and/or take possession of the HEPA
Vacuum, without demand or notice wherever same may be located, without any court order or
other process. Lessee hereby waives all damages occasioned by such taking possession.
C. To terminate his lease and/or to pursue any other remedy at law or in equity.
8. Ownership-The HEPA Vacuum is, and shall at all times be and remain, the sole and
exclusive property of Lessee; and lessor shall have no right, title or interest therein or thereto
expect as expressly set forth in this Lease.
9. Entire agreement- This instrument constitutes the entire agreement between parties and shall
not be amended or altered except by further writing signed by the parties hereto. Also, Lessee
shall not assign this Lease or its interest in the HEPA Vacuum to any other person(s) without
the prior written consent of lessor
10. Notices-Service of all notices under this Agreement shall be sufficient if given personally or
mailed certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, at the address hereinafter set forth.
11. Governing law-This Lease shall be enforced according to the laws of the State of New York.
12. Headings- Headings used in this Lease are provided for convenience only and shall not be
used to construe meaning or intent.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this lease as of the day and first above
written.
Lessee Agency
56 CHAPTER
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B
REPORTING
This chapter discusses the tools and procedures Syracuse uses to report and disseminate
the results of its lead dust program. Reports include those to residents, tenants, and to
the public via the Internet. Since the Syracuse project is not performing formal lead
hazard screening, it does not need to comply with regulatory reporting requirements, but these
reports are meeting the project's communication and data collection objectives.
• Section 8.1 describes how written results are presented to individual program participants.
• Section 8.2 describes how Syracuse presents written results to the public, while maintaining
participant confidentiality.
• Section 8.3 reviews the use of a Web site for posting data.
• Section 8.4 lists resources for more information.
B. 1 PARTICIPANT REPORTS
Syracuse's documentation process begins upon accepting applications from potential partici-
pants. Once Syracuse staff determine how much lead dust is in the home, they present results to
the resident. As part of the reporting process, the project teaches the significance of the data,
identifies probable or potential sources of lead contamination, and recommends cleaning proce-
dures for homes with lead dust levels above the reference levels.
Syracuse uses two different reports to present findings to participants: a pre-mitigation report
after the initial sampling and a post-mitigation report for some residents who lease a HEPA vac-
uum and who agree to a second round of sampling. (Samples of these reports and a copy of
Syracuse's transmittal letters are included at the end of this chapter.) The pre-mitigation report
presents initial lead dust levels for each of the 10 areas sampled and indicates whether they
passed or failed based on the references levels established for that area (e.g., floors, window sills,
and window troughs). (See section 1.5). When lead dust levels are over the reference levels,
Syracuse staff meet with the participant to discuss and interpret the results and explain the use
of HEPA vacuums and the three-step cleaning process.
In Phase I of the Syracuse project, all residents who consented to a second round of sampling
received post-mitigation reports. During Phase II of the project, approximately 10 percent of
randomly-selected participants receive post-mitigation sampling with their consent. If HEPA
vacuuming and cleaning is successful in treating the problem, post-mitigation levels are expect-
ed to fall below the reference thresholds. In Syracuse, the project mails the final report to the
participant. If levels remain over the thresholds, staff will schedule another face-to-face meeting
with the resident.
When preparing its report format, Syracuse considered what the program participant needed to
know. Syracuse's reports present the data in a straightforward way to ensure that residents
understand the results and are not intimidated by technical jargon. For example, next to the
actual lead-dust level findings the report shows whether each sampling area passed (green) or
failed (red), presenting the information in an easy-to-understand manner to residents.
REPORTING 57
-------
Syracuse also includes a glossary of technical terms such as "lead-based paint hazard," "friction
surface," and "reference level" with these reports. Residents are also informed that, while the
report covers only those areas sampled, other areas also might contain a lead dust hazard. They
are advised that if they treat all areas in their home the same as the improved areas, then the risk
is likely reduced.
Syracuse staff find that face-to-face reporting in the home is most effective and that translating
reports into other languages is sometimes necessary. Some CBOs provide translators who
accompany project staff on site visits to explain the report findings to residents in their native
languages and to answer questions. As discussed previously, interacting with residents in their
own language is a tremendous help in building trust and enlisting participation.
When delivering a report, the field sampling technician locates areas of concern and identifies
potential sources of lead dust such as paint rubbing off window sills. If necessary, mitigation
(cleaning) is recommended. (Read about mitigation in Chapter 7). If the participant has been
randomly selected for post-mitigation sampling, that is also discussed. The resident is also
encouraged to repeatedly follow the three-step cleaning process to control lead dust levels (see
Section 7.4 on program maintenance). Residents and property owners also receive printed
material providing information on how to control lead in their home.
PROPERTY OWNER/LANDLORD DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS
In addition to providing the tenant with a report on the results of the lead dust mitigation, the
Syracuse Lead Dust Project provides a copy of the lead dust analysis and cleaning report to the
property owner (or landlord) after the mitigation is completed. Syracuse project staff learned
that, because the city already had a separate HUD-funded lead hazard reduction program in
place, the community was already aware of lead issues, and landlords have been responsive
when lead hazards are identified in their properties. Landlords are required to disclose this
information to future tenants when they sign a new lease, and to a purchaser if the property is
subsequently sold. A sample of Syracuse's letter to the landlord, and the sample forms used by
EPA to inform landlords of these disclosure requirements, can be found at the end of this chap-
ter. These forms are also available from EPA in Spanish.
B.Z PUBLIC REPORTS
Once Syracuse gathers enough data to determine a trend, it can report that trend to the com-
munity. Recording the results on a map to see if a geographical pattern emerges has proven to
be useful. Some target communities have relatively homogeneous housing types, and other
homes are likely to contain similar levels of lead dust. Also, homeowners or residents who have
not participated in the program need to know of potential lead hazards. Syracuse found that
maps work best when there is data from numerous houses in the community to consolidate,
because the identity of individual homes is lost in the data, thereby maintaining confidentiality.
Maps are not a good choice, however, when there are only a few data points.
Information can also be made available to the public on a Web site, which also serves to pro-
mote awareness of the lead dust problem and help homeowners and communities make more
informed decisions. (See Section 8.3 below for more on Syracuse's Web site). Other formats
used by Syracuse to report to the public include the use of posters that rotate though the CBOs,
a quarterly newsletter, monthly meetings with the CBOs, and broadcasting public service
announcements on cable television.
5B CHAPTER
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Syracuse is also in the process of finalizing a "Lead Registry," a comprehensive database that will
compile data from all lead-related programs (e.g., Lead Dust Project, HUD Program, and Lead-
Safe Yards).
RECCDRDKEEPING AND CONFIDENTIALITY
Generally, homeowners do not want information about their home shared with their neighbors.
To avoid this, Syracuse consolidates data without divulging specific locations. Consolidating
data retains the homeowner's privacy and allows the ability to track trends. One way to convey
this information is to consolidate the data on a geographical basis.
Syracuse keeps good records to help track lead dust data and protect its participants' privacy.
Staff start a file and keep records of all correspondence as soon as a participant submits an
application and is accepted into the program. A participant's file contains the application, raw
data, final reports, and other correspondence. The project also tracks the progress of each partic-
ipant by using a simple spreadsheet that includes the resident's basic information, lab results,
HEPA use, and disposition of the case. Residents' files are stamped "confidential" and kept in a
secure location in the program management office.
Syracuse staff learned that organizing and filing records by the participant's address makes them
easy to find regardless of who is living at the address. The program also keeps the property
owner's name and the resident's name in their files, since in some cases it will not only corre-
spond with the person living in the home, but also with the property owner as well. For exam-
ple, if the property has exceptionally high lead levels, Syracuse might contact the property
owner if vacuuming is only a short-term solution to a larger problem.
B.3 WEB SITE
The Syracuse Lead Dust Project Web site is at , To post lead
dust data, the site uses a map of the city showing the CBO neighborhoods. Syracuse reports aver-
age lead dust levels in micrograms per square foot for pre-mitigation and post-mitigation for
floors, sills, and window wells. Syracuse also presents individual sample points so that users can
get an impression of the range of values. Although Syracuse reports individual values, the project
does not report the property address or even the street, keeping that information confidential.
The site also provides general information about the project and links to participating CBOs and
posts educational materials and information about lead hazards. Once the web site is fully opera-
tional, project staff will be able to correspond with visitors through e-mail to respond to questions
and comments.
B.4 RESOURCES FDR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The following resources will provide more information on reporting the results of lead levels:
Risk Communication in Action: Environmental Case Studies, U.S. EPA, EPA 625-R-02-011,
September 2002.
The Syracuse Lead Dust Project Web site shows how a map of the city linked to the CBOs is
used to provide neighborhood-specific lead dust data. Visit .
National Lead Information Center Hotline at 1-800-424-LEAD.
REPORTING 59
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PRE-MITIGATIDN TENANT LETTER
Date-
Name
Address
Syracuse, N.Y
RE: Lead Dustiest Results
Dear Ms. XXXX
Thank you for helping us with our lead dust testing and education program.
We've enclosed the results of the tests we did in your home on -Date-. We
measured lead in house dust, which we and others have found to be the most
important source of lead in most homes. However, please be aware that there
may be other sources of lead in your home, (i.e., paint, soil, water), that this
report does not address.
Please read this report carefully and if you have any questions, please
call Adam VanHoose at 448-8708. The City of Syracuse can let you use a spe-
cial vacuum that can remove lead dust safely. For more information about the
HERA vacuum leaner program call Adam or visit our website at http://syrem-
pact.lead-safe.com. Please be advised that the information collected will be
kept confidential.
Sincerely
Betsy Mokrzycki
Program Manager
Enclosures:
Report
Cleaning instructions HUD Chapter 14
"Protect Your Family" EPA Brochure
etc.
6D CHAPTER
-------
PRE-MITIBATIDN REPORT
Syracuse Lead Dust Outreach Monitoring and Education Project
Funded by EPA
SETTLED DUST SAMPLE RESULTS
For The Dwelling Located at:
-Address-
-Date-
GENERAL INFORMATION
The City of Syracuse conducted sampling of settled dust at -Address-,
Syracuse, New York on -Date-.
An initial walk-through was conducted in the dwelling to locate the dustiest
areas of floors, window sills, and window wells, which were accessible or
exposed. The information contained in this report has been collected in accor-
dance with current regulations.
PURPOSE
The settled dust testing was conducted according to chapter 5 of the HUD
Guidelines. Reference levels are levels listed below:
DUSTWIPE SAMPLES
Floors 40 ug/ft2
Window Sills 250 ug/ft2
Window Troughs 400 ug/ft2
NARRATIVE
Ten samples of settled dust were collected from within the dwelling from
floors and window sills that appeared to be the dirtiest and most accessible to
the children. Samples results that exceed the reference limits are indicated in
red type on the quick summary page. Six of the ten wipe samples exceeded the
reference limits for lead content. It is our recommendation that all window sill
surfaces be cleaned using the HUD recommended three step cleaning method
as described in Chapter 14-11 of the HUD Guidelines.
