Sikes Elementary School Air Monitoring Station, Lakeland, Florida | Environmental Monitoring

Sikes Elementary School Air Monitoring Station is an operational air monitoring facility located at 2727 Shepherd Rd in Lakeland, Polk County, Florida, United States. The station is part of the Florida Dept of Environmental Protection's Southwest District network, contributing to the state's ambient air quality monitoring program. The station operates under the regulatory framework of the US EPA Air Quality System (AQS), which sets standards for criteria pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and lead. As a monitoring site in Florida, it supports compliance with the Clean Air Act and National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The station's last reported sample date is September 30, 2025, indicating recent active data collection. Located in a suburban area near an elementary school, the station provides valuable air quality data for the Lakeland community. Its siting is representative of typical neighborhood-scale monitoring, helping to assess local pollution levels and inform public health decisions. The data contributes to regional air quality assessments and supports environmental management in Polk County.

The station monitors ambient air quality in a mixed residential and commercial area of Lakeland, Florida. Typical parameters measured at such sites include ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), and nitrogen dioxide, which are key indicators of urban air pollution. The data helps evaluate compliance with NAAQS and supports local air quality management. Florida's air monitoring network is designed to capture pollution from sources such as transportation, industrial activities, and seasonal wildfires, providing essential information for public health protection.