Advanced Monitoring Scan & Screen Network & Technology Clearinghouse
While new smaller, faster, and cheaper advanced monitoring technologies have the potential to significantly improve environmental protection, agency officials have questions regarding their use. The E-Enterprise Advanced Monitoring Strategy and Implementation Team is a group of EPA, state, and local air agency staff working to provide answers to these questions and help agencies make effective use of these new devices.
To alleviate some of the burden of determining which sensor might work best for each agency, the team developed the Advanced Monitoring Scan & Screen Network & Technology Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse). Serving a role similar to that of Yelp for service selection, the Clearinghouse is a resource where state, local, and tribal staff share their knowledge of and experience with advanced monitoring technology devices that they have researched or used. It offers a space where regulatory agency staff can find manufacturer-stated performance information and better understand opportunities for use of the devices.
In a June 2020 memo, the EPA Office of Air and Radiation stated that while data from instruments, including sensors, must meet applicable regulatory requirements for National Ambient Air Quality Standard compliance, certain data streams may also be useful in nonregulatory applications such as identifying hot spots, sitting regulatory monitors, and providing a better understanding of local air quality.
The Clearinghouse is housed on the E-Enterprise Community Inventory Platform, a password-protected website that users must have a “.gov” or “.us” email address to access. Once users create a password, they can view a list of sensors, ask colleagues questions through the discussion board, and reach out directly to individuals with experience on matters of interest. For more information on the E-Enterprise Advanced Monitoring Strategy and Implementation Team’s work, visit their site or reach out to Kelly Poole of ECOS or Kristen Benedict of EPA.