REPORTING 61
-------
QUICK SUMMARY OF LEAD TESTING RESULTS
Dwelling: -Address-
Inspector: xxxxxxxx
Date: X/XX/XX
Job #: XX
SAMPLE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
LOCATION
Princ. Play Area Floor
Princ Play Area Sill
Kitchen Floor
Kitchen Window Sill
Kitchen Window Trough
Youngest child's bedroom floor
Youngest child's bedroom window sill
Youngest child's bedrm. Win. trough
2nd Youngest child's bedroom floor
2nd Youngest child's bedroom window sill
RESULT
<20.0 |jg/ft2
306.2 |jg/ft2
<20.0 |jgft2
667.6 |jg/ft2
2,892.1 |jg/ft2
<20.0 |jg/ft2
264.9 |jg/ft2
1 , 258.0 |jg/ft2
<20.0 |jg/ft2
483.0 |jg/ft2
Pass/Fail
Pass
Fail
Pass
Fail
Fail
Pass
Fail
Fail
Pass
Fail
REFERENCE LEVELS
Glossary
Deteriorated paint means any interior or exterior paint or other coating that is peeling, chipping, chalking
or cracking, or any paint or coating located on an interior or exterior surface or fixture that is otherwise
damaged or separated from the substrate.
Friction surface means an interior or exterior surface that is subject to abrasion or friction, including, but
not limited to, certain window, floor, and stair surfaces.
Impact surface means an interior or exterior surface that is subject to damage by repeated sudden force
such as certain parts of door frames.
Interior window sill means the portion of the horizontal window ledge that protrudes into the interior of the
room.
Lead-based paint hazard
(a) Paint-lead hazard. A paint-lead hazard is any of the following: (1) Any lead-based paint on a friction sur-
face that is subject to abrasion and where the lead dust levels on the nearest horizontal surface underneath
the friction surface (e.g., the window sill, or floor) are equal to or greater than the dust-lead hazard levels
identified in paragraph (b) of this section. (2) Any damaged or otherwise deteriorated lead-based paint on an
impact surface that is caused by impact from a related building component (such as a door knob that knocks
into a wall or a door that knocks against its door frame. (3) Any chewable lead-based painted surface on
which there is evidence of teeth marks. (4) Any other deteriorated lead-based paint in any residential build-
ing or child-occupied facility or on the exterior of any residential building or child-occupied facility.
(b) Dust-lead hazard. A dust-lead hazard is surface dust in a residential dwelling or child-occupied facility
that contains a mass-per-area concentration of lead equal to or exceeding 40 mg/ft2on floors or 250 mg/ft2
on interior window sills based on wipe samples.
(c) Soil-lead hazard. A soil-lead hazard is bare soil on residential real property or on the property of a child-
occupied facility that contains total lead equal to or exceeding 400 parts per million (mg/g) in a play area or
average of 1,200 parts per million of bare soil in the rest of the yard based on soil samples.
6 2
CHAPTER
-------
Play area means an area of frequent soil contact by children of less than 6 years of age as indicated by,
but not limited to, such factors including the following: the presence of play equipment (e.g., sandboxes,
swing sets, and sliding boards), toys, or other children's possessions, observations of play patterns, or
information provided by parents, residents, care givers, or property owners.
Residential building means a building containing one or more residential dwellings.
Reference Level(s) means levels that have been set by HUD and EPA to indicate surface dust that con-
tains an amount of lead which may pose a threat of adverse health effects in pregnant women or children
less than the age of six years of age.
Room means a separate part of the inside of a building, such as a bedroom, living room, dining room,
kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, or utility room. To be considered a separate room, the room must be sep-
arated from adjoining rooms by built-in walls or archways that extend at least 6 inches from an intersecting
wall. Half walls or bookcases count as room separators if built-in. Movable or collapsible partitions or parti-
tions consisting solely of shelves or cabinets are not considered built-in walls. A screened in porch that is
used as a living area is a room.
Window trough means, for a typical double-hung window, the portion of the exterior window sill between
the interior window sill (or stool) and the frame of the storm window. If there is no storm window, the win-
dow trough is the area that receives both the upper and lower window sashes when they are both lowered.
The window trough is sometimes referred to as the window "well."
Wipe sample means a sample collected by wiping a representative surface of known area, as determined
by ASTM E1728, "Standard Practice for Field Collection of Settled Dust Samples Using Wipe Sampling
Methods for Lead Determination by Atomic Spectrometry Techniques, or equivalent method, with an
acceptable wipe material as defined in ASTM E 1792, "Standard Specification for Wipe Sampling Materials
for Lead in Surface Dust."
XRF means a testing device that is capable of determining the presence of lead in a dust wipe sample.
REPORTING & 2
-------
POST-MITIGATION TENANT LETTER
Date
Name
Address
Syracuse, N.Y 13210
RE: Lead Dustiest Results
Dear Ms.
Thank you for helping us with our lead dust testing and education pro-
gram. We've enclosed the results of the tests we did in your home on -Date-. We
measured lead in house dust, which we and others have found to be the most
important source of lead in most homes. However, please be aware that there
may be other sources of lead in your home, (i.e., paint, soil, water), that this
report does not address.
Please be advised that the lead levels in your home were found to be
below the detection limit, due to the proper use of the HEPA Vacuum. It is our
recommendation that you continue the 3-step cleaning method recommended
by HUD as described in Chapter 14 of the HUD Guidelines.
Please read this report carefully and if you have any questions, please
call Adam VanHoose at 448-8708. Please be advised that the information col-
lected will be kept confidential.
Sincerely
Betsy Mokrzycki
Program Manager
Enclosures:
Report
Cleaning instructions HUD Chapter 14
"Protect Your Family" EPA Brochure
etc.
64 CHAPTER
-------
POST-MITIGATION REPORT
Syracuse Lead Dust Outreach Monitoring and Education Project
Funded by EPA
SETTLED DUST SAMPLE RESULTS
Post Wipes
For The Dwelling Located at:
Address
Syracuse New York
-Date-
GENERAL INFORMATION
The City of Syracuse conducted post sampling of settled dust at -Address-
Syracuse, New York on -Date-.
The information contained in this report has been collected in accordance
with current regulations.
PURPOSE
The settled dust testing was conducted according to chapter 5 of the HUD
Guidelines. Reference levels are levels listed below:
DUST WIPE SAMPLES
Floors 40 ug/ft2
Window Sills 250 ug/ft2
Window Troughs 400 ug/ft2
NARRATIVE
Ten samples of settled dust were collected from within the dwelling from
floors and window sills that appeared to be the dirtiest and most accessible to
the children. Samples results that exceed the reference limits are indicated in
red type on the quick summary page. None of these ten wipe samples exceed-
ed the reference limits for lead content. It is our recommendation that you con-
tinue to clean all surfaces using the HUD recommended three step cleaning
method as described in Chapter 14-11 of the HUD Guidelines.
REPORTING 65
-------
QUICK SUMMARY OF LEAD TESTING RESULTS
Dwelling: Address, Syracuse N.Y
InspectorXXXXX
Date: X/XX/XX
Job # XX
SAMPLE
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
LOCATION
Principle .play area floor
Principle Play area sill
Kitchen floor
Kitchen sill
Kitchen Trough
Youngest child's bedroom floor
Youngest child's bedroom window sill
Youngest child's bedrm. Win. trough
2nd Youngest child's bedroom floor
2nd Youngest child's bedroom window sill
RESULT
<20.0 |jg/ft2
34.4 |jg/ft2
<20.0 |jgft2
46.0 |jg/ft2
50.2 |jg/ft2
<20.0 |jg/ft2
39.9 |jg/ft2
64.8 |jg/ft2
<20.0 |jg/ft2
42.9 |jg/ft2
Pass/Fail
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
REFERENCE LEVELS
Floors 40 ug/ft2
Window Sills 250 ug/ft2
Window Trough 400 ug/ft2
Glossary
Deteriorated paint means any interior or exterior paint or other coating that is peeling, chipping, chalking
or cracking, or any paint or coating located on an interior or exterior surface or fixture that is otherwise
damaged or separated from the substrate.
Friction surface means an interior or exterior surface that is subject to abrasion or friction, including, but
not limited to, certain window, floor, and stair surfaces.
Impact surface means an interior or exterior surface that is subject to damage by repeated sudden force
such as certain parts of door frames.
Interior window sill means the portion of the horizontal window ledge that protrudes into the interior of the
room.
Lead-based paint hazard
(a) Paint-lead hazard. A paint-lead hazard is any of the following: (1) Any lead-based paint on a friction sur-
face that is subject to abrasion and where the lead dust levels on the nearest horizontal surface underneath
the friction surface (e.g., the window sill, or floor) are equal to or greater than the dust-lead hazard levels
identified in paragraph (b) of this section. (2) Any damaged or otherwise deteriorated lead-based paint on an
impact surface that is caused by impact from a related building component (such as a door knob that knocks
into a wall or a door that knocks against its door frame. (3) Any chewable lead-based painted surface on
which there is evidence of teeth marks. (4) Any other deteriorated lead-based paint in any residential build-
ing or child-occupied facility or on the exterior of any residential building or child-occupied facility.
(b) Dust-lead hazard. A dust-lead hazard is surface dust in a residential dwelling or child-occupied facility
that contains a mass-per-area concentration of lead equal to or exceeding 40 mg/ft2on floors or 250 mg/ft2
on interior window sills based on wipe samples.
6 6
CHAPTER
-------
(c) Soil-lead hazard. A soil-lead hazard is bare soil on residential real property or on the property of a child-
occupied facility that contains total lead equal to or exceeding 400 parts per million (mg/g) in a play area or
average of 1,200 parts per million of bare soil in the rest of the yard based on soil samples.
Play area means an area of frequent soil contact by children of less than 6 years of age as indicated by,
but not limited to, such factors including the following: the presence of play equipment (e.g., sandboxes,
swing sets, and sliding boards), toys, or other children's possessions, observations of play patterns, or
information provided by parents, residents, care givers, or property owners.
Residential building means a building containing one or more residential dwellings.
Reference Level(s) means levels that have been set by HUD and EPA to indicate surface dust that con-
tains an amount of lead which may pose a threat of adverse health effects in pregnant women or children
less than the age of six years of age.
Room means a separate part of the inside of a building, such as a bedroom, living room, dining room,
kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, or utility room. To be considered a separate room, the room must be sep-
arated from adjoining rooms by built-in walls or archways that extend at least 6 inches from an intersecting
wall. Half walls or bookcases count as room separators if built-in. Movable or collapsible partitions or parti-
tions consisting solely of shelves or cabinets are not considered built-in walls. A screened in porch that is
used as a living area is a room.
