PEC has long sought a location for an air monitor in the Charlottesville region. Working with our conservation allies PEC identified a gap in the current monitoring system some 7 years ago and advocated the new monitor through our service on the State Advisory Board on Air Pollution and on the Air Monitoring Technical Advisory Committee. We extend our thanks to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors, and the Albemarle County School Board for making this monitor a reality. The monitor will aid in establishing an accurate picture of Albemarle's air quality, transport of pollution from other states and may help identify additional areas of concern in the region.

According to Tom Jennings from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Office of Air Quality Monitoring, "the ambient air monitoring site on the grounds of Albemarle High School went on-line April 1 at the start of "ozone season." The ozone analyzer and TEOM PM2.5 continuous monitor will record hourly averages. The PM2.5 Federal Reference Monitor will record 24-hour averages on the established EPA one-in-three day schedule. The first sample for this monitor will be taken on April 3rd. Wind speed and direction
instrumentation is currently on order."