The field of Air Quality Sensors is rapidly growing with many innovative ideas and experiences to share from all over the world. With so many individual perspectives, our plenary sessions will be organized as panels with speakers presenting information and engaging in dialogue so we can fully explore the vast amount of knowledge available. We are excited to host four separate plenary panels, each covering a different theme as described below.
California Community Air Protection
Wednesday, 8:00 AM, General Session
Air sensors will play a growing role in monitoring community air quality, along with traditional air monitoring methods and equipment. Leaders within California's air quality agencies will discuss Assembly Bill 617, covering its purpose and how their region is implementing the program and involving community groups to improve local air quality.
Veronica Eady, California Air Resources Board: Addressing environmental justice is a cornerstone of the Community Air Protection Program (AB 617), and California is at the leading edge in formalizing and implementing a new approach to assure communities facing a high cumulative air pollution burden see improved air quality and reduced exposure to harmful air pollution. Ms. Eady will cover the background and current status of implementing AB 617, and describe how community partnerships are forming the foundation of the program.
Wayne Nastri, South Coast Air Quality Monitoring District: Mr. Nastri will discuss the actions SCAQMD is taking locally towards air quality monitoring and improvement with the community.
Eric Stevenson, Bay Area Air Quality Monitoring District: Mr. Stevenson will discuss how the BAAQMD plans to perform monitoring for AB 617. This includes the methods planned to use to screen areas to identify areas for further study, deploy additional resources to determine, to the extent possible, the source of any elevated emissions and then to potentially track progress over time. He will discuss how the various monitoring methodologies work and how they will be employed.
Alan Abbs, California Air Pollution Control Officers Association: Mr. Abbs will discuss the ongoing Air Quality Sensor Projects throughout the State.
Catherine Dunwoody, California Air Resources Board: Session Moderator
Community Perspectives and Connections
Thursday, 8:00 AM, General Session
This plenary will discuss the purpose of integrating air quality sensor projects in communities and harnessing the power of citizen scientists to collect, interpret, share and act upon air quality data. Local air pollution issues often arise in communities that are over-burdened and underserved, i.e., environmental justice communities. Members of these communities and the broader community have an increasing desire to understand pollution exposure on a more local level and generate data to support local actions to improve air quality. Community air monitoring provides citizens an opportunity to gather this information to advocate for changes that address sources of pollution and make behavioral decisions to reduce their personal exposure
Penelope "Jenny" Quintana, San Diego State University: Monitoring Sustainability in Environmental Justice Communities
Kris Ray, Colville Confederated Tribes: Offering a Tribal perspective on air sensor use, including during smoke events like wildfires.
Calvin Cupini, Clean Air Carolina: Community-focused air monitoring collaborations between multiple stakeholders.
Adrienne Hollis, WE ACT: The need for air quality monitoring in Environmental Justice Communities.
Amanda Kaufman, US EPA: Session Moderator
Paul English, CA Dept of Public Health: Session Moderator
Federal Connections
Thursday, 4:45 PM, General Session
How does the United States use sensors to monitor the air quality on a national level and to what end? Meredith Kurpius of the US EPA will take us through their perspective on air sensors that are used throughout the country and how it affects regulations. The data that results from these air sensors will then be talked about from a health perspective by Erika Sasser of the US EPA and what it means to each individual person. Finally, Katherine Webber from the US Department of State will share their perspective of how these air quality sensors affect the US DOS’s work.
Meredith Kurpius, US Environmental Protection Agency: EPA Perspective.
Erika Sasser, US Environmental Protection Agency: Health Perspective.
Katherine Weber, US Department of State: DOS Perspective.
Kristen Benedict, US Environmental Protection Agency: Moderator
International Perspectives and Connections
Friday, 8:00 AM, General Session
Air quality management is an international issue. Every country has their own method for tracking and managing local air quality. In this session, we will hear from air quality monitoring representatives from across the world including Africa, the European Union, Taiwan, and China. Stay tuned for more information!
Lyng-Jyn Chen, Academia Sinica
Tonny Xie, Bluetech Clean Air Alliance
Sean Khan, United Nations Environment
Alena Bartonova, NILU Norwegian Institute for Air Research
Emmanuel Appoh, Ghana Environmental Protection Agency
Andrea Polidori, South Coast Air Quality Management District: Moderator