Window trough means, for a typical double-hung window, the portion of the exterior window sill between
the interior window sill (or stool) and the frame of the storm window. If there is no storm window, the win-
dow trough is the area that receives both the upper and lower window sashes when they are both lowered.
The window trough is sometimes referred to as the window "well."
Wipe sample means a sample collected by wiping a representative surface of known area, as determined
by ASTM E1728, "Standard Practice for Field Collection of Settled Dust Samples Using Wipe Sampling
Methods for Lead Determination by Atomic Spectrometry Techniques, or equivalent method, with an
acceptable wipe material as defined in ASTM E 1792, "Standard Specification for Wipe Sampling Materials
for Lead in Surface Dust."
XRF means a testing device that is capable of determining the presence of lead in a dust wipe sample.
REPORTING 67
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POST-MITIGATION LANDLORD LETTER
July 23, 2002
Mr John Doe
123 Sesame Street
Syracuse, N.Y. 13202
RE: Lead Dustiest Results
Dear Mr. Doe:
Your tenant at 123 Sesame Street recently received lead wipe sampling
through the City of Syracuse Lead Dust Outreach, Monitoring and Education
Project. Please be advised that the information collected will be kept confidential.
We've enclosed the results of the monitoring we did on your property on July 15,
2002. We measured lead in house dust, which we and others have found to be the
most important source of lead in most homes. However, please be aware that there
may be other sources of lead in your tenants home, (i.e., paint, soil, water), that this
report does not address.
Please keep this report, which will need to be released to any future tenants
or disclosed to new owners in the event the property goes up for sale in order to
comply with Section 1018 Real Estate Disclosure Rule.
Please read this report carefully and if you have any questions, please call
Adam VanHoose at 448-8708. For more information about the HEPA vacuum leaner
program call Adam or visit our website at http://www.syracuse-empact.com.
Sincerely
Betsy Mokrzycki
Program Manager
Enclosures:
Report
Cleaning instructions HUD Chapter 14
"Protect Your Family" EPA Brochure
etc.
S3 CHAPTER
-------
Sample Disclosure Format for Target Housing Sales
Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards for Sales
Property Address:
Lead Warning Statement
Every purchaser of any interest in residential real property on which a residential dwelling was built prior to 1978 is
notified that such property may present exposure to lead from lead-based paint that may place young children at risk of
developing lead poisoning. Lead poisoning in young children may produce permanent neurological damage, including
learning disabilities, reduced intelligence quotient, behavioral problems, and impaired memory. Lead poisoning also
poses a particular risk to pregnant women. The seller of any interest in residential real property is required to provide
the buyer with any information on lead-based paint hazards from risk assessments or inspections in the seller's
possession and notify the buyer of any known lead-based paint hazards. A risk assessment or inspection for possible
lead-based paint hazards is recommended prior to purchase.
Seller's Disclosure [ Seller should initial both (a) and (b) ].
(a) Presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards (check one below):
O Known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards are present in the housing (explain).
I I Seller has no knowledge of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the housing.
_(b) Records and reports available to the seller (check one below):
O Seller has provided the purchaser with all available records and reports pertaining to lead-based
paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the housing (list documents below).
Seller has no reports or records pertaining to lead-based paint and/or lead-based
paint hazards in the housing.
Purchaser's Acknowledgment [ Purchaser should initial (c), (d) and (e) ].
(c) Purchaser has received copies of all information listed above.
(d) Purchaser has received the pamphlet Protect Your Family from Lead in your Home.
(e) Purchaser has (check one below):
Received a 10-day opportunity (or mutually agreed upon period) to conduct a risk assessment or
inspection for the presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards; or
Q Waived the opportunity to conduct a risk assessment or inspection for the presence of lead-based
paint and/or lead-based paint hazards.
Agent's Acknowledgment [ Seller's Agent should initial (f) ].
(f) Agent has informed the seller of the seller's obligations under 42 U.S.C. 4852(d) and is aware of
his/her responsibility to ensure compliance.
Certification of Accuracy [ Purchaser should be the last person to sign and date this form ].
The following parties have reviewed the information above and certify, to the best of their knowledge, that
the information they have provided by the signatory is true and accurate.
Seller
Date
Purchaser
Date
Seller
Date
Purchaser
Date
Seller's Agent
Date
Purchaser's Agent
Date
REPORTING
6 9
-------
Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards
Lead Warning Statement
Housing built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Lead from paint, paint chips, and dust can
pose health hazards if not managed properly. Lead exposure is especially harmful to young
children and pregnant women. Before renting pre-1978 housing, lessors must disclose the
presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the dwelling. Lessees must also
receive a federally approved pamphlet on lead poisoning prevention.
Lessor's Disclosure [ Landlord or agent should initial both (a) and (b) ].
(a) Presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards (check one below):
Q Known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards are present in the housing
(explain).
Q Lessor has no knowledge of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the
housing.
(b) Records and reports available to the lessor (check one below):
Lessor has provided the lessee with all available records and reports pertaining to lead-
based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the housing (list documents below).
Lessor has no reports or records pertaining to lead-based paint and/or lead-based
paint hazards in the housing.
Lessee's Acknowledgment [ Tenant should initial both (c) and (d) ].
(c) Lessee has received copies of all information listed above.
(d) Lessee has received the pamphlet Protect Your Family from Lead in your Home.
Agent's Acknowledgment [Agent, if not landlord's direct employee, should initial (e) ].
(e) Agent has informed the lessor of the lessor's obligations under 42 U.S.C. 4852(d) and is
aware of his/her responsibility to ensure compliance.
Certification of Accuracy [ Tenant should be the last person to sign and date this form ].
The following parties have reviewed the information above and certify, to the best of their
knowledge, that the information they have provided by the signatory is true and accurate.
Lessor
Date
Lessor
Date
Lessee
Date
Lessee
Date
Agent
Date
Agent
Date
7 D
CHAPTER
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SAMPLE DISCLOSURE FORM FOR RENTALS AND LEASES - CERTIFICATION BY LANDLORD
Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards
Lead Warning Statement
Housing built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Lead from paint, paint chips, and dust can
pose health hazards if not managed properly. Lead exposure is especially harmful to young
children and pregnant women. Before renting pre-1978 housing, lessors must disclose the
presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the dwelling. Lessees must also
receive a federally approved pamphlet on lead poisoning prevention.
Lessor's Disclosure [ Landlord or agent should initial both (a) and (b) ].
) Presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards (check one below):
rwj Known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards are present in the housing
(explain).
A lead inspection found lead-based paint on bannister in hallway.
Lessor has no knowledge of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the
housing.
(b) Records and reports available to the lessor (check one below):
Lessor has provided the lessee with all available records and reports pertaining to lead-
Si based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the housing (list documents below).
Report is available in office upon request.
Lessor has no reports or records pertaining to lead-based paint and/or lead-based
paint hazards in the housing.
Lessee's Acknowledgment [ Tenant should initial both (c) and (d) ].
&F (c) Lessee has received copies of all information listed above.
(d) Lessee has received the pamphlet Protect Your Family from Lead in your Home.
Agent's Acknowledgment [Agent, if not landlord's direct employee, should initial (e) ].
(e) Agent has informed the lessor of the lessor's obligations under 42 U.S.C. 4852(d) and is
aware of his/her responsibility to ensure compliance.
Certification of Accuracy [ Tenant should be the last person to sign and date this form ].
The following parties have reviewed the information above and certify, to the best of their
knowledge, that the information they have provided by the signatory is true and accurate.
Lessor Date Lessor Date
<^tj*)(\ye/iasi( /^vy^
-------
SAMPLE DISCLOSURE FORM FOR RENTALS AND LEASES - CERTIFICATION BY AGENT
Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards
Lead Warning Statement
Housing built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Lead from paint, paint chips, and dust can
pose health hazards if not managed properly. Lead exposure is especially harmful to young
children and pregnant women. Before renting pre-1978 housing, lessors must disclose the
presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the dwelling. Lessees must also
receive a federally approved pamphlet on lead poisoning prevention.
Lessor's Disclosure [ Landlord or agent should initial both (a) and (b) ].
Presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards (check one below):
Known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards are present in the housing
(explain).
P^i Lessor has no knowledge of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the
housing.
Records and reports available to the lessor (check one below):
Lessor has provided the lessee with all available records and reports pertaining to lead-
CD based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the housing (list documents below).
Lessor has no reports or records pertaining to lead-based paint and/or lead-based
paint hazards in the housing.
Lessee's Acknowledgment [ Tenant should initial both (c) and (d) ].
&7 (c) Lessee has received copies of all information listed above.
JET (d) Lessee has received the pamphlet Protect Your Family from Lead in your Home.
Agent's Acknowledgment [Agent, if not landlord's direct employee, should initial (e) ].
Agent has informed the lessor of the lessor's obligations under 42 U.S.C. 4852(d) and is
aware of his/her responsibility to ensure compliance.
Certification of Accuracy [ Tenant should be the last person to sign and date this form ].
The following parties have reviewed the information above and certify, to the best of their
knowledge, that the information they have provided by the signatory is true and accurate.
Lessor Date Lessor Date
Lessee Date Lessee Date
.S$wStfaenf _ U/M/02 _ _
Agent Date Agent Date
CHAPTER
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EVALUATING SYRACUSE'S
LEAD DUST PROJECT
The goal of the EMPACT-funded Lead Dust Project in Syracuse is to provide environ-
mental information so that the public can make informed decisions to protect them-
selves and their families from environmental hazards. The program emphasis is on
monitoring; data delivery and management; and on communication and outreach, not mitiga-
tion or treatment. In response to anticipated resident concerns over elevated lead dust levels
communicated by the project, however, Syracuse also decided to provide information and train-
ing about the three-step cleaning process along with a HEPA vacuum lease program, so that res-
idents would have a low-cost measure they could immediately implement, if elevated lead dust
levels were found.
Because of EMPACT's focus on monitoring and outreach, measuring the effectiveness of the
mitigation component of the project has not been elaborate. Nonetheless, the project did build
in a "spot check" of the effectiveness of its cleaning and HEPA vacuuming methods.
To conduct this initial spot check, Syracuse reviewed sample data from a total of 119 individual
locations where both before- and after-mitigation data was available. Of these 119 locations, 74
were determined to have "pre-mitigation" lead dust levels below the project action levels, and 45
were determined to have "pre-mitigation" lead dust levels above the project action levels. After
mitigation was performed, lead dust levels were reduced below project action levels in 82 per-
cent (37 of 45) of the locations previously determined to have excessive lead dusts levels.
The following table summarizes the results of this effectiveness evaluation. The post samples
were taken an average of 37 days after initial mitigation was conducted. Based on these find-
ings, the Syracuse project continues to conduct post sampling for a minimum of 10 percent of
the locations tested.
PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF SYRACUSE PROJECT EFFECTIVENESSB
Pre-Samples (119 Total) Percent (%) Post Samples (119 Total) Percent (%)
Below Action Levels - 74
Above Action Levels - 45
62%
38%
Below Action Levels - 70
Above Action Levels - 4
Below Action Levels - 37
Above Action Levels - 8
95%
5%
82%
18%
5 The fact that four post-mitigation samples showed increased lead dust levels is possibly attributable to the
re-accumulation of lead dust during the 37-day lag between pre- and post-sampling.
Different project goals may require different project evaluation schemes. If a project's major
focus is mitigation, as opposed to monitoring and outreach, evaluation measures should be
designed accordingly.
Syracuse also regularly solicits feedback from program participants and CBOs through ques-
tionnaires and interviews to evaluate project effectiveness, strengths, and weaknesses. Once a
EVALUATING SYRACUSE
LEAD DUST PROJECT
7 3
-------
participant completes a cleaning procedure, for example, project staff set up a time to inter-
view the resident to gather feedback. Syracuse developed a brief questionnaire that technicians
personally administer in the home with residents to learn about their experience with the pro-
gram. A copy of this questionnaire is included at the end of this chapter. Syracuse staff prefer
to do face-to-face interviews to more effectively understand residents' opinions of the program,
as well as to give the program a more personal touch and perhaps make a more significant con-
nection with residents. This interview also provides an opportunity to encourage residents to
continue the lead dust cleaning activities they learned through the program.
Syracuse also found it important to request feedback from CBOs since they interact with both
residents and landlords. The CBOs can provide a broader perspective of the program and make
it more accessible to the community. In a brief written survey, Syracuse asks its partner CBOs
about HEPA vacuum use among residents and how to better market the program to generate
greater interest. A copy of the questionnaire used to solicit this feedback is included at the end
of this chapter.
Syracuse evaluates the outreach portion of its program in a number of ways. First, it quantifies
how many residents submit a HEPA Vacuum Intake Questionnaire for participating in the proj-
ect. This shows how effectively information about the program is disseminated to the commu-
nity. The Syracuse program manager also looks at the number of residents who used the HEPA
vacuums and will review the number of "hits" to the project Web site.
CHAPTER
-------
PARTICIPANT QUESTIONNAIRE
Date: _/_/_
Participant's Name:
Address:
Pre-wipes _/__/_ HEPA Dropped Off __/_/_ Post wipes __/__/_
1. What do you think of this program?
2. Was the information provided easy to understand? If not please comment.
3. How did the vacuum perform for you? Please comment about any problems you
had if any.
4. Where did you use the vacuum? (floors, sills, wells, etc) Please specify.
5, How often did you vacuum with the HEPA vacuum? (More than once?)
6, Which attachment did you find most useful?
7. Would you recommend this program to others? Why or Why not?
8. Do you have access to the internet? Give out the web address, (syrempact.lead-
safe.com)
Please provide any additional comments - use back if necessary:
LEAD SAFE, LUC
2410 East Lak« Road - SKaneatalea, New York 13152 • (316) 685.0864 Fax (315) 686-0940
http;/M«ww.l»ad-*af6.eom
EVALUATING SYRACUSE'S LEAD DUST PROJECT
7 5
-------
VEY
EMPACT PROGRAM SURVEY
In an attempt to better serve the recipients of the EMPACT Program and to increase the
number of cases for Hepa-vac use, please take a few moments to answer the following
questions. Please be honest as your response is vital to the program's success. Thanks!
1. To increase Hepa-vac use among City homeowners and/or tenants, how can we
more effectively market the program to generate more interest? ._
2. Are you finding that people are reluctant to come through the EMPACT program?
Yes_ No If yes, please explain why they are reluctant.
3. Do you think that tenants are reluctant to go through the EMPACT program
because they fear the landlords and/or feel that the landlords may not approve of
the Hepa-vac use?
4. Do you think landlords would be reluctant having their tenant(s) go through the
EMPACT program due to liability or an "invasion of privacy" issue?
5. Is there a fear from either the tenant, homeowner or the landlord about a
government agency stepping in?
6. Is vacuuming such a private/personal issue that people may be embarrassed to
enroll in the EMPACT program? Yes No_
76 CHAPTERS
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7. Is any part of the EMPACT Program's process too cumbersome or too
confusing? ie; intake or she visits?
8. Do you think that there is confusion between the LEAD & EMPACT
programs? Yes No_
If yes, explain
9. Are tools such as websites, newsletters, fliers etc. important? Yes No_
What do you think would work the best?
10. How can WE help your agency to increase awareness & intake numbers?
Misc. Comments:
EVALUATING SYRACUSE'S LEAD DUST PROJECT
-------
APPEN DIX
G LDSSARY
Community based organizations (CBOs): Organizations that interact with a community on a
regular basis, and can help educate the community on lead dust hazards.
Deteriorated paint: Any exterior or interior paint that is peeling, chipping, chalking, or crack-
ing, or any other paint located on an interior or exterior surface or fixture that is otherwise
damaged or separated from the substrate.
Dosimetry badges: Used to determine radiation levels reaching a person's breathing space. It is
a small, like a luggage tag, and clips on to a person's clothing, usually around the lapel.
Dust wipe sample: A sample of lead dust collected from a surface following a specified procedure.
Friction surface: An interior or exterior surface that is subject to abrasion or friction, including,
but not limited to, certain window, floor, and stair surfaces.
Half-life: The amount of time needed for the activity of a radioactive source to decrease by
one half.
HEPA vacuum: A High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum is equipped with an
enhanced air filtration device that increases the amount of dust captured by the vacuum.
Impact surface: An interior or exterior surface that is subject to damage by repeated sudden
force such as certain parts of door frames.
Interior window sill: The interior ledge of a window; it is the principal area for collecting lead
dust samples.
Lead-based paint hazard: Typically results from deteriorated paint and includes lead-based
paint chips, lead dust, and lead contaminated soil.
Lead dust hazard: Surface dust in a residential dwelling or child-occupied facility that contains
a concentration of lead equal to 40 g/ft2 on floors or 250 g/ft2 on interior window sills based
on dust wipe samples.
Lead soil hazard: Bare soil on residential property or on property of a child-occupied facility
that contains total lead equal to or exceeding 400 parts per million (ppm) in a play area, or an
average of 1,200 ppm of bare soil in the rest of the yard, based on soil samples.
Lead inspector: An EPA-certified professional who conducts a surface-by-surface investigation
to determine whether there is lead-based paint in the home and where it is located. Painted sur-
faces are inventoried and tested. Soil, dust, and water are not typically tested but are reserved
for a risk assessor.
Paint chip: A piece of dried paint. As paint deteriorates, paint chips tend to collect along the
floor or the exterior perimeter of a house.
Play area: An area of frequent contact by children less than age 6 as indicated by, but not limit-
ed to, such factors including the following: the presence of play equipment (e.g., sandboxes,
7 B APPENDIX
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swing sets, and sliding boards); toys; or other children's possessions; observations of play pat-
terns; or information provided by parents, residents, care givers, or property owners.
Post-intervention sample (also referred to as "post-mitigation" sample: A sample taken after
residents have completed the three-step cleaning/HEPA vacuum procedure.
Reference level(s): Levels set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
and EPA to indicate surface dust that contains an amount of lead that may pose a threat of
adverse health effects in pregnant women or children less than age 6.
Residential building: A building containing one or more residential dwellings.
Risk assessor: An EPA-certified professional who determines the existence, nature, severity, and
location of lead-based paint hazards in a residential dwelling.
Wet cleaning: A method for cleaning lead dust in the home; involves washing surfaces with a
suitable cleaning agent to dislodge any ground-in contamination; then rinsing with clean water.
Window trough: For a typical double-hung window, the portion of the exterior window sill
between the interior window sill and the frame of the storm window. If there is no storm win-
dow, the window trough is the area that receives both the upper and lower window sashes when
they are both lowered. The window trough is sometimes called the window "well."
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument: A handheld, battery-powered device used to analyze
dust wipe samples. The device provides timely and accurate data, allowing inspectors to measure
parts per million (ppm) lead levels for individual dust wipes within seconds.
GLOSSARY
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APPEN DIX B
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region II
Quality Assurance Project Plan
For Environmental Monitoring Projects
Revision 02
Syracuse Lead Dust Outreach. Monitoring and Education Project
Theresa Bourbon
EPA Project Officer
Signature/Organization
Marcus Kantz
EPA Quality Assurance Manager Signature/Organization
Betsy Mokrzycki
Project Manager
Signature/Organization
Rebecca Markus
Project Quality Assurance Officer Signature/Organization
Approval Date
Approval Date
Approval Date
Approval Date
B D
APPENDIX B
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1. Distribution List:
Theresa Bourbon (Terry)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 2
2890 Woodbridge Avenue
Edison, NJ 08837
Donna Ringel
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 2
2890 Woodbridge Avenue
Edison, NJ 08837
Betsy Mokrzycki
City of Syracuse, Department of Community Development
Lead Program
201 East Washington Street
Syracuse, New York 13202
Rebecca Markus
Lead-Safe
2410 East Lake Road
Skaneateles, New York 13152
Community Based Organizations - See Attachment 1 for Addresses:
Southwest Community Center
Syracuse Northeast Community Center
Southeast Asian Center
Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse
Brighton Family Center
Girls Inc.
Westcott Community Center
2. Project Description/Background:
The overall goal of the proposed project is the establishment of a community-based out-
reach, monitoring, and education effort aimed at reducing exposure to lead dust in residen-
tial and public buildings throughout the City of Syracuse, New York. Dust samples will be
collected from buildings and analyzed for lead content and the results will be provided to
residents and property owners. All sampling will be coordinated through the City of
Syracuse Lead Division with assistance from the community organizations and shall include
sampling before and after the education program to examine the resulting improvement, if
any. The target buildings will be found in one of the City of Syracuse's revitalization areas
and in buildings built prior to 1950. Approximately 350 homes will be included in the proj-
ect. Users of this data include: residents, property owners, City of Syracuse Lead
Inspectors, and the general public. An EPA certified risk assessor will collect dust wipe
samples, and analyze them in the field using an XRF instrument. Samples will be collected
in accordance with the HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint,
HUD Lead Safe Housing Regulation, and EPATSCA 402. Action levels of concern will be
based on the HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint protocol:
Floors - 40 micrograms of lead per square foot sampled (ug/ft.2), Window Sills - 250 ug/ft.2,
and Window Troughs - 400 ug/ft.2 When action levels are exceeded, residents and proper-
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN
-------
ty owners will be notified. All participants will be trained in dust control methods and will be
informed of the HERA-VAC leaner program.
If it were necessary to change this QAPP, Terry Bourbon and Betsy Mokrzycki would deter-
mine what changes were necessary. Changes would be documented in writing and sent to
the distribution list in section 1.
