The Northern Kentucky Sierra Club is working with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency Region Four on an air quality study focused on River Metals Recycling.
The PurpleAir sensors will measure particulate matter, which is fine inhalable particulates in the air, such as organic chemicals, heavy metals, dust, etc. The sensors will be placed at 12 locations near River Metals Recycling, known locally as RMR, in Newport. The Sierra Club initially spoke on the plans in October but provided an update Tuesday at the Clifton Neighborhood Association about the progress of placing the sensors.
NKY Sierra Club member Andrea Ankrum gave the update and said they are taking the sensors to the federal reference center at Northern Kentucky University on Dec. 13 to sync them together. They must remain there for two weeks to ensure they are operating correctly, and then they will be put out into the field.
Region four is having them write up a quality assurance project plan so they can use the data collected from the air quality sensors to influence Kentucky to take action. The results will be shared with the Kentucky Energy and Environmental Cabinet Division for Air Quality to determine RMR’s compliance with The Clean Air Act and air quality permits.
“To try to get change at the government level, you have to set up a study a certain way and have the EPA sign off on it,” Ankrum said.
The study will be conducted over one year to cover the different seasons. Ankrum said they will give quarterly reports to the EPA and the state of Kentucky to show them the data.
Nick Barnette, Regional Community Planner in the Air and Radiation Division in Region 4 of the EPA, was at Tuesday’s meeting. Barnette is working with the Sierra Club on the air quality testing.
“I’ve worked with a lot of communities like everyone here that has been exposed to toxic air; not saying that this is the case, but I meet with a lot of communities based on this issue,” Barnette said. “So, I’m here tonight to support the Sierra Club with the air quality project.”
Once the air quality sensors are up and running, Ankrum said they plan to continue water testing. The Clifton Neighborhood Association members have spearheaded efforts to improve the daily operation practices at RMR. Most recently, they have worked with a Northern Kentucky University class to conduct soil testing and have noise components underway.
