2023-2024 Annual Monitoring Network Plan for North Carolina Air Quality

The North Carolina Division of Air Quality, DAQ, operates a network of air quality monitors across the state. The network:

Includes 74 monitors at multiple sites
Measures the concentration of regulated pollutants in the ambient or outdoor air (including ozone, lead, fine particles, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide)
Compares concentrations to the national ambient air quality standards, NAAQS, as set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Reports any violations and takes regulatory action to return the ambient air quality to acceptable levels.

Every year the monitoring network is re-evaluated and adjusted to ensure it is providing adequate coverage. In most years these adjustments include starting new monitors, shutting down others, or simply relocating established monitors.

Significant changes

The proposed annual network plan is subject to a 30-day public review period prior to being submitted to EPA for approval. A summary of significant network changes is below:

The North Carolina Network currently consists of forty-eight (48) Monitoring Sites. Thirty-seven (37) are operated by DAQ; five (5) are operated by Mecklenburg County Air Quality, MCAQ; three (3) are operated by Asheville Buncombe Air Quality Agency and three (3) are operated by Forsyth County.

The Ozone, O3, Network

No significant changes are proposed for this year. The Bushy Fork site is being evaluated for potential discontinuation in the future, and the Rockwell, Butner and Bethany sites are being evaluated for possible relocation.

Particulate Matter, PM2.5 & PM10, Network

The Bryson City monitor is to be relocated on the same property.
The Hickory PM2.5 monitors was relocated on the same property on January 26, 2023.
The monitors at the Board of Education site were relocated from the roof to the ground to accommodate a collocation shelter for sensors on April 21, 2023.