This sampling scheme is designed to be flexible and will be adjusted, as needed depending
on the correlation of the statistical analyses. All samples will be analyzed using the
portable XRF. To evaluate the data, some samples will be sent to the lab for confirmation by
atomic adsorption spectroscopy (AA). A two phase process will be used. Phase I will con-
sist of 100% confirmatory testing for the first 12 homes. This will yield approximately 120
samples including field blanks. The XRF data will be forwarded to the laboratory so that a
statistical analysis can be performed. The laboratory will be required to perform an appro-
priate statistical comparison between the XRF and AA values for the three sets of samples
in phase 1 (floor, sill and well).
Phase 1 of our sampling scheme has been completed. Based on our review of the XRF
and laboratory data from phase 1, (see attachment 8), we have revised our sampling and
analysis scheme to require confirmation analysis as follows:
Sample Type
Floor
Floor
Window Sill
Window Sill
Window Sill
Window Well
Window Well
Window Well
XRF Reading
40 ug/ft2
>40 ug/ft2
<100 ug/ft2
100 ug/ft2 and 250 ug/ft2
> 250 ug/ft2
<180 ug/ft2
180 ug/ft2 and 400 ug/ft2
>400 ug/ft2
Lab Confirmation?
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
In addition to the confirmation analysis described in the Table above, we will also confirm
10% of the XRF data that is within the acceptable ranges, (i.e., XRF readings that would not
automatically require lab confirmation).
The XRF analysis will be made available to the program participants in a written report.
When lab confirmation is required, lab results will replace the XRF results in the written
report. Post- intervention sampling will be conducted in 10% of the participating residences.
Post- intervention sampling will be conducted exactly as the pre-intervention sampling
described above, once the training and HEPA/Loaner aspects of the project have been in-
place at the property for approximately one week. Post intervention sample collection will
use the same numbering scheme as the pre-intervention sampling, only the starting number
will be 13, (i.e., principle play area - 13, principle play area interior window sill - 14, etc). In
addition, two field blank samples will also be submitted. These will be samples 23 and 24.
B 2
APPENDIX
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The XRF analysis, chain of custody, and bagging of samples, will be the same as the pre-
intervention.
The results from the post-intervention sampling will also be communicated to program par-
ticipants in a written report. Post-intervention sampling results will also be used to help
determine the effectiveness of the project in lowering dust levels within the residence.
In order to address confidentiality of the participants, the public will receive encoded general
information in a number of ways. These include monthly Internet updates, poster displays,
quarterly newsletters, monthly meetings and public service announcements on cable net-
work. Also information will be made available through contractual arrangements with
Community Based Organizations.
The success of the outreach portion of the project will be determined by the number of indi-
viduals who: 1.) Request inspections, 2.) Utilize the HERA vacuum through the leaner pro-
gram, and 3.) Utilize the web site. The success of the educational program will also be
evaluated by the evaluation of pre/post intervention lead dust levels.
3. Project/Task Technical Design:
Residents/property owners of the City of Syracuse will be made aware of this program
through various project outreach campaigns. Residents/property owners then contact their
local community-based organization, or the City of Syracuse Lead Division, to express their
interest in participating in the program. These residents are asked to complete an intake
questionnaire. This questionnaire is provided to the Lead Coordinator at the City of
Syracuse Lead Division. The Lead Coordinator schedules an appointment for a Lead
Inspector/Risk Assessor to visit the property and collect the necessary lead dust samples.
Lead levels in dust will be measured using a Niton portable XRF. Specifically, dust samples
will be collected from the following residential locations: floor and interior window sill of prin-
ciple play area, floor, window sill and window trough of kitchen, floor, window sill, and win-
dow trough of youngest child's bedroom, floor and window sill of next youngest child's
bedroom. In most instances we anticipate collecting 10 samples per dwelling.
Prior to the commencement of work on this project, the laboratory will be required to supply
either a QA Manual or other documentation substantiating the relevance of its QA procedures
for this project, certifying that it will use the required methods, stating its calibration frequency,
etc.
If some Community Based Organizations wish to evaluate lead dust at their facilities, per
HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint and HUD Lead Safe
Housing Regulations, additional samples will need to be collected. We anticipate that dust
wipe samples collected in the warmer months will yield higher results, as the windows are
more likely to be open. (See Attachment Number 6 - Niton R factor data).
A data report is generated for each residence tested. This report is reviewed and a determi-
nation made as to whether or not a lead dust hazard is present. Written reports are then
provided to the program participant. If a lead hazard is present, the program participant is
contacted, provided training in the 3-step cleaning method, and informed about the HERA
Vacuum leaner program. If the data indicate that a lead hazard is not present, the program
participant is mailed a copy of their individual report.
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN
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4. Project Organization and Task Responsibilities: See Attachment 7
5. Special Training Requirements and Responsibility:
The inspectors will need to be USEPA Certified as Lead Inspector and Risk Assessor. The
City of Syracuse will keep on file copies of the each inspector's certificate. As a USEPA cer-
tified Lead Inspector or Risk Assessor, one is trained in the basic dust sampling proce-
dures, including chain of custody requirements. In addition, those individuals that will be
performing the XRF analysis are required by New York State law to be trained by the manu-
facturer in the use of the Niton instrument and on radiation safety. Proof of all training
required will be kept on file along with the EPA certificates for each individual inspector. In
addition to these formal training requirements, the Lead Inspectors/Risk Assessors partici-
pating in this project, will be required to read this QAPP and participate in a pre- sampling
briefing to review these project-specific requirements.
The contract laboratory for this project will be accredited by the American Industrial Hygiene
Association, (AHA) and will be New York State Department of Health ELAP approved.
6. Project Schedule: See Attachment 2
7. Field Sampling Table or Related Information:
Sample Analyze/ Total # Sample Type of Sample Holding
Matrix Parameter Samples Volume Container Preservation Time
Dust wipe Lead (Pb) 4800-5000 N/A Centrifuge tube N/A N/A
8. Field Sampling Requirements:
Required materials: Latex gloves, 1ft2 template, a tape measure, a calculator, masking tape,
dust wipe media, Niton XRF.
Sample Collection Procedure:
The sample collection procedure follows ASTM Method 1728-99 for collection of a surface
dust wipe. At completion, the dust wipe has been folded three times. For floor samples the
sample will be taken from inside the 1ft2 template. If the surface to be tested is a window
sill or well, the inspector will tape off an area of the surface to be tested and measure the
length and width of this area. This measurement, expressed in square inches, will be divid-
ed by 144 and will be recorded on the sample chain of custody that is sent to the lab.
The observations of the Lead Risk Assessors will be made in accordance with the training
they have received as part of their ISAPI certification.
XRF Testing Procedure:
1. Fold wipe neatly twice more for a total of five folds and place in a plastic bag.
2. Place wipe in a sample holder provided by NITON Corporation. The holder will only shut
tightly if the wipe was folded neatly.
3. Place sample holder with wipe into filter test stand provided by NITON.
APPENDIX
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4. The NITON XRF prompts the operator for four tests, each one on different regions of the
wipe. The test stand and holder is configured to automatically position the wipe in four
fixed positions.
See Attached ASTM Method 1728-99.
9. Sample Handling and Custody Requirements:
The collected samples will immediately be placed in plastic bags for XRF analysis. These
bags will be labeled with a unique sample identification number. Samples will be numbered
as to the residence number and the specific sample location within the residence, (xxx-xx).
Residences will be identified in numerical sequence, (i.e., 001- 350). Sample location num-
bers will be as follows: 01 - principle play area floor, 02 - principle play area interior window
sill, 03 - kitchen floor, 04 - kitchen window sill, 05 - kitchen window trough, 06 - youngest
child's room floor, 07 - youngest child's room window sill, 08 - youngest child's room window
trough, 09 - floor of next youngest child's room, and 10 - sill of next youngest child's room.
Sample numbers 11 and 12 are field blanks. (Note: One field blank will be analyzed for
every 10 samples sent to the lab). After the XRF analysis is complete, the samples (still in
the plastic bag) will be placed in a plastic centrifuge tube labeled with the same sample
identification number as the plastic bag. All the centrifuge tubes a given residence will be
placed in another plastic bag with the Chain of Custody (attached). The Chain of Custody
shall be signed by the inspector and shipped via common carrier (i.e. Federal Express) to
the contract laboratory. Samples that are not being sent to the laboratory for analysis will be
held in the Syracuse Lead Division's offices until the final reports are issued. Once the final
reports are issued, the samples will be discarded. The XRF sample bags will be purchased
from Niton Corporation. The centrifuge tubes will be provided by the laboratory and are pre-
cleaned.
10. Analytical Method Requirements:
The laboratory will follow EPA Method SW846-3050 for the digestion of the samples and
EPA Method SW846-7420 for the Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Field sampling will be
done with Niton Portable XRF using the manufacturer's method.
The detection limit, precision and accuracy of the AA are acceptable for this project, since
the methods being used are the standard HUD/EPA methods for lead dust analysis. As
part of this project, we plan to evaluate the detection limit, precision, and accuracy of the
XRF by comparing it with the AA method, (see discussion in Section 2). Thus the XRF val-
ues stated in the Table below are approximate.
Sample Analyze/
Matrix Parameter
Analytical
Method
Dust wipe Lead (Pb)/Niton Niton
Dust wipe Lead (Pb)/AA EPA S
Detection
Limit
20 ug/ft2
10 ug/ft2
Estimated
Accuracy
25%
20%
Estimate
Precision
40±1 Dug/wipe
10± 2ug/wipe
Action
Levels
floor 40ug/ft2
sill 250 ug/ft2
well 400ug/ft2
11. Secondary Data (Non-Direct Measurement) Projects: Not Applicable
12. Other Data Quality Indicators:
The purpose of the laboratory analysis is to verify the XRF analysis. The laboratory will fol-
low EPA Method SW846-3050 for the digestion of the samples and EPA Method SW846-
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN
B 5
-------
7420 for the Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Field analysis will be done with Niton
Portable XRF using the manufacturer's method.
a. Representativeness:
The samples collected are representative of the route of exposure to lead poisoned chil-
dren, based upon the established HUD Guidelines and EPA Regulations at 40 CAR Part
745, Requirements of Lead-Based Paint Activities in Target Housing for this type of sam-
pling. See section #3.
b. Comparability:
The data we collect will be comparable with other lead dust data collected because we are
following the same sampling protocols.
c. Completeness:
The program anticipates participation by 350 residents/property owners. This represents a
cross-section of the entire affected population and is based on the City of Syracuse's expe-
rience with the ongoing program knowledge of the population affected with lead poisoning.
For the primary purpose of this project, the minimum number of houses which participate
has no bearing on the quality of the data generated. However, a minimum of twelve resi-
dences must be tested before a comparison is made of the XRF data and the AA data. The
results of a minimum of 90% of the AA/XRF samples must be provided prior to the issuance
of a final report to any program participant.
Evaluation of the XRF as Action levels will be based on the HUD Guidelines for the
Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint and HUD Lead Safe Housing Regulations.
Currently the levels are: floors - 40 ug/ft2, interior window sills - 250 ug/ft2, and window
troughs - 400 ug/ft2.
