2024-2025 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 (49) Monitoring Sites. Thirty-seven (37) are operated by DAQ; five (6) 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
- The Wilmington MSA is being evaluated for another O3 site due to population increase.
Particulate Matter, PM2.5 & PM10, Network
- The Durham Armory site may change monitoring methods to a T640X when funding allows.
- The BAM 1020 from the Lexington Water Tower site will be relocated to the Millbrook site.
- The rotating background network for PM10 is being evaluated and may be discontinued.
Sulfur Dioxide, SO2, Network
- Monitoring for the Canton site is intended to be shut down by the end of 2024.
- Monitoring for the Durham Armory site is intended to be shut down by the end of 2024.
- The rotating background network for SO2 is being evaluated and may be discontinued.
Nitrogen Dioxide, NO2, Network
- Mecklenburg County began monitoring operations for NO2 at the Equipment Drive site in January 2024.
Carbon Monoxide, CO, Network
- No significant changes are proposed.
Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Station, PAMS, Network
- No significant changes are proposed.