Two New Air Monitors, Help Evaluate Impact Of Quarry Operations In Bexar, Comal Counties
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has expanded its network of air monitoring stations by introducing two new monitoring stations in Central Texas. One location is in Comal County and the other in Bexar County. Both monitors are now operational.
The stations take measurements of particulate matter in the air, commonly notated as PM2.5 and PM10. Particulate matter is a mix of small particles and liquid droplets and can be created by both natural and manmade causes, including incomplete combustion, smoke from fires, and dust or dirt from unpaved roads or construction activities.
Quarries and their associated aggregate operations are also common sources of particulate matter. TCEQ deployed these monitors in response to citizen concerns regarding local air quality in areas of heavy quarry activity near residential areas.
Both monitoring stations are positioned in residential areas about one mile downwind of existing quarry operations. The New Braunfels station in Comal County is on Oak Run Parkway, and the San Antonio station in Bexar County is near Bulverde Road, north of FM 1604.
Texans can access the monitoring data here and can stay aware of the state’s air quality index by visiting TCEQ’s Air Quality Forecast webpage. The forecast is also tweeted daily to the agency’s Twitter feed.
It’s about time, live in Greentree apts, owner will not put screens to air out. Some days the dust is so thick, a kind of white that vehicle is covered in one night and can not see out windows. Is all over the porches, and lawn furniture. Have to clean windows units filters every other week, and there is no windows open due to know screen. Have to dust every other day, all furniture. This is not to mention the truckers, running stop signs, blocking intersection and parking overnight wherever they want. Something needs to be done about these plants.