Latest Annual Monitoring Network Plan for North Carolina Air Quality
The North Carolina Division of Air Quality, DAQ, operates a network of air quality monitors across the state. The network:
- Includes 73 monitors at multiple sites
- Measures the concentration of regulated pollutants in the ambient or outdoor air (including ozone, lead, fine particles, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide)
- Compares concentrations to the national ambient air quality standards, NAAQS, as set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Reports any violations and takes regulatory action to return the ambient air quality to acceptable levels.
Every year the monitoring network is re-evaluated and adjusted to ensure it is providing adequate coverage. In most years these adjustments include starting new monitors, shutting down others, or simply relocating established monitors.
Significant changes
The proposed annual network plan is subject to a 30-day public review period prior to being submitted to EPA for approval. A summary of significant network changes is below:
The North Carolina Network currently consists of forty-eight (48) Monitoring Sites. Thirty-seven (36) are operated by DAQ; five (6) are operated by Mecklenburg County Air Quality, MCAQ; three (3) are operated by Asheville Buncombe Air Quality Agency and three (3) are operated by Forsyth County.
The Ozone, O3, Network
- A Leland Ozone site is being established at the Northwest District Park in Leland to meet the requirements 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix D.
- Ozone monitoring is being established at the AB Tech site in Asheville to meet the requirements 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix D.
Particulate Matter, PM2.5 & PM10, Network
- The Durham Armory site changed the monitoring from the BAM 1020 to the T640X.
- The Castle Hayne site changed the monitoring from the BAM 1020 to the T640X.
- The BAM 1022 replaced the BAM 1020 at the Lexington Water Tower site.
- The rotating background network for PM10 has been discontinued.
Sulfur Dioxide, SO2, Network
- The Bethany site shut down at the end of 2025.
- Jamesville, Honeycutt, and Lenoir became continuous monitoring sites instead of rotating sites.
Nitrogen Dioxide, NO2, Network
- No significant changes are proposed.
Carbon Monoxide, CO, Network
- No significant changes are proposed.
Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Station, PAMS, Network
- No significant changes are proposed.