EPA Research Partner Support Story: Loaning Air Quality Monitoring Technology
Partner: US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)’s Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality/Division of Environmental Quality
Challenge: Lack of air quality monitoring technology
Resource: Wildfire Smoke Air Monitoring Response Technology (WSMART)
Project Period: 2024 ‒ Present
The Northern Mariana Islands are a commonwealth of the United States consisting of 14 islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. According to the CNMI environmental agency, they lack any form of air pollution monitoring capabilities. The organization reached out to EPA ORD asking for technical assistance for screening-level monitoring technologies so they could better understand the impact of episodic smoke and other air pollution occurrences hitting the islands. They identified the ability to measure fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution as a priority.
"Due to the CNMI’s remote location, air monitoring resources are not readily available to assess air quality across the islands. The VAMMS and compact PM sensors provide essential tools to support localized air quality monitoring efforts, especially during wildfire events or other emergency air pollution scenarios. These technologies enhance DEQ's ability to gather real-time data, inform public health decisions, and strengthen air quality response capacity throughout the Commonwealth." – CNMI Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, Clean Air Program Manager Justin Pangelinan
The request was a perfect fit for ORD’s Wildfire Smoke Air Monitoring Response Technology (WSMART) loan program. The program makes air monitoring equipment available to state, local, and Tribal air organizations, primarily for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), total volatile organic compounds (tVOCs), and black carbon. EPA researchers have also trained to deploy as Air Resource Advisors as part of the U.S. Forest Service-led Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program (IWFAQRP).
CNMI made a loan request to EPA in late 2024. In response, the ORD WSMART team held a meeting with the CNMI requestors and their partners from EPA Region 9 (Pacific Southwest) to ascertain the specific technical needs and goals of the environmental agency. The WSMART team subsequently loaned three small PM2.5 sensors for longer-term smoke impact measurements and their custom-developed Vehicle Add-on Mobile Monitoring System (VAMMS). After CNMI received the sensors, the WSMART team provided remote training and technical support to ensure the environmental agency could successfully set-up and operate the monitoring technologies. As of March 2025, CNMI is using one compact sensor to measure particulate matter. They are also using the VAMMS to scout for two other locations for routine monitoring with the other sensors.
This WSMART technology loan and remote technical support from EPA air monitoring experts efficiently met the needs of a remote environmental agency that lacked the resources for their own air monitoring. The VAMMS testing opportunity increased the knowledge and comfort level of CNMI in conducting mobile monitoring, supporting their ease of use if there are future emergency-based loan requests. The compact PM2.5 sensors will provide ongoing informational data regarding smoke episodes for the environmental agency and community members, supporting future decisions about pollution exposure and informing future air monitoring plans by the environmental agency.