(AGENPARL) – mar 27 febbraio 2024 Issued: Feb 27, 2024 (1:58pm EST)
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EPA Invests $1 Million in New York State Communities Through UAlbany-Led
Community Air Monitoring Projects
ALBANY, N.Y.  – Communities in New York’s Capital District and in other
areas of New York will get valuable data from two air monitoring projects
funded by $1 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under
its efforts to invest in communities across America. EPA recently awarded the
money to the University at Albany (UAlbany) for two community air quality
monitoring projects that will measure and reduce exposure to air pollutants
that affect public health. The funding is part of the Biden-Harris
Administration’s historic investment of $53.4 million in 132 air monitoring
projects in 37 states, funded by the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation
Reduction Act, to enhance air quality monitoring in communities that are
underserved and overburdened by pollution.
To celebrate the awards, EPA joined U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, Albany Mayor Kathy
Sheehan and other local stakeholders at Giffen Memorial Elementary School, a
future air monitoring site in Albany’s South End. UAlbany researchers
displayed an example of a low-cost air monitor and led a demonstration of
their mobile air monitoring van.
“Air pollution is a serious threat to the health and well-being of millions
of Americans, especially those who live in communities that are
disproportionately exposed to harmful emissions. The Biden-Harris
Administration is committed to investing in community-based solutions that
help improve air quality, protect public health, and advance environmental
justice,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “These air
monitoring projects are examples of how we can partner with local stakeholders
to support communities with data and tools they need to address their air
quality challenges and achieve their environmental goals.”
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos
said, “DEC applauds the Biden-Harris Administration, EPA Administrator
Michael Regan, and Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia for their continued
commitment to improving air quality, combating climate change, and
prioritizing environmental justice. The $1 million announced today will
complement ongoing efforts like DEC’s successful Community Air Monitoring
Initiative to obtain localized data that will help assess the air quality in
neighborhoods here in Albany and across the state.” 
“I’m thrilled to celebrate this major federal investment that will enable
the University at Albany to conduct critical community air quality monitoring
projects here in our Capital Region and across New York State,” Congressman
Paul Tonko said. “Ever since I welcomed EPA Administrator Regan to speak
with residents and community leaders at Albany’s South End about the
importance of addressing inequities and environmental injustice, we’ve been
committed to helping alleviate those burdens and build healthier communities.
These awards are an example of taking in those important conversations and
transforming them into meaningful action. Thanks to our American Rescue Plan
and our Inflation Reduction Act, we are making significant strides to ensure
that our families have clean air to breathe. I’m grateful to EPA for
recognizing this need and taking steps to meet it, and I look forward to the
tremendous positive impact these projects will have on our Capital Region
communities.”
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “When I first became Mayor, I worked
tirelessly to secure air monitoring in Albany’s South End through a
partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
That study showed that our South End neighbors are disproportionately impacted
by particulates from truck traffic. The information gleaned from that study
was one of the ways we were able to convince large-volume vehicle operators to
change their route away from Ezra Prentice and to advocate for a replacement
of the Port of Albany road so we can eventually ban truck traffic from Pearl
Street. This effort led by Biden-Harris Administration and the EPA in
conjunction with SUNY University at Albany and the Albany City School District
will help us understand whether our past efforts are still working and
identify what additional pollutants – both outdoors and indoors – are present
in one of our most historically underserved communities. I applaud President
Biden, Vice President Harris, Congressman Tonko, and our state and local
partners for engaging in this important project.”
“The University at Albany is proud to partner on the EPA’s largest
investment for community air monitoring in its history,” said Thenkurussi
(Kesh) Kesavadas, UAlbany Vice President for Research & Economic Development.
“Air quality is a serious problem that is expected to worsen through climate
change. These two projects, led by faculty at our nationally renowned
Atmospheric Sciences Research Center and College of Nanotechnology, Science,
and Engineering, will play a key role in helping inform policy decisions and
protecting vulnerable populations, including those in underserved communities
who often experience higher pollution exposure levels.”
“We’re excited to be part of this important work that’s happening in our
community and in the South End in particular,” said City School District of
Albany Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter. “We’re also grateful to the EPA,
UAlbany, and our partners in city, state and federal government for their
focus on improving air quality for all of us.”
In August 2021, Congressman Tonko hosted EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan
during a visit to the Capital Regionto highlight a number of key priorities
the EPA has championed, including clean water infrastructure and environmental
justice. During this tour, the Administrator and Congressman held an
environmental justice discussion at Ezra Prentice Homes, where they heard
insights from residents and pledged federal action and support for investments
in public health protections and pollution reductions in the communities that
need them most.
Today’s announcement highlights EPA awards of nearly $500,000 each to two
UAlbany projects. The goal of the projects, led by researchers at UAlbany, is
to improve air quality and public health across underserved neighborhoods
across New York State.
NY Capital District Communities Air Quality Measurement Network. Working
closely with local partners, UAlbany researchers will use low-cost sensors to
measure the air quality inside and outside five community schools, such as the
Giffen Memorial School, and use a mobile lab to provide accurate measurements.
The researchers will analyze the data to estimate people’s exposure to air
pollution inside and outside their homes and suggest ways to make the air
cleaner and healthier. The project partners are Healthy Schools Network and
the City School District of Albany. The project covers five areas: Northeast
Albany, South Albany, Northwest Albany, North Troy, and East Schenectady. The
air monitors will measure carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, fine
particles and volatile organic compounds.
Promoting Sustainable Air Quality at Underserved Neighborhoods in New York
State. UAlbany researchers will use low-cost sensors to measure the air
quality inside and outside people’s homes in underserved neighborhoods in
the Capital District, Hudson Valley and Harlem. The researchers will work with
community leaders to understand and improve the air quality and public health.
The project covers seven areas: South End in Albany, Schenectady, Cohoes,
Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Harlem in Manhattan. The air monitors
will measure black carbon, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, ozone, nitrogen
oxides, fine particles, volatile organic compounds, and other air toxics.  
Learn more about these and other winners on EPA’s American Rescue Plan’s
Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring Competitive Grant webpage.
Air Monitoring and Air Quality Sensors Grants under the Inflation Reduction
The funding EPA announced today is one piece of the overall Inflation
Reduction Act approach to improving air monitoring across the country. On Feb.
16, EPA announced the availability of an additional $81 million in funding
for eligible air agencies to expand and upgrade the nation’s air quality
monitoring networks, as well as approximately $2 million in funding to support
state, local, territorial and Tribal agencies in the deployment and operation
of air quality sensors in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the
United States. Together, these investments will provide critical resources to
ensure the sustainability of national air quality monitoring networks, helping
protect human health and the environment and ensuring Americans are breathing
cleaner air.
EPA encourages eligible entities to apply for funding as soon as possible and
no later than April 8, 2024. Details about the application process are
available on EPA’s Air Quality and Air Quality Sensors Grants website.
Find out more by visiting EPA’s Air Grants and Funding webpage.  
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information
about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
720-595-8698 
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