Ozone Along the Front Range
Since September 2022, the Front Range of Colorado has been classified as “severe” nonattainment by the EPA. The region’s background ozone level is approximately 40-50 ppb, but often exceeds federal health standards throughout warm summer months. Our location in Fort Collins provides a unique opportunity to engage in air quality monitoring efforts and outreach in our own backyard.
Ozone Monitoring in Fort Collins, CO
ARS operates two ozone monitoring sites in Fort Collins: a regulatory ozone monitoring site at our very own headquarters, and an EPA Village Green-Style Ozone Bench at the beautiful Gardens at Spring Creek for the City of Fort Collins.
Raw Real-Time Ozone Data from ARS Headquarters
ARS hosts a regulatory ambient ozone monitoring site at our headquarters on the east side of Fort Collins. Raw real-time ozone data from the site is plotted below and available for download upon request. A Thermo 49c FEM is used to monitor ambient ozone concentrations, along with a suite of meteorological instruments measuring ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction.
Ten-Minute Raw Ozone Concentrations
Ozone Bench at the Gardens at Spring Creek
The Village Green Project was initiated by the EPA to illustrate the usefulness of new monitoring technology in communicating air quality data to local citizens and community groups. This program utilizes park benches equipped with monitoring instrumentation and data displays to promote awareness around air pollution within communities.
ARS built, installed, and maintains a Village Green-style bench for the City of Fort Collins utilizing locally sourced beetle-kill pine. The bench houses an ozone analyzer, ambient temperature and relative humidity monitors, a wind speed/direction monitor, and a rainfall gauge – all of which are completely solar powered. A display screen indicates current ozone concentrations and all data are regularly uploaded to AirNow. The bench is situated alongside ozone sensitive plants and informational signage describing ozone generation and sources, how bio-indicators can be used to signal changes in ozone concentration, and how the bench operates.
Since installing the Fort Collins ozone bench, ARS has built and integrated one for the National Park Service, located at the Grand Canyon. These benches offer a unique and effective way of engaging communities in local air quality awareness.
Community Air Toxics Monitoring on Colorado’s Front Range
When Colorado implemented a new community monitoring program to aid in the regulation of air toxics, ARS assisted by providing benzene, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide and meteorological monitoring in disproportionately affected communities. We designed, constructed, and installed four tripod-based monitoring stations in the Commerce City and Pueblo communities.
Our team used topographic factors, proximity to VOC emission sources, and CDPHE’s EnviroScreen tool to locate sensors within disproportionately impacted communities. Solar-powered sampling stations were designed for mobility and installation at any location, regardless of existing infrastructure. ARS staff managed sample changes, equipment calibrations, and data collection, validation and reporting.
The overall goal of this project was to supplement CDPHE’s Colorado Air Toxics (CAT) mobile laboratory measurements to expand the Air Toxic Acts Community Monitoring Program. ARS is proud to work toward this goal by offering streamlined solutions for air toxic monitoring projects – from siting and project design, instrumentation integration and installation, facilitating connections with partner laboratories, and providing the highest quality data to our clients.
