Long Creek Air Monitoring Station | Oconee County, South Carolina

Long Creek is an air monitoring station located near Long Creek in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The station is part of the state's ambient air quality monitoring network, operated by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services. It contributes to the national air quality surveillance system under the U.S. EPA's Air Quality System (AQS). The station collects air quality data to support compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) established under the Clean Air Act. Typical parameters measured at such stations include criteria pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead. The data helps assess regional air quality trends and inform public health advisories. Located in a rural area of the Blue Ridge foothills, Long Creek provides background air quality measurements representative of the broader Appalachian region. This data is valuable for understanding long-range transport of pollutants and for evaluating the effectiveness of emission reduction programs. The station's operation supports environmental monitoring efforts in South Carolina and contributes to the national database used for regulatory decisions.

The Long Creek station is situated in a rural, forested area of Oconee County, near the Chattooga River watershed. This location is representative of background air quality in the southern Appalachian region, away from major urban and industrial sources. Monitoring at such sites helps distinguish regional pollution from local emissions, supporting the EPA's network design for assessing compliance with NAAQS and evaluating the impact of regional haze regulations.