Overview
Leech Lake Nation: Chatfield is an operational air monitoring station in Cass County, Minnesota, operated under the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. It contributes to ambient air quality surveillance in the region.
Leech Lake Nation: Chatfield is an air monitoring station located in Cass County, Minnesota, within the Leech Lake Nation area. The station is part of the broader air quality monitoring network managed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Division of Air Quality, and is operational for tracking ambient air pollutants. The station operates under the regulatory framework of the U.S. EPA's Air Quality System (AQS), which sets standards for criteria pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Monitoring stations like this one are sited to represent local air quality conditions, often in rural or tribal areas to complement urban monitoring networks. As part of the Minnesota network, this station supports environmental health assessments and compliance with the Clean Air Act. Its location in a tribal nation highlights the importance of monitoring air quality in underserved communities, providing data for public health protection and regulatory decision-making.
Environmental context
The station is situated in a rural area of Cass County, Minnesota, within the Leech Lake Nation. The region features mixed forest and lakes, with air quality influenced by local biomass burning, residential heating, and long-range transport of pollutants. Monitoring here helps assess background air quality and potential impacts from regional sources, supporting the EPA's goal of representative siting across diverse environments.
Frequently asked questions
The station is located in Cass County, Minnesota, within the Leech Lake Nation area, at coordinates 47.159942 N, -94.150987 W.
The station is operated under the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Division of Air Quality, as part of the state's ambient air monitoring network.
Air monitoring in the U.S. is governed by the Clean Air Act and implemented through the EPA's Air Quality System (AQS), which sets National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for criteria pollutants and requires state and local agencies to operate monitoring networks.
Air monitoring in tribal areas helps assess exposure to pollutants from local and regional sources, supports environmental justice, and provides data for public health interventions and regulatory compliance under the Clean Air Act.
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