Painted Canyon Air Monitoring Station | Billings County, North Dakota

Painted Canyon is an air monitoring station located at 13881 I94 East in Billings County, North Dakota, United States. It is part of the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET), which monitors ambient air quality to evaluate the effectiveness of emission reduction policies. The station is operational and contributes to national air quality assessments. As a CASTNET site, Painted Canyon measures criteria pollutants and atmospheric parameters using standardized methods. The network is designed to provide representative data for regional air quality trends, with sampling conducted by Mactec, Inc. The station's last sample date was December 24, 2024, indicating ongoing data collection. CASTNET operates under the U.S. EPA's regulatory framework, supporting compliance with the Clean Air Act. The station's location in rural North Dakota provides background air quality data away from major urban sources. This data helps scientists understand long-range transport of pollutants and natural background levels. Painted Canyon's contributions are vital for tracking progress toward national air quality standards and informing policy decisions.

Painted Canyon's location in the Great Plains offers a representative site for monitoring regional air quality influenced by agriculture, energy extraction, and natural sources. As part of CASTNET, it measures key pollutants like ozone, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter, providing data on deposition and atmospheric chemistry. The station's rural siting helps distinguish local emissions from transported pollution, supporting the EPA's goal of protecting public health and ecosystems.