The Imperial County Community Air Monitoring Network: A Model for Community-based Environmental Monitoring for Public Health Action

Author Affiliations open 1California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California, USA 2Comite Civico Del Valle, Brawley, California, USA 3Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA 4California Environmental Health Tracking Program, Public Health Institute, Oakland, California, USA 5School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA 6Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA PDF Version (723 KB) Abstract About This Article Summary: The Imperial County Community Air Monitoring Network (the Network) is a collaborative group of community, academic, nongovernmental, and government partners designed to fill the need for more detailed data on particulate matter in an area that often exceeds air quality standards. The Network employs a community-based environmental monitoring process in which the community and researchers have specific, well-defined roles as part of an equitable partnership that also includes shared decision-making to determine study direction, plan research protocols, and conduct project activities. The Network is currently producing real-time particulate matter data from 40 low-cost sensors throughout Imperial County, one of the largest community-based air networks in the United States. Establishment of a community-led air network involves engaging community members to be...
Source: EHP Research - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Brief Communication Source Type: research