Problems in Air Quality Monitoring System Affect Data Reliability

Highlights

The Clean Air Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a nationwide air quality monitoring network, and each year EPA makes decisions, based on the data received from this network, which have significant impacts on the health and economic well-being of the nation's citizens. Accurate and reliable air quality data are essential in formulating many of these decisions, evaluating their impact, and determining future strategies. EPA has experienced serious difficulties in obtaining these data. GAO undertook this review to identify these problems and offer recommendations for corrective action.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter	Status	Comments
Congress should, in consultation with the EPA Administrator, establish a deadline by which the networks must be operational, after considering factors such as the technological state of the art and the availability of resources.	Closed – Not Implemented	The agency disagrees with the recommendation and has stated that no change will be made.

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Environmental Protection Agency	The EPA Administrator, in consultation with the states, should include as a condition in the EPA grant agreement with the states that all funds designated to meet EPA air monitoring standards be spent to achieve these standards.	Closed – Not Implemented EPA believes that other action taken precludes the need to implement this recommendation.
Environmental Protection Agency	The EPA Administrator should designate the Director, Monitoring and Data Analysis Division, as the air quality database manager.	Closed – Not Implemented EPA believes that other action taken precludes the need to implement this recommendation.

Full Report

(58 pages)

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Topics

Natural Resources and Environment

Air pollutionData integrityEnvironmental legislationEnvironmental monitoringEnvironmental policiesstate relationsPollution monitoringReporting requirementsAir qualityQuality assurance