13. Peer Review:
The project proposal that was prepared for this EMPACT project has successfully under-
gone a peer review. No additional reviews are planned.
14. See Niton Documents - See Attachments 4 & 5
15. Assessments/Oversight:
Terry Bourbon, the EPA Project Officer, will be performing various reviews and audits. If any
issues need attention from the EPA they will be included in the Quarterly Progress Reports
to the EPA. Midway through our project's time span, the EPA Project Officer will plan a site
visit to review the entire project. This review will include an inspection of project files and
data reports to insure that the project is being conducted in accordance with this QAPP A
report detailing the findings of this review will be provided to the Project Manager from the
City of Syracuse.
B6 APPENDIX
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16. Data Review, Validation and Usability:
We plan to evaluate the results from the blanks against the results for the samples associat-
ed with those blanks. The impact of the blank will be assessed and the data will be quali-
fied, as appropriate. If the sample results are less than ten times the blank, the data will be
flagged and re-sampling will occur.
Aside from the XRF and AA comparisons described in Section 2, no additional replicate
sampling or analysis will be conducted.
Sample results will be reported individually for each location sampled within a dwelling.
The following limitations should be considered when data is interpreted: limit of detection,
calibration of equipment, and condition of the paint. The report template will be translated
into multiple languages. Project participants will receive relevant reports; other citizens may
see results and updates via the website. In order to maintain the integrity of the data blank
samples will be sent to the laboratory and read with the XRF. For each dwelling sampled,
both residents and owners will be provided with a report indicating the individual sample
results for each location sampled.
The affected population will be the children who reside in the City of Syracuse. We will be
following these HUD regulations and guidelines throughout the course of this project.
Therefore, the standard default assumptions are applicable to our affected population.
Data and interpretation will be provided to our primary customers (the public). The data
interpretation, which will be provided, will be based on the action levels described in section
2. We are hoping that the public will utilize the HERA vacuum leaner program and that the
training provided will be effective in controlling lead dust in contaminated homes. A phone
number and email address will be provided so that any questions can be answered.
17. Documentation and Records:
The information and data will be delivered to the public in a number of ways. The project will
provide the residents and property owners with a copy of the individual inspection report
when completed. For Phase I it is anticipated that it will take 5 to 7 days from the day of the
inspection to the individual receiving the report. The inspection report will consist of the
sample locations and results highlighting those samples that exceed the federal limit. The
report will also include any observations the Risk Assessor has made about the general
condition of the paint, and recommendations regarding the findings. Residents and property
owners will also receive printed material providing information on how to control lead in their
home. The specific residential data will be kept confidential and only released to the appro-
priate family by the City of Syracuse, and the inspectors involved in the project. There will
be poster displays at community centers, newsletter articles and presentations at communi-
ty meetings. There will be a project web site, which will contain information and data for
public access in text and map formats. Finally, all this information will be translated into a
number of languages so that they are understandable to the non-English speaking popula-
tions of the community.
Data and information on the web site will be updated monthly. Poster displays will be rotated
at least quarterly. In addition, monthly meetings will be held among the Community Based
Organizations to review progress, results and problems.
Raw data, (lab reports and XRF reports) will be kept on file at the City of Syracuse.
Individual reports will be kept in a secure file for a minimum of 3 years. All reports will be
stamped, "Confidential," to insure data is not used for other purposes.
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN
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Attachment 1
Community Based Organizations
Southwest Community Center
401 South Avenue
Syracuse, New York 13204
Syracuse Northeast Community Center
716 Hawley Avenue
Syracuse, New York 13203
Southeast Asian Center
503 North Prospect Avenue
Syracuse, New York 13208
Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse
375 West Onondaga Street
Syracuse, New York 13202
Brighton Family Center
100 Edmund Avenue
Syracuse, New York 13205
Girls Inc.
401 Douglas Street
Syracuse, New York 13203
Westcott Community Center
826 Euclid Avenue
Syracuse, New York 13210
Onondaga County Health Department
421 Montgomery Street
Syracuse, New York 13202
APPENDIX
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APPEN DIX C
MINNEAPOLIS LEAD HAZARD
CONTROL PROGRAM
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Minneapolis, Minnesota, implemented a Lead Hazard Control Program, a comprehensive mon-
itoring, outreach, and education program to control lead dust in homes, day care facilities, and
other areas where lead dust is a problem. This program educates businesses and the general pub-
lic about lead dust poisoning and provides "turnkey" information written for local agencies and
nonprofit organizations interested in setting up lead centers inside of retail stores in their com-
munities. Lead centers offer information and supplies to help protect children from lead poison-
ing. Minneapolis's goal is to eliminate lead hazards by the year 2010.
Established in 1998, the Lead Hazard Control Program has been well received by participating
retailers and the general public. As a result of the program's implementation, the general public
is increasing its knowledge of lead-based paint and has an effective, affordable, and convenient
way to clean up potentially harmful lead dust in their homes and apartments. People who were
potentially creating lead hazards, such as painters and home-remodeling contractors, learn about
lead-safe work practices. Retailers who set up lead centers at locations such as hardware stores,
paint stores, and garden centers attract additional customers, which increases their business and
store sales and engenders good will with their customers. Store staff provide guidance on lead-
safe work practices and offer products and resources that are needed for working safely with
lead, beyond the use of a HEPA vacuum.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
The city of Minneapolis's Lead Hazard Control Program receives funding from the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development. Minneapolis also collaborates with a number
of community, city, county, and state organizations to help fund and realize this effort.
IDENTIFYING THE AUDIENCE
Since children under age 6 are most susceptible to lead poisoning, the state of Minnesota passed
guidelines requiring mandatory blood testing of all children in this age group living in the
Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. These guidelines were developed and are being imple-
mented by health commissioners, pediatric doctors, and nurses working with the state health
commissioner and Department of Health. The city is alerted if lead blood levels exceed 10
micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (ug/dL). A letter is sent to parents and the property
owner is notified if a child tests at a "low level" of concern (10 to 19 ug/dL). Members of the
child's household are invited to participate in the HEPA vacuum lender program and are
offered a free lead dust inspection of their premises. They are instructed with simple steps to
clean and reduce the child's lead exposure. For children with elevated blood levels (more than
15 ug/dL for 90 days), lead inspectors visit the home immediately. Minnesota reports a 90 per-
cent success rate in reaching the homes that need treatment.
Day care providers are another target for lead dust education in Minneapolis. The program edu-
cates the day care provider, who then educates the parents. The program also has enlisted the
involvement of public health nurses who educate the children in day care settings about the
importance of washing their hands and taking off their shoes before entering their houses.
MINNEAPOLIS LEAD HAZARD CONTROL PROGRAM B9
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DUTREACH BARRIERS AND STRATEGIES
The Minneapolis/St. Paul area has the largest Somali immigrant population in the United
States. Many of these residents are fearful of government and are largely illiterate. In addition to
reaching them through community-based organizations and with translated material distributed
in public health clinics, the program is also using local Somali-language cable TV and radio sta-
tions. Minneapolis is using donated advertising space to place informational posters in bus stop
shelters within targeted neighborhoods. Minneapolis finds that free "remnant" (unsold) transit
advertising space is often available in low-income neighborhoods.
The city of Minneapolis printed a Guide to Setting Up a Lead Center that explains in clear and
simple terms the steps involved in setting up and operating a lead center. It covers everything
from identifying suitable locations, approaching local store owners, educating store staff (who
play a major outreach role), running the HEPA vacuum rental program, disposing of hazardous
waste, understanding liability issues, and more. Local retailers, such as hardware stores, paint
stores, and gardening centers, as well as neighborhood churches and community centers, can
use this guide to establish and run a lead center inside of their establishments and to implement
the HEPA vacuum loaner program. The city has educated and trained hardware store personnel
and has established Neighborhood Lead Centers in several locations. Minneapolis successfully
recruits these business owners by showing them how they can benefit and how their knowledge
about lead dust can serve as a marketing tool.
The lead centers display bilingual brochures and videos about lead poisoning and the treatment
of lead dust. They also manage rentals of HEPA vacuums. Nine lead centers are currently oper-
ating in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, with several more in the planning stages. In addition to
the actual HEPA vacuums, the centers are supplied with all necessary equipment and accessories
such as vacuum filters, wet wipes, disposable gloves, and disposable bags. Minneapolis provides
each center with standard rental agreement forms, vacuum equipment, supply checklists,
reorder forms, and standard lead center policy notices for posting. It also provides information
and training for retail store employees on lead-safe work practices and the HEPA loaner pro-
gram, which the employees, in turn, pass on to their customers. Additionally, the program pro-
vides tips on identifying, approaching, and recruiting potential retail partners, as well as tips on
program publicity, media relations, and general program outreach.
Minneapolis also recognizes the important interactive role lead inspectors play Not only are
they technical experts and program enforcers, but they also are program ambassadors. Because
interpersonal skills are so vital, the city is adding requirements to its job description for lead
inspectors, such as "human relations communication" and "group facilitation" skills, as well as
an ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds and to resolve disputes.
LEAD CLEAN-UP AND PREVENTION
To give residents the tools and information needed to clean up lead dust and debris,
Minneapolis's Lead Hazard Control Program developed a brochure that succinctly describes the
important steps for cleaning lead dust.
Minneapolis lends the HEPA vacuums free of charge but residents pay a $10 filter replacement
fee. Lead centers might request a deposit to cover the replacement cost of the vacuum cleaner
($175)- The deposit can be used to offset the cost of damaged or lost equipment or accessories,
and is refunded upon the safe return of the equipment. Customers can borrow the machines for
A P P E N D I X
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a 48-hour period, and centers may charge a late fee for each additional day past due. Each filter
lasts for approximately five uses, and customers may purchase additional filters if necessary at
cost using the re-order form provided in the lead center program materials. The organizations
responsible for the lead centers must visit each center periodically to collect and properly dis-
pose of used filters, as defined by municipality guidelines.
Hennepin County, Minnesota, accepts used filters as residential waste, but in other municipali-
ties, the lead center must check with its local hazardous waste disposal authority. Airtight con-
tainers, buckets, or drums may be used by a lead center to temporarily store used filters. The
organization sponsoring the lead center is responsible for periodically visiting the centers to col-
lect any generated waste. The centers also must track the number of uses for each filter by writ-
ing the address of the user with a permanent marker directly on the filter.
RESULTS
On average, 150 children per year are found to have blood levels of 20 ug/dL and 300 are
found to have a level between 10 ug/dL (the current level of concern as defined by the CDC)
and 19 ug/dL. But these numbers are still not an accurate reflection of the number of children
who are actually being exposed to and impacted by lead. In fact, the most recent reports show
that less than 20 percent of Minneapolis children have a blood lead test. And the Minnesota
Department of Health reports that 40 percent of Minneapolis's Somali and Laos population are
tested positive to have blood lead levels over 10 ug/dL.
