The Air Quality Division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has begun operating a mobile ambient monitoring station in the city of Rawlins. This station is one of DEQ’s three mobile monitoring units that can be deployed to help characterize air quality in diverse locations. The Rawlins unit is equipped with advanced instrumentation to monitor a wide range of air pollutants, including:
- gaseous monitors for nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, and methane/non-methane hydrocarbons;
- continuous monitoring of particulate matter;
- a camera system for visual documentation; and
- meteorological instruments to track weather conditions.
The Rawlins ambient air monitoring station is located near a recreation center downwind of oil and gas operations, and will remain in operation for approximately one year. Monitoring data and a display of real-time pollutant concentrations can be found here. [Elkins]
