Air Quality

Hills catch evening sunlight at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Kansas

NPS

Air quality affects scenic and natural resources in national parks, including lakes, streams, plants, and wildlife. Protecting air quality in the National Park System is a complex task that includes active research and long-term monitoring.
The NPS Air Resources Division works with a number of partners to sample air quality in parks, including the Environmental Protection Agency, National Atmospheric Deposition Program, and the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Environments. Find out more about air quality in parks.

What we Monitor

Ozone

  • Measure trends in ozone concentrations.

  • Determine compliance with national ambient air quality standards.

  • Provide data for the national and regional ozone policies that are help protect park resources.

  • Provide data for atmospheric model development and evaluation

Visibility and Particulate Matter

  • Measure current visibility and aerosol conditions.

  • Document long-term visibility trends.

Wet and Dry Deposition

  • Monitor trends in the dry deposition of sulfur and inorganic nitrogen in and near network parks.

Last updated: December 22, 2022

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