The LVAMN currently consists of the 5 air monitoring sites at the following locations:
- Darnum North (Rural site): this
site operates for six months only, October through March
- Rosedale South (Rural site)
- Jeeralang Hill (Rural site)
- Moe (Urban site - NEPM performance site)
- Traralgon (Urban site - NEPM performance site)
Note: an Acoustic SODAR is also operated at PowerWorks, Morwell
The Rural sites are owned by PowerWorks and the Urban sites are owned by the Environmental Protection Authority of Victoria, (EPAV).
All sites are currently operated and maintained by Connell Wagner under contract.
A mix of various pollutants are monitored at each site together with meteorological data:
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2);
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2);
Ozone (O3);
Particulate concentration using Tapered Element Oscillating Mass Balance, (TEOM) technology, High volume sampling and Nephelometry, (local visual distance – LVD);
Wind Speed;
Wind Direction;
Wet & Dry Bulb Temperature;
Solar radiation (Global & UVA).
Data from all sites are logged continuously and polled on a daily basis by a central computer system. All data are validated before final reporting and storage by the EPAV’s long term storage facility.
National Environmental Protection Measure (NEPM)
Is Federal legislation which sets nationally agreed goals and standards for protection of nominated parts of the environment. Most environmental legislation is set by state or territory governments. However, for some parts of the environment, agreement on standards has been reached between the state and territory governments, and is reflected in a NEPM.
|
Pollutant
|
Averaging Period
|
Environmental Quality Objectives1
|
Goal -Maximum Allowable Exceedences
|
|
Carbon monoxide
|
8 hours2
|
9.0 ppm
|
1 day a year
|
|
Nitrogen dioxide
|
1 hour
1 year
|
0.12 ppm
0.03 ppm
|
1 day a year
None
|
|
Photochemical oxidant (as ozone)
|
1 hour
4 hours 2
|
0.10 ppm
0.08 ppm
|
1 day a year
1 day a year
|
|
Sulphur dioxide
|
1 hour
1 day
1 year
|
0.20 ppm
0.08 ppm
0.02 ppm
|
1 day a year
1 day a year
None
|
|
Lead
|
1 year
|
0.50 g/m3
|
None
|
|
Particles as PM10
|
1 day
|
50 g/m3
|
5 days a year 3
|
|
Visibility Reducing Particles
|
1 hour
|
20 km 4
|
3 days a year
|
Table 1. State Environment Protection Policy (Ambient Air Quality) - Environmental Quality Objectives and Goals
Notes to table:
1. Objectives are maximum concentrations in each case, except for visibility reducing particles which is a minimum visual distance.
2. Rolling averages based on consecutive 1 hour averages.
3. Five exceedences per year allowed for daily monitoring (equivalent to 1 exceedence per year where measurements are undertaken on a one day in six basis).
4. Minimum visual distance.
Important Note:
The above air quality objectives apply to ambient air throughout Victoria.
The Latrobe Valley is an Air Quality Control region as defined under the SEPP. The urban sites of Moe and Traralgon have been designated performance monitoring sites in accordance with the National Environment Protection Measure to monitor and assess the air quality in populated areas.
Rural air quality is monitored at the sites of Darnum North, Jeeralang Hill and Rosedale South. These sites also serve as surveillance sites and measurements are used for air quality modelling, plume impact and other studies.
LVAMN Air Quality Graphs
Graphs displayed are from 09:00am (previous day) to 09:00am (current day). Please note that all times are in Eastern Standard Time (est).
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