AKWESASNE — The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Air Quality Program has relocated its ambient air monitoring station from Library Road near the Early Learning Center to Drum Street Road near the transfer station.

The station helps the tribe monitor air quality in Akwesasne and track potential environmental impacts.

The station monitors five of the six criteria air pollutants identified under the federal Clean Air Act: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Lead is not currently monitored, but the program hopes to add lead monitoring in the coming years.

The station also records weather conditions, including wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity and barometric pressure.

The data helps calculate the Air Quality Index, which communicates current air quality conditions and potential health risks. It also helps identify long-term air quality trends, track the effects of wildfires and industrial emissions, and support environmental research, planning and regulatory decisions.

The information also supports the program’s Air Quality Index Flag Program at the Akwesasne Library and Cultural Center, where flags provide a visible indication of current air quality conditions.

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe has collected ambient air quality data in Akwesasne for more than 20 years. Maintaining this long-term record supports environmental stewardship and Tribal sovereignty while helping the community understand changes in air quality.

Data collected through the program is reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is publicly available through the agency’s Air Quality System. The information contributes to a nationwide network of air monitoring conducted by Tribal, state and federal programs.

For current air quality conditions and the Air Quality Index, visit AirNow.gov.