State and local air quality officials presented the latest techniques and equipment for monitoring the city's air quality to members of Mothers for Clean Air, and the Galveston Houston Association for Smog Prevention (GHASP) at a meeting in June.The officials included James Rhubottom, Jr., Chemist for the City of Houston Health and Human Services Department, Rebecca Rentz and Donna Phillips of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and Paul Newman from Harris County's Public Health and Environmental Services.

Houston's air is fast becoming some of the most monitored in the country. A network of air monitoring systems is spread throughout the city, operated by city, state, and private entities to detect and measure pollutants and toxics affecting the quality of the air. The monitoring is done primarily at stationary sites in various locations in Houston and Harris County, but also includes mobile units which can be placed near chemical and refining plants.

The City Department of Health and Human Services air monitoring operations are conducted by its Bureau of Air Quality Control. The Continuous Air Monitoring Section (CAM) has nine stationary monitoring sites which measure levels of carbon monoxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter, and lead in the air. The Bureau is responsible for informing citizens of pollution levels, and this is done by use of the Air Quality Index to report how clean or polluted the air is. The higher the AQI number the more unhealthy the air is. According to Mr. Rhubottom the city has just acquired a state of the art mobile laboratory to detect and

analyze vapors and emissions near specific facilities. He says the mobile unit will be able to give more immediate and accurate readings of various air toxics in neighborhoods, and at plant fence lines. But first, he explains, it will have to undergo six months of testing and fine tuning before it begins full operation.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality(TCEQ) operates the Regional Ambient Air Monitoring Network which includes state, city and county monitors. The City in fact has a contract with the TCEQ, who acts as an overseer of the network. The TCEQ shares monitoring sites not only with the City but also with the county and private entities as well. This regional network is virtually a seamless operation that encompasses 72 fixed site monitors in Houston and the surrounding areas. The state monitors measure ozone, particulates, lead and some air toxics. In East Houston five monitors were set up in a five square mile area to detect butadiene emissions. In East Harris County a monitor was added to Jacintoport to determine if benzene was impacting a downwind community. The TCEQ conducts mobile monitoring as well as flyover reconnaissance. Infrared cameras are used to detect emissions at plants and refineries. According to Donna Phillips, TCEQ Houston Region Director, Texas is the first state to use infrared cameras for monitoring emissions. Although the cameras provide a good image of leaks and emissions, they cannot determine the nature of the substance, so follow up with the plant is needed.

Harris County also participates in air monitoring, and according to Paul Newman, administrator of the county's Environmental Services, it has 12 ozone monitoring sites.They are located outside of Houston in surrounding communities such as Katy, La Porte, and Atascocita.

GHASP is an advocacy group for clean air and is actively participating in air monitoring by using portable units to supplement and verify the network data. The group's mission is to support efforts to educate the public and engage government officials, community leaders, the media and industry on regional air pollution issues. For information on the group and air pollution issues visit their website at www.ghasp.org.

One good thing about all the monitoring is that the citizens have the information available to them online and in news reports. The media now include information on the Air Quality Index on a daily basis. TCEQ has an online message system that allows notification to citizens by email of daily ozone levels. To view daily information on air quality visit the TCEQ web site at www.TCEQ.state.tx.us, or the City's site at airnow.gov.

Mothers for Clean Air and the Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention host monthly informational meetings called Air Exchange. These casual meetings begin with a social time and refreshments at 7:00 p.m. followed by an informal guest presentation at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at St. Andrew*s Presbyterian Church, 5308 Buffalo Speedway at Bissonnet.

The next Air Exchange is Thursday, July 19, at 7:00 pm. Rosalia Guerrero, Community Outreach Coordinator for Mothers for Clean Air, will be showing and speaking about the student-produced film, Wish You Were Here; Stories from the East End. Last summer, Ms. Guerrero worked with TEJAS and students from East Houston to film this documentary about their community. It contains their views about their neighborhood, which is situated close to industry, and the opinions of the experts whom they interviewed.