Air Quality

Air Quality Monitoring
Amazon Distribution Center – State Fairgrounds
New DDOT Bus Transit Facility – State Fairground
GDRRA Facility Demo & Incinerator Stack Implosion
 

Air Quality Monitoring

The increase in public concern around air quality and a lack of data, a goal of establishing a comprehensive air quality monitoring network was set.  Detroit City Council budgeted $800,000 for air quality monitoring.  Additionally, the City of Detroit was awarded an ARP federal grant for enhanced air quality monitoring through the EPA.  Detroit was awarded $481,935 for the purchase air monitoring equipment, outreach and education.  The city purchased Federal Equivalent Method (FEM) Particulate Matter (PM) 10 and 2.5 monitors with near real time reporting. These monitors will be placed around the city. The raw data from the analyzers will then be posted on a public web page.  Additionally, the city will purchase equipment for the collection and analysis of airborne particulate metals and Volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Amazon Distribution Center – State Fairgrounds 

Task 1 – Baseline Air Quality Monitoring (AQM) Phase (Performance Period Completed: November 13, 2020 – March 5, 2021)  

 

Goal: Characterize facility pre-development concentration levels of target air pollutants including NOx (as NO2), fugitive dust and fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and VOCs, with respect to prevailing wind directions and speeds (vectors). 

Findings: Data collected during this Baseline monitoring phase are not indicative of a threat to public health or unusual concentrations of the analyzed parameters. 

Task 2 – Construction AQM Phase (Performance Period Completed: April 14, 2021 – October 24, 2021) 

Goal: Collect concentration data from six (6) weekly monitoring events of target air pollutants during construction activities consisting of, but may not be limited to, installation of fencing, striping paved surfaces, concrete work, and steel construction, and assess whether additional mitigation efforts are warranted to reduce pollutant concentrations to below baseline levels. 

Findings: Data collected during each of the above listed 6 weekly monitoring events are not indicative of a threat to public health or unusual concentrations of the analyzed parameters. 

Task 3 – Post-Development Air Dispersion Modeling Evaluation (Performance Period Completed: March 2, 2022) 

 Goal: Conduct an ambient impact analysis utilizing EPA-approved dispersion modeling for particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen oxide (NOx, as NO2) & ozone to predict pollutant impacts surrounding the developed project site during facility post-construction operations.  

Findings: The results of the ambient impact analysis and ozone assessment indicate that the proposed operation of the facility is not anticipated to cause or contribute to a violation of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). 

Task 4 – Post-Construction AQM Phase (Performance Period: May 13, 2023 – Ongoing)  

 Goal: Collect concentration data from four (4) consecutive quarterly events of target air pollutants during regular operation of the facility to assess whether additional mitigation efforts are warranted to reduce pollutant concentrations to below baseline levels. 

Findings: Data collected during the 1st, 2nd & 3rd quarterly monitoring event are not indicative of a threat to public health or unusual concentrations of the analyzed parameters. 

 

New DDOT Bus Transit Facility – State Fairgrounds 

Task 1 – Baseline Air Quality Monitoring (AQM) Phase (Performance Period: July 8, 2022 – July 22, 2022) 

  •  

Goal: Characterize facility pre-development concentration levels of target air pollutants including NOx (as NO2), fugitive dust and fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and VOCs, with respect to prevailing wind directions and speeds (vectors). 

Findings: Data collected during this Baseline monitoring phase are not indicative of a threat to public health or unusual concentrations of the analyzed parameters. 

Task 2 – Construction AQM Phase (Performance Period: July 15, 2023 – Ongoing) 

Goal: Collect concentration data from at least three (3) weekly monitoring events of target air pollutants during construction activities consisting of, but may not be limited to, installation of fencing, striping paved surfaces, concrete work, and steel construction, and assess whether additional mitigation efforts are warranted to reduce pollutant concentrations to below baseline levels. 

Findings: Data collected during each of the 1st, 2nd & 3rd construction air quality monitoring events are not indicative of a threat to public health or unusual concentrations of the analyzed parameters. 

Task 3 – Post-Development Air Dispersion Modeling Evaluation

 Goal: Conduct an ambient impact analysis utilizing EPA-approved dispersion modeling for particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen oxide (NOx, as NO2) & ozone to predict pollutant impacts surrounding the developed project site during facility post-construction operations.  

  • Ambient AQM – 1st Post-Construction Phase Monitoring Event (to be completed)
  • Ambient AQM – 2nd Post-Construction Phase Monitoring Event (to be completed)
  • Ambient AQM – 3rd Post-Construction Phase Monitoring Event (to be completed)
  • Ambient AQM – 4th Post-Construction Phase Monitoring Event (to be completed) 

Findings: To be reported following completion of air dispersion modeling(to be completed). 

 

GDRRA Facility Demo & Incinerator Stack Implosion 

Task 1 – Baseline Air Quality Monitoring (AQM) Phase (Performance Period Completed: August 2022) 

Goal: The city retained a qualified consultant to characterize facility pre-demolition/ construction concentration levels of target air pollutants including nuisance fugitive dust, asbestos/other fiber, lead and fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), with respect to prevailing wind directions and speeds (vectors).  

Findings: Data collected during this Baseline monitoring phase are not indicative of a threat to public health or unusual concentrations of the analyzed parameters. 

Task 2 – GDRRA Active-Demolition & Post-Demolition and Stack Implosion AQM Events (Performance Period Completed: August 23, 2022 - June 11, 2023) 

Goal: Collect concentration data from monitoring events of target air pollutants during facility demolition/ construction/ site restoration activities and incinerator stack implosion to assess whether additional mitigation efforts are warranted to reduce pollutant concentrations to below baseline & National Ambient Air Quality standards (NAAQS). Note, stack implosion was initiated and successfully completed on Sunday June 11, 2023. 

Findings: Data collected during the facility demolition/ construction/ site restoration phase and stack implosion phase air quality monitoring events are not indicative of a threat to public health or unusual concentrations of the analyzed parameters.