Despite limited funds, the Minneapolis project has already made an impact. The project has
helped create 14 lead centers throughout the Minneapolis area over the last five years. And lead
programs all over the nation contact the Minneapolis program's leaders all the time asking for
guidance and assistance.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
In May 2001, the Minneapolis Lead Hazard Control Program received the 2001 Lead Star
Award presented by the National Lead Assessment and Abatement Council.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Johanna (Jo) Miller
Project Coordinator
Children's Environmental Health
Minneapolis Environmental Services
250 South 4th Street, Room 401
Minneapolis, MN 55415
612 673-3856
MINNEAPOLIS LEAD HAZARD CONTROL PROGRAM
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APPEN DIX D
EM PACT LEAD-SAFE >ARD PROJECT IN
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The EMPACT Lead-Safe Yard Project (LSYP) in Boston, Massachusetts was a three-phased,
community-based program that used a variety of low-cost techniques to reduce children's expo-
sure to elevated levels of lead in residential soil. The project's goals were (1) to generate real-time
data of lead concentrations in residential yard soils using innovative field-portable x-ray fluores-
cence (XRF) technology and to communicate these data to residents; (2) to plan and implement
low-cost and sustainable landscape measures in residents' yards that would reduce children's risk
of exposure to contaminated soil and that residents would be taught to maintain; and (3) to
develop a template that other communities and public agencies can use to address the issue of
lead in residential soil. Each partner organization was assigned tasks to implement, including
outreach and education, safety training, sampling and analysis, soil mitigation, and creation of a
template for community action.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
During the pilot phases, the project's community partners in the Boston area were Boston
University School of Public Health, the Bowdoin Street Community Health Center, and two
non-profit landscaping companies, Dorchester Gardenlands Preserve and Garden Futures.
IDENTIFYING THE AUDIENCE
The initial target community selected for the first two phases of the project was a several-block
area in the Bowdoin Street neighborhood, consisting of approximately 150 mostly older, wood-
framed houses in the North Dorchester section of Boston. This is an inner-city community,
with a large minority and immigrant population. Bowdoin Street is situated in the "lead belt" of
Boston, where the majority of children in the city with elevated blood levels reside.
During the third phase of the project, the program targeted a different community—the
Dudley Street neighborhood—which is also located in the lead belt of Boston.
DUTREACH BARRIERS AND STRATEGIES
In an effort to gain support for the project, EMPACT LSYP followed a model commonly used
for community education and outreach: a bilingual outreach worker from the community
health center conducted typical outreach activities, including walking in the neighborhood,
knocking on doors, distributing flyers, speaking at community meetings, and talking with peo-
ple one-on-one. These efforts were culturally specific to the neighborhood and conducted at an
appropriate literacy level.
After Phase 2 of the project was completed, outreach workers returned to the homes where yard
work had been performed and interviewed its occupants. They found that people had not really
comprehended the lead problem, but viewed the project more as a landscaping program. To
remedy this, the outreach worker underwent more extensive training on the lead issue and then
returned to the site with a video to teach residents about the hazards of lead. After viewing the
video, the residents were given a short quiz, and then had the opportunity to discuss the topic
afterward, thereby utilizing three modes of learning: visual, written, and oral.
APPEN DIX
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SOIL SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
After outreach workers completed their interviews and created a list of participants who agreed
to have their yards tested for lead, the soil sample and analysis began. EMPACT LSYP found
XRF testing to be an effective tool that gives results on the spot. This process allowed trained
inspectors to get timely and accurate onsite readings of lead levels in soil with a hand-held, bat-
tery-powered device. Onsite inspectors were able to get real parts per million (ppm) lead levels
for individual soil samples within seconds. This way, lead inspectors could discover any unusu-
ally high lead levels right away as opposed to waiting two to four weeks for laboratory results to
come back. And, if necessary, inspectors could adjust their testing strategy for the property
accordingly as a whole, taking appropriate precautions. After all readings are taken, inspectors
produced a color-coded map of a property's lead levels well before the results of confirmatory
lab tests were available.
Once a sizable cross-section of properties was tested, inspectors could record the results on a
map to see if a geographical pattern emerged. If such a pattern did emerge, then this informa-
tion could be made accessible to the public.
REMEDIAL MEASURES AND YARD TREATMENTS
After a property's soil had been tested and confirmed for lead hazard, the next step was to set up
a yard treatment schedule. The EMPACT LSYP targeted areas such as drip zones and removed
plants and vegetables in those areas, replacing them with raised-perimeter boxes milled with
mulch or gravel and plantings. The program also improved existing lawns by loosening soil,
adding a seed mixture of rye, fescue, and bluegrass, topping the new seed with 1A inch of top-
soil. Where appropriate, the program installed new lawns on raised beds and created raised
mulch beds with or without plantings. Parking areas needed to be graveled or asphalted.
Children's play areas needed to be raised and covered with mulch over filter fabric weed barrier.
Porches with open soil areas underneath had to be barricaded with lattice and trim. EMPACT
LSYP used only ACQ pressure-treated wood, as opposed to wood treated with chemicals such
as arsenic and chromium which would have created another soil hazard.
RESULTS
The pilot project was funded in two phases, which took place in the summers of 1998 and
1999- During these two years, the project addressed 42 residences at no cost to the homeown-
ers; conducted a number of seminars on lead-safe yard work; and developed a "Tool Kit" for use
by other communities, which were then incorporated into a handbook titled Lead-Safe Yards:
Developing and Implementing a Monitoring, Assessment, and Outreach Program for Your
Community.
Phase 3, completed in 2001, addressed 19 homes. And, in conjunction with the EMPACT
project, the city of Boston completed 24 homes during the same period.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Because of the EMPACT LSYP's innovative approaches and far-reaching impacts, project part-
ners have received several prestigious awards for their work. These include:
• 1999 Regional Science Award. Two scientists from EPA's Office of Environmental
Measurement and Evaluation also received EPA Bronze Medals for this work.
EMPACT LEAD-SAFE YARD PROJECT IN BOSTON, MA
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• 1999 Harvard Award for Excellence in Children's Health.
• 2000 Boston University School of Public Health Award for Excellence in Public Health
Practice.
FDR MORE INFORMATION
Visit the EMPACT Lead-Safe Yard Project's Web site at or
contact:
Robert Maxfield
Environmental Investigation and Analysis
EPA-New England Regional Laboratory
11 Technology Drive
North Chelmsford, MA 01863-2431
617918-8640
A P P E N D I X
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APPEN DIX E
MEMORANDUM FROM ELIZABETH CDTSWDRTH,
DIRECTOR, OFFICE DF SOLID WASTE
2000
MEMORANDUM
From: Elizabeth A. Cotsworth, Director
Office of Solid Waste
To: RCRA Senior Policy Advisors
EPA Regions 1-10
Subject: Regulatory Status of Waste Generated by Contractors and Residents from Lead-
Based Paint Activities Conducted in Households
What is the purpose of this interpretation?
This memorandum clarifies the regulatory status of waste generated as a result of lead-based paint
(LBP) activities (including abatement, renovation and remodeling) in homes and other residences.
Since 1980, EPA has excluded "household waste" from the universe of RCRA hazardous wastes
under 40 CFR 261.4(b)(l). In the 1998 temporary toxicity characteristic (TC) suspension
proposal, we clarified that the household waste exclusion applies to "all LBP waste generated as a
result of actions by residents of households (hereinafter referred to as "residents") to renovate,
remodel or abate their homes on their own." 63 FR 70233, 70241 (Dec. 18,1998). In this
memorandum, EPA is explaining that we believe lead paint debris generated by contractors in
households is also "household waste" and thus excluded from the RCRA Subtitle C hazardous
waste regulations. Thus, the household exclusion applies to waste generated by either residents or
contractors conducting LBP activities in residences.
What is the practical significance of classifying LBP waste as a household waste?
As a result of this clarification, contractors may dispose of hazardous-LBP wastes from residential
lead paint abatements as household garbage subject to applicable State regulations. This practice
will simplify many lead abatement activities and reduce their costs. In this way, the clarification
in today's memorandum will facilitate additional residential abatement, renovation and
remodeling, and rehabilitation activities, thus protecting children from continued exposure to lead
paint in homes and making residential dwellings lead safe for children and adults.
MEMORANDUM FROM ELIZABETH CDTSWDRTH 95
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LBP debris (such as architectural building components -- doors, window frames, painted wood
work) that do not exhibit the TC for lead need not be managed as hazardous waste. However, LBP
waste such as debris, paint chips, dust, and sludges generated from abatement and deleading
activities that exhibit the TC for lead (that is, exceed the TC regulatory limit of 5 mg/L lead in the
waste leachate), are hazardous wastes and must be managed and disposed of in accordance with
the applicable RCRA subtitle C requirements (including land disposal restrictions) except when it
is "household waste." Under 40 CFR 261.4(b)(l), household wastes are excluded from the
hazardous waste management requirements. Today, EPA is clarifying that waste generated as part
of LBP activities conducted at residences (which include single family homes, apartment
buildings, public housing, and military barracks) is also household waste, that such wastes are no
longer hazardous wastes and that such wastes thus are excluded from RCRA's hazardous waste
management and disposal regulations. Generators of residential LBP waste do not have to make a
RCRA hazardous waste determination. This interpretation holds regardless of whether the waste
exhibits the toxicity characteristic or whether the LBP activities were performed by the residents
themselves or by a contractor.
Where can I dispose of my household LBP waste?
LBP waste from residences can be discarded in a municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF) or a
municipal solid waste combustor. Dumping and open burning of residential LBP waste is not
allowed. Certain LBP waste (such as large quantities of concentrated lead paint waste - paint
chips, dust, or sludges) from residential deleading activities may be subject to more stringent
requirements of State, local, and/or tribal authorities.
What is the basis for this interpretation?
The household waste exclusion implements Congress's intent that the hazardous waste regulations
are "not to be used either to control the disposal of substances used in households or to extend
control over general municipal wastes based on the presence of such substances." S. Rep. No. 94-
988, 94th Cong., 2nd Sess., at 16. EPA regulations define "household waste" to include "any
waste material (including garbage, trash, and sanitary wastes in septic tanks) derived from
households (including single and multiple residences, hotels and motels, bunkhouses, ranger
stations, crew quarters, campgrounds, picnic grounds and day-use recreation areas)." 40 CFR
261.4(b)(l). The Agency has applied two criteria to define the scope of the exclusion: (1) the
waste must be generated by individuals on the premises of a household, and (2) the waste must be
composed primarily of materials found in the wastes generated by consumers in their homes (49
FR 44978 and 63 FR 70241).
In 1998, EPA concluded that LBP waste resulting from renovation and remodeling efforts by
residents of households met these criteria. (63 FR 70241-42, Dec. 18,1998). In short, the Agency
found that more and more residents are engaged in these activities and thus the waste can be
considered to be generated by individuals in a household and of the type that consumers generate
routinely in their homes. Wastes from LBP abatements performed by residents were also
considered household wastes.
