Environmental Data Access:
Air Quality

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) collects a variety of air quality data, both from ambient air quality stations and from facilities that emit air pollutants. Listed below are links to air quality data.

Air Quality Monitoring

MPCA monitors outdoor air quality continuously at 56 carefully selected stations throughout Minnesota. Pollutants monitored include six "criteria pollutants" for which there are federal standards — particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), lead, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide — and numerous "air toxics" that can also be harmful to human health. Use the searches below to find current or historical monitoring results from any individual station.

• Air Quality Index:  Find today’s air quality in selected Minnesota cities.
• Ambient Air Monitoring Data:
  • EPA AirData — Online access to ambient air monitoring data collected across the United States including visualization tools, maps and downloadable data summaries and daily results.
  • Please contact Kellie Gavin with requests for additional ambient air monitoring data.
• Ambient Air Monitoring Network Plan: This report provides specific information on each of the MPCA’s existing and proposed air quality monitoring sites as well as data for several pollutants, summarized to show current conditions relative to State and Federal air quality standards. Also covered are the location of individual sites, monitoring objectives, and proposed changes.

Air Pollutant Emissions

The MPCA issues permits to facilities ("point sources") that emit air pollutants. Many facilities are required to monitor their actual emissions and report the results to MPCA for use in determining compliance with permit limits. Use the searches below to find information about regulated air emissions reported by Minnesota facilities.

• Air Emissions Monitoring Station Data:  View or download data from an air monitoring station.
  • Point Source:  Find the types and quantities of air pollutants emitted by a specified facility (point source).
  • Emissions by County:  Find the total amount of a particular air pollutant emitted for a county, source category or industry.
• What's in My Neighborhood?: Use What’s In My Neighborhood to find information about a permitted source of air emissions or to list the permittees in a locale of interest. To list permitted sources, choose the "Text Search" option, then select the Activity Type "Air Permit."

Air Pollutants

• Air Pollutants:  Find information about a particular air pollutant, including which Minnesota facilities emit the pollutant.