Sumatra Air Monitoring Station, Apalachicola National Forest, Florida

Sumatra is an air monitoring station located in the Apalachicola National Forest near Bristol, Florida, United States. It is part of the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET), a national network designed to assess the effectiveness of emission reduction programs under the Clean Air Act. The station monitors criteria pollutants and atmospheric deposition, contributing to long-term trend analysis. The station is operated by Mactec, Inc on behalf of the reporting agency, with the most recent sample collected on December 24, 2024. CASTNET stations typically measure ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and meteorological parameters. The station's siting in a forested area provides representative background air quality data for the southeastern United States. As part of the CASTNET network, Sumatra supports regulatory compliance with the US EPA's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and contributes to the broader Air Quality System (AQS). The data collected helps inform policy decisions on air pollution control and ecosystem protection, particularly in the context of the Apalachicola National Forest's sensitive ecosystems.

The station is situated in the Apalachicola National Forest, a large protected area in Florida's Panhandle. This location provides background air quality measurements away from major urban and industrial sources, making it valuable for assessing regional air pollution transport and deposition. The forest's ecosystems, including wetlands and longleaf pine habitats, are sensitive to nitrogen and sulfur deposition, which can affect nutrient cycling and biodiversity. Monitoring at this site helps track the effectiveness of emission reduction policies under the Clean Air Act.