Overview
Bethel Smith Farm Road is an operational air monitoring station in West Bethel, Maine, reporting to the Maine DEP Bureau of Air Quality Control. It provides ambient air quality data for the Oxford County region.
Bethel Smith Farm Road is an air monitoring station located on Smith Farm Road in West Bethel, Maine, United States. Operated under the oversight of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Air Quality Control, this station contributes to the state's ambient air quality surveillance network. As part of the US EPA's Air Quality System (AQS), it supports compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for criteria pollutants. The station's last reported sample date is October 22, 2025, indicating ongoing data collection. While specific parameters measured are not detailed, typical monitoring at such stations includes ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead. The station's location in a rural area of Oxford County provides background air quality data away from major urban emission sources. Environmental monitoring in Maine is critical for assessing regional air quality trends, especially given the state's forested landscape and seasonal influences from wildfires and wood-burning. Data from Bethel Smith Farm Road helps inform public health advisories and regulatory decisions, supporting the broader goals of the Clean Air Act and state air quality management programs.
Environmental context
The station is situated in a rural setting in western Maine, near the New Hampshire border. This location is representative of regional background air quality, influenced by long-range transport of pollutants, local biomass burning, and seasonal meteorological patterns. Monitoring at this site helps characterize ozone and particulate matter levels in a region with low population density but potential impacts from forest fires and residential wood combustion.
Frequently asked questions
The Bethel Smith Farm Road air monitoring station is located on Smith Farm Road in West Bethel, Oxford County, Maine, United States.
The station is operated under the Maine Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Air Quality Control, based in Augusta.
Typical air monitoring stations in Maine measure criteria pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead, in accordance with EPA requirements.
The station is part of the US EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) network, which supports compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and provides data for public health and environmental assessments.
Rural monitoring stations like Bethel Smith Farm Road provide background air quality data essential for understanding regional pollution transport, assessing impacts from wildfires and wood-burning, and informing state and federal air quality management strategies.
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