Conserve, protect and improve the health of native species habitats, water quality and quantity, and air quality.
Particulate Matter (micrograms per cubic meter)
Current Value
6.7
Definition
Story Behind the Curve
Chittenden County meets National Ambient Air quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter. The red dotted line indicates the attainment level for particulate matter. Four sources account for 80% of the fine particulates emitted in the County: residential wood combustion, road dust, waste disposal, and miscellaneous sources such as agriculture, construction and gas stations.
Why Is This Important?
Outdoor air pollution in significant concentrations can raise aesthetic and nuisance issues such as impairment of scenic visibility; unpleasant smoke or odors; and can also cause human health problems, especially for more sensitive populations like children, asthma sufferers, and the elderly.
If the NAAQS are revised to be more stringent - or air pollutant levels increase - so that we exceed the NAAQS, additional and costly environmental regulations will apply to our region.
Note on Methodology
The annual NAAQS is based on the 3-year average of the annual weighted mean concentration. The PM 2.5 annual standard was set at 15 µg/m3 in 1997 and lowered to 12 µg/m3 in 2012. Through 2016, monitoring occurred at Cherry St. in Burlington. Starting in 2017, monitored values are from the South Winoonski-Main St. location in Burlington.
Partners
Clear Impact Suite is an easy-to-use, web-based software platform that helps your staff collaborate with external stakeholders and community partners by utilizing the combination of data collection, performance reporting, and program planning.