The Environmental Protection Agency will soon be adding air-pollution monitors at 62 schools in 22 states where the outdoor air will be tested for toxic air contaminants. The agency will work with state and local officials to begin the monitoring at the selected schools within three months.
While the EPA and state and local governments already operate air-pollution-monitoring networks that collect information on a variety of air pollutants, this will be the first time school-yard air quality will be the focus of their investigations.
The agency will spend $2.25 million purchasing the monitors and paying for the laboratory analysis. The schools were chosen because of their proximity to sources of pollution. Schools to be tested can be found on the agency’s Web site.