Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Mark Sulzbach, 651-757-2770 For immediate release: May 13, 2009 Saint Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has released the 2010 "Air Monitoring Network Plan" for public review and comment from May 13 through June 12, 2009. The annual report provides an overview of the various air quality monitoring networks currently operating in Minnesota. Data for several pollutants are summarized to show current conditions relative to state and federal air quality standards. Details regarding the location of individual sites, monitoring objectives and proposed changes are provided. This year, the plan contains both a detailed plan for Minnesota's National Core Multi-pollutant monitoring station and a source-oriented lead monitoring plan in response to the 2008 Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standard revision. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires state and local government agencies to publish an annual monitoring network plan. Changes to the federal regulations in 2006 now require agencies to solicit comments for a 30-day period. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate compliance with air monitoring network regulations, to describe proposed changes for the upcoming year, and to provide specific information on each of the existing and proposed monitoring sites. Instructions for submitting comments and the draft plan can be found at www.pca.state.mn.us/air/monitoringnetwork.html. For more information please call Rick Strassman, MPCA Air Monitoring Unit Supervisor at 651-757-2760 or toll-free at 1-800-657-3864.