Charleston Community Research To Action Board

DESCRIPTION:THE ACTION APPROVES FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $499,715 TO THE CHARLESTON COMMUNITY RESEARCH TO ACTION BOARD,(CCRAB) SOUTH CAROLINA 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. ACTIVITIES:THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY AND LOCAL EFFORTS TO MONITOR THEIR OWN AIR QUALITY AND TO PROMOTE AIR QUALITY MONITORING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT: LEVERAGE EXISTING AIR QUALITY EXPERTISE, EXPAND USE OF COMMUNITY MONITORING GROUPS AND OTHER APPROACHES THAT GIVE THE COMMUNITY A VOICE IN THE MONITORING OF THE AIR QUALITY, AND BUILD A FOUNDATION OF TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS AND ENHANCED UNDERSTANDING FROM WHICH SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO COMMUNITY AIR POLLUTION PROBLEMS CAN BE FOUND. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL: LEVERAGE ACADEMIC, COMMUNITY AND AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS TO ESTABLISH A STATE-OF-THE-ART COMMUNITY AIR MONITORING NETWORK IN EIGHT (8) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES. THROUGH DEPLOYMENT OF HIGH GEAR MONITORS AND RESIDENTIAL SCREENING MONITORS, CAPACITY-BUILDING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND A PORTFOLIO OF DATA COMMUNICATION TOOLS, CCRAB WILL ESTABLISH CAPACITY OF COMMUNITIES TO CONDUCT LONG-TERM MONITORING OF AIR POLLUTION IN REAL-TIME, UNDERSTAND AIR QUALITY DATA AND RELATED HEALTH IMPACTS, AND GUIDE AIR QUALITY RESEARCH AND INTERVENTIONS LONG-TERM.SUBRECIPIENT:THE LAMC SUBAWARD WILL SUPPORT PROJECT RELATED CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES AND THE SUBAWARD TO MUSC AIR QUALITY LAB WILL PROVIDE AIR MONITORING DATA SERVICES, EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION, REPAIR COSTS, AND A PORTION OF THE SALARY.OUTCOMES:EXPECTED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE PURCHASING SIX OF AEROQUAL'S AQY-R AIR QUALITY MONITORS (AEROQUAL INC., AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND), ADDITIONAL SENSORS FOR THE ALREADY ACQUIRED HIGH GEAR MONITORS, AND MET SENSORS, TO MEASURE O3, NO2, PM2.5, WIND SPEED AND WIND DIRECTION, IN UP TO EIGHT LOCATIONS NEAR COMMUNITY POINTS OF INTEREST. CCRAB WILL DEVELOP A PORTFOLIO OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS AND YOUTH AS CITIZEN SCIENTISTS AND INCREASE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN LONG-TERM AIR QUALITY RESEARCH. EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE SCREENING-LEVEL DATA TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO IDENTIFY AIR POLLUTION HOTSPOTS AND GUIDE ONGOING AIR QUALITY RESEARCH, HIGH RESOLUTION AIR POLLUTION DATA FOR 5 MONITORING AREAS THAT WILL INCLUDE MEASURES OF PM2.5, O3, AND NO2, AND REAL-TIME AIR QUALITY REPORTING AND LONG-TERM ASSESSMENTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD AIR QUALITY. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE EIGHT NEAR-PORT COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP THE CAPACITY AND SUPPORT TO DIRECT AND MANAGE THEIR OWN AIR MONITORING ACTIVITIES. DATA WILL BE SHARED WITH LOCAL AGENCIES AND POLICYMAKERS GUIDE INTERVENTIONS AND POLICY CHANGES, AND RESIDENTS, CCAMN MEMBERS, AND OTHER AREA AGENCIES CAN MONITOR IMPACTS OF INTERVENTIONS AND TRACK PROGRESS TOWARD IMPROVED AIR QUALITY.