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The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (“LDEQ”) issued a November 13th news release announcing the acquisition of two new Mobile Air Monitoring Laboratories (“Mobile Labs”).
The state agency currently has one Mobile Lab.
Various methods and techniques are used to determine the quantity of a given pollutant in the ambient air. Many gases and vapors cannot be detected by odor or sight. Therefore, determining the quantity of a given pollutant in the ambient air is often accomplished by:
- Sampling air;
- Chemical analysis of sampled air; or
- Quality assurance to ensure the precision of accuracy of measurement.
Mobile Labs are sometimes used as a more flexible means to monitor air quality in areas that do not have fixed air monitoring stations. They may be used to provide neighborhood-specific air quality monitoring in larger communities of rural areas.
LDEQ Secretary Dr. Chuck Carr Brown is quoted in the news release as stating:
These new MAMLs will greatly enhance LDEQ’s ability to respond to air quality issues across Louisiana and will allow us to sample and analyze air quality data on-site and in real-time. . .
Funding for the acquisition of the two Mobile Labs was obtained through civil penalty settlements. The cost of the vehicles was a total of $2.9 million.
The Mobile Labs are described as being mounted on a 35-foot truck chassis. They have a custom body to house equipment, supplies and work gear with benches. An awning and exterior lighting are stated to be present to facilitate night work. They will also have the capability of collecting meteorological data.
A copy of the news release can be downloaded here.
