Checking Air Quality In New Rochelle, Mount Vernon

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A study area in southern Westchester County is included in DEC's 2022-23 Statewide Community Air Monitoring Initiative.

Mobile air monitoring started in September 2022 in a section of New Rochelle, Mount Vernon and Yonkers as part of a statewide effort in 10 disadvantaged communities in areas with high air pollution burdens.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation wants to target emission sources and future strategies to reduce air pollution in these communities, including the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

The DEC used the draft disadvantaged communities criteria proposed by the State’s Climate Justice Working Group to identify neighborhoods with high air pollution burdens.

To monitor, they're using hybrid cars equipped with sensors. To measure air pollution from sources such as cars, diesel trucks, construction equipment, commercial operations, and industrial facilities, they drive periodically throughout the target area. The information collected will be used to create maps that show air pollutant estimates for every 100 meters (about 330 feet of road).

This will help identify air quality issues and help guide actions to reduce localized pollutant levels
and target sources of greenhouse gases, DEC officials said. The pollutants that will be measured include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, fine particulate matter, methane, ethane, black carbon, and targeted toxics.