96 APPENDIX
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EPA clarifies that this interpretation also applies to contractor-generated LBP waste from
renovations, remodeling and abatements in residences. Both the definition of household waste in
section 261.4(b)(l) and the Agency's criteria for determining the scope of the exclusion focus on
the type of waste generated and the place of generation rather than who generated the waste (e.g., a
resident or a contractor). This approach is consistent with prior Agency policy.1 Since
contractor-generated LBP waste from residential renovations, remodeling, rehabilitation, and
abatements are of the type generated by consumers in their homes, it is appropriate to conclude that
such waste, whether generated by a resident or contractor, falls within the household waste
exclusion. This clarification will facilitate lead abatements and deleading activities in target
housing by reducing the costs of managing and disposing of LBP waste from residences.
What is the relationship of this interpretation to the on-going LBP debris rulemaking?
On December 18,1998, EPA proposed new TSCA standards for management and disposal of LBP
debris (63 FR 70190) and simultaneously proposed to suspend temporarily the applicability of the
RCRA hazardous waste regulations that currently apply to LBP debris (63 FR 70233). This
memorandum responds to stakeholders requests that EPA clarify whether the existing household
waste exclusion applies to both homeowners and contractors conducting LBP activities in
residences. While the Agency still intends to finalize aspects of the two proposals, we are making
this clarification in advance of the final rule to facilitate LBP abatement in residences without
unnecessary delay.
How does this interpretation affect EPA's enforcement authorities?
Under this clarification, LBP wastes generated by residents or contractors from the renovation,
remodeling, rehabilitation, and/or abatement of residences are household wastes that are excluded
from EPA's hazardous waste requirements in 40 CFR Parts 124, and 262 through 271. The
household waste provision of 40 CFR 261.4(b)(l) only excludes such wastes from the RCRA
regulatory requirements. However, it does not affect EPA's ability to reach those wastes under its
statutory authorities, such as RCRA §3007 (inspection) and §7003 (imminent hazard). See 40 CFR
§261.1(b).
What are the "best management practices" for handling residential LBP waste?
'in the final rule establishing standards for the tracking and management of medical waste, EPA concluded
that waste generated by health care providers (e.g., contractors) in private homes would be covered by the
household waste exclusion. 54 FR 12326, 12339 (March 24, 1989). In the specific context of LBP, the Agency
stated in a March 1990 "EPA Hotline Report" (RCRA Question 6) that lead paint chips and dust resulting from
stripping and re-painting of residential walls by homeowner or contractors (as part of routine household
maintenance) would be part of the household waste stream and not subject to RCRA Subtitle C regulations.
Similarly, in a March 1995 memorandum on the "Applicability of the Household Waste Exclusion to Lead-
Contaminated Soils," we found that if the source of the lead contamination was as a result of either routine
residential maintenance or the weathering or chalking of lead-based paint from the residence, the hazardous waste
regulations do not apply so long as the lead-contaminated soil is managed onsite or disposed offsite according to
applicable solid waste regulations and/or State law mandated by RCRA.
MEMORANDUM FROM ELIZABETH COTSWORTH
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Although excluded from the hazardous waste regulations, EPA encourages residents and
contractors managing LBP waste from households to take common sense measures to minimize the
generation of lead dust, limit access to stored LBP wastes including debris, and maintain the
integrity of waste packaging material during transfer of LBP waste. In particular, we continue to
endorse the basic steps outlined in the 1998 proposals for the proper handling and disposal of LBP
waste (63 FR 70242) as the best management practices (BMPs) including:
• Collect paint chips and dust, and dirt and rubble in plastic trash bags for disposal.
Store larger LBP architectural debris pieces in containers until ready for disposal.
Consider using a covered mobile dumpster (such as a roll-off container) for storage of LBP
debris until the job is done.
• Contact local municipalities or county solid waste offices to determine where and how
LBP debris can be disposed.
In addition, contractors working in residential dwellings are subject to either one or both of the
following:
The HUD Guidance for contractors doing publically-funded rehabilitation/renovation
projects in public housing. (See Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based
Paint Hazards in Housing. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, June
1995) The HUD guidelines can be accessed via the Internet at:
http://www.hud.gov/lea/leaniles.htnil
TSCA 402/404 training and certification requirements. (See 40 CFR Part 745; 61 FR
45778, August 29,1996) and the proposed TSCA onsite management standards (See 40
CFR Part 745, Subpart P; 63 FR 70227 - 70230, Dec. 18,1998). [EPA expects to issue the
final rule next year.]
The above-mentioned BMPs for households are similar to those included in the HUD Guidelines
for individuals controlling LBP hazards in housing. HUD requires that contractors using HUD
funding adhere to LBP hazard control guidelines. Non-adherence to these guidelines can
potentially result in the loss of funding.
Does this interpretation apply in my State and/or locality?
We encourage contractors and residents to contact their state, local and/or tribal government to
determine whether any restrictions apply to the disposal of residential LBP waste. This
verification is necessary since, under RCRA, States, local and tribal governments can enforce
regulations that are more stringent or broader in scope than the federal requirements. Thus, under
such circumstances, LBP waste from households may still be regulated as a hazardous waste as a
matter of State regulations.
We are distributing this memorandum to all 56 States and Territories, and Tribal Programs and
various trade associations. We encourage States to arrange for implementation of the
9B APPENDIX
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interpretation discussed in this memo in their States to facilitate residential LBP abatements
making residential dwellings lead-safe. We encourage trade associations to inform their
memberships about this memo and instruct them about ways to manage residential LBP waste.
Whom should I contact for more information?
If you have additional questions concerning the regulatory status of waste generated from lead-
based paint activities in residences, please contact Ms. Rajani D. Joglekar of my staff at 703/308-
8806 or Mr. Malcolm Woolf of the EPA General Counsel's Office at 202/564-5526.
cc: Key RCRA Contacts, Regions 1 -10
RCRA Regional Council Contacts, Regions 1 -10
RCRA Enforcement Council Contacts, Regions 1-10
Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials ( ASTSWMO)
MEMORANDUM FROM ELIZABETH COTSWORTH
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United States
Environmenta Protection
Agency
Office of Research and
Development
National Risk Management
Research Laboratory
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
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February 2003
Please make all necessary changes on the below label,
detach or copy, and return to the address in the upper
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detach, or copy this cover, and return to the address in the
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CHAPTER C ERRATA
(WHEN READING THE PDF FILE.
PLEASE SUBSTITUTE THE FOLLOWING CORRECTIONS IN BOLD]
SECTION U REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS
MANUFACTURER 5 TRAINING (PAGE 19
IN MOST STATES, OPERATORS MUST BE TRAINED BY TRE MANDFACTDRER OR RECEIVE EODIVALENT TRAINING. SYRACUSE STAFF TOOK A ONE-DAY FREE TRAINING CODRSE ON TRE DSE OF
TRE KRF INSTRUMENT OFFERED BY TRE MANDFACTDRER, NITON. TRE CODRSE MET NEW YORK STATE REODIREMENTS AND COVERED RADIATION SAFETY, KRF THEORY, WORKER EKPOSDRE,
AS WELL AS RANDS-ON ANALYSIS OF DDST WIPES. SOILS AND PAINT.
Costs for the Instrument (page 44)
In addition to investing in trained, licensed, and certified staff, those seeking to implement an
extensive lead dust monitoring program may want to buy their own field-portable XRF. Syracuse
purchased a Niton Model XL-309, which costs about $21,000, making it the most substantial
expense the project faced This model costs less than other Niton instruments (mainly the
XL-700 series) that test for a wide range of metals, yet more than instruments that only
analyze for lead-based-paint. The same model with soil analysis capability would cost an
additional $2500. Programs will face an additional expense to replace the instrument's
radioactive source once every two years, if not more frequently. NITON's 40mCi Cd-109
source costs $7,300.
Section 6.3 Quality Control
EPA Verifies Use of XRF for Measurement of Lead in Dust (Highlighted Box, Page 44)
In the fall of 2002, EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program published a
report verifying the use of five field-portable XRF technologies for the measurement of lead in
dust. The Niton XL-300 and XL-700 series XRF instruments were among the five brands tested.
ETV evaluated overall performance of the Niton XL-300 series as "... having a slight
negative bias (but one with an acceptable range of bias) precise, and comparable to the
NLLAP [National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program] laboratory results."
XRF Usage and Radiation Exposure (Highlighted Box, Page 46)
State regulations concerning the use of dosimetry vary, however, it is typically
recommended that an XRF operator wear a dosimetry badge, which monitors exposure to
radiation. Even though no radiation dosimetry is required for some isotopes, users should wear a
dosimetry badge for the following reasons:
Safe Operating Distance (Highlighted Box, Page 47)
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XRF instruments used in accordance with manufacturer's instructions will not cause significant
exposure to ionizing radiation. But the instrument's shutter should never be pointed at anyone,
even if the shutter is closed. Also, the operator's hand should not be placed on the end plate
during a measurement.
The safe operating distance between an XRF instrument and an individual depends on the
radiation source type, radiation intensity, quantity of radioactive material, and the density of the
materials being surveyed. As the radiation source quantity and intensity increases, the required
safe distance also increases. Placing dense materials, such as a wall, between the user and
others and a source of radiation, further help to ensure that the possible exposure to
radiation is minimal.
According to NRC rules, a radiation dose to an individual in any unrestricted area must not
exceed 2 millirems per hour. One of the most intense sources currently used in XRF instruments
is a 40-millicurie 109Cd (Cd-109) radiation source. Other radiation sources in current use for
XRF testing of lead-based paint generally produce lower levels of radiation. Generally, an XRF
operator following manufacturer's instructions would be exposed to radiation well below the
regulatory level. Typically, XRF instruments with lower gamma radiation intensities can use a
shorter safe distance, provided that the potential expo-sure to an individual will not exceed the
regulatory limit
Section 6.5 Maintaining Equipment (Page 48)
Day-to-day maintenance of the XRF is generally not difficult or costly. Operators should clean
the instrument's display window with cotton swabs, clean the case with a soft cloth, and charge
the batteries as directed in the owner's manual. Beyond that, operators usually just need to take
care not to drop the instrument, get it wet, or neglect the calibration checks recommended by the
manufacturer.
Over the long term, however, XRF owners face the very significant isotopes decay at a fixed
rate. The half-life of 09Cd (cadmium-109), for example, is about 15 months. After that, the
XRF can still be used, but the instrument becomes progressively less efficient. Readings that
once took 30 to 60 seconds take progressively longer. Eventually the wait becomes burdensome,
and the isotope must be replaced. Syracuse sends its instrument back to the manufacturer, which
disposes of the spent radioactive source, installs the new source, upgrades the instrument's
software, and provides whatever preventive maintenance is needed. See Chapter 7, Section 7.3
for more information on managing and disposing of hazardous wastes generated in a lead dust
monitoring and mitigation program.
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