What We Do
This section includes field monitoring operations and data processing units.
The Air Monitoring Section operates ambient air quality sampling sites throughout West Virginia. The sampling
sites are located to assess air quality levels based on population exposure, and industry emissions to
determine compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), background levels, and other
special purposes. Nearly all air quality monitoring equipment is located at permanent sites, in buildings or
shelters designed for monitoring purposes.
The air pollutants and parameters monitored include:
- Inhalable Particulate Matter (PM-10, PM2.5)
- Ozone (O3)
- Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
- Speciated PM2.5
- Air Toxic Pollutants (metals, carbonyls, VOCs)
- Carbon Monoxide (CO)
- Meteorology
The monitoring network is reviewed annually and revised as necessary to accommodate changing federal
requirements. The data collected is used by the DAQ to implement programs to attain NAAQS for criteria
pollutants. Air quality data collected by the air monitoring section is validated before being submitted to
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Subsystem (AQS) national database. After EPA
also reviews the data, it is posted to the public site and is available for public use. Calenar-year data is
certified each year by May 1st of the following year. Additionally, during ozone season (March 1 - October
31), data is submitted several times a day to EPA's AIRNOW Ozone Mapping Project where it is available
on the Internet.
Air quality data collected at outdoor monitors across the United States, including in West Virginia, can be
downloaded from https:/www.epa.gov/outdoor-air-quality-data
Contact WVDEP DAQ Air Monitoring Section
Renu Chakrabarty
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Air Quality: Air Monitoring
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0475
Email: Renu.M.Chakrabarty@wv.gov