Overview
Baltimore County Near Road is an operational air monitoring station in Lochearn, Maryland, part of the US EPA NEAR ROAD network. It is managed by the Maryland Department of the Environment and provides data on roadside air quality.
Baltimore County Near Road is an air monitoring station located at 4380 Old Court Rd in Lochearn, Maryland, United States. It is part of the US EPA's NEAR ROAD monitoring network, which focuses on measuring air quality near major roadways to assess traffic-related pollution. The station is operated by the Maryland Department of the Environment and is currently operational. The station operates under the regulatory framework of the US EPA's Air Quality System (AQS), which sets standards for criteria pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. As a near-road site, it is specifically designed to capture pollutant concentrations in microenvironments influenced by vehicle emissions, providing data that supports compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This monitoring station plays a key role in understanding local air quality impacts from transportation in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Its data helps inform public health advisories and transportation planning. The station's location along Old Court Road ensures representative sampling of roadside conditions, contributing to the broader national network of air quality monitoring.
Environmental context
The Baltimore County Near Road station is situated in a suburban area near major transportation corridors, making it critical for assessing traffic-related air pollution. It monitors criteria pollutants and may include speciation or meteorological parameters. The site's representativeness is ensured by its placement along a busy road, capturing real-world exposure levels. Reporting continuity is maintained through the Maryland Department of the Environment, which submits data to the EPA AQS network.
Frequently asked questions
The station is located at 4380 Old Court Rd in Lochearn, Maryland, United States.
It monitors air quality near a major roadway, focusing on criteria pollutants like ozone, particulate matter, and nitrogen dioxide as part of the EPA NEAR ROAD network.
The station is operated by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
The station operates under the US EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) and complies with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set by the Clean Air Act.
Near-road monitoring captures traffic-related pollution exposure, which is critical for public health assessments and transportation planning, especially in urban areas like Baltimore.
Other Air Monitoring Station plants in United States · 6 nearby