AMBIENT AIR MONITORING
Ambient Air
Monitoring Site
Pollutant
Type of Sampling
Nichols
Particulate Matter
Population Exposure
Sikes Elementary
Ozone
Highest Concentration
Baptist Children’s
Home
Ozone and
Particulate Matter
Population Exposure and Highest Concentration
San Antonio
Ozone
Population Exposure
Holiday
Ozone
Population Exposure and Highest Concentration
The primary purpose of Ambient Air Monitoring is to ensure compliance with the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards, as required by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, for the
principal pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment. The Southwest
District (SWD) Ambient Air Monitoring Section maintains, operates, and collects real-time
pollutants from the above air monitoring sites in the Metropolitan Statistical Areas of Lakeland, FL
(1, 2 and 3) and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (4 and 5).
The Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 58) guides the placement of ambient air monitoring sites.
Ambient air monitoring locations are proposed by the State which best meet those requirements and
then their location must be approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The 40
CFR 58 states that within each Metropolitan Statistical Area, a minimum number of ambient air
monitors must be installed to record the maximum concentration for that particular metropolitan
area. The data collected defines the nature and severity of air pollution and identifies air quality
trends.
The SWD Ambient Air Monitoring Section performs calibration and quality assurance activities to
ensure the accuracy of ambient air monitoring equipment, data, and collection of air samples for
laboratory analysis. The section is responsible for monitoring particulate matter less than 10 microns
in diameter (PM10), particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5), and ozone (O3). In
addition, wind direction and speed are monitored and recorded at the continuous sites.
Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, and Manatee Counties also maintain and operate separate
monitoring stations. Ambient air monitoring data collected by District and Counties are validated
and reported to the Division of Air Resource Management (DARM) in Tallahassee and to EPA .
DARM performs regular quality assurance system audits of the air monitoring network in the State.
To learn more about Florida’s Air Quality System, check out our website at About Florida's Air
Quality System (FLAQS).
The EPA provides a website, Air Now, for citizens to check the current and forecasted Air Quality
Index in the area where they live.