Improving air quality monitoring for Buffalo African-American community

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TO CONDUCT AMBIENT AIR MONITORING OF POLLUTANTS OF GREATEST CONCERN IN COMMUNITIES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH OUTCOME DISPARITIES STEMMING FROM POLLUTION AND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. FUNDING IS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MONITORING NETWORK OF PORTABLE LOW-COST SENSORS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BUFFALO'S UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. AIR QUALITY DATA WILL BE COLLECTED IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE COMMUNITY'S AWARENESS OF AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE AND CONSEQUENCES TO HEALTH RISKS.ACTIVITIES:THE GRANTEE WILL FORM A PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUP. IT WILL CONDUCT AIR QUALITY MONITORING FOR PM2.5 USING MOBILE AIR SAMPLERS. DATA COLLECTED ALONG WITH THE UTILIZATION OF EXISTING AIR DATA WILL STRIVE TO CHARACTERIZE AIR QUALITY AND IDENTIFY SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION IN EAST BUFFALO AREA OF NEW YORK. THE INFORMATION WILL BE USED TO ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY'S KNOWLEDGE OF AIR POLLUTION IN THIS AREA SO THAT APPROPRIATE MITIGATION STEPS CAN BE MADE. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: (1) DEVELOPMENT OF AN OPTIMAL AIR MONITORING NETWORK; (2) DEPLOYMENT OF PORTABLE LOW-COST SENSORS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BUFFALO'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES; (3) COLLECTING AND SHARING AIR QUALITY DATA; (4) CONDUCTING COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT; (5) REGULAR MEETINGS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS; AND (6) CREATE A WEBSITE WITH THE DATA THAT COMMUNITY CAN USE. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: (1) INCREASING COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE AND CONSEQUENCES TO HEALTH RISKS; (2) IDENTIFY SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION IN LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND DEVELOP CONTROL AND REDUCTION SOLUTIONS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE: COMMUNITIES MOST VULNERABLE TO AIR POLLUTION IN THE EAST BUFFALO AREA.