The PurpleAir Donation Program | April 2025

PurpleAir Donation Program Donation Program Applications
41

  1. What type of organization best describes you?
    I am an environmental scientist continuing my applied research exploring the impact of ultra-fine particulate matter (PM2.5 microns) air pollution from vehicle emissions on chronic disease prevalence in rural communities. Since 2021, I have been investigating these connections in my case study area – a neighborhood in the rural Eastern Shore town of Salisbury, Maryland – that has increased in population density and has been increasingly exposed to higher traffic volume through closer proximity to major adjacent roadways. Due to funding constraints, the primary focus of my research was focused on data analytics because it was what I could affordably study. I am still without formal research funding; however, I know from discussions with members in the local community that real-time air quality monitoring and understanding how that affects their health is an important investigation to continue and expand.

  2. Describe your organization.
    I am an independent, recently graduated environmental science researcher employed by a traditional four-year university. Due to current limitations on research related to climate science and environmental equity, available funding has been reduced and projects with more senior leadership and support are typically prioritized.

  3. Describe your project.
    This research project seeks to install PurpleAir sensors in key locations across the case study area community to capture PM2.5 concentrations. Because of the ultra-fine particle size form of this air pollution, it poses a significant threat to residents across all age groups, contributing to diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and more. Collecting this data and partnering with the community to increase understanding about this exposure would serve to both support community advocacy for better health and strengthen relationships between members of the public and the scientific community.

  4. Which PurpleAir model(s) are you interested in and how many would you want for your project?

For this research, I would like to request 12 units of the PurpleAir Flex or Zen models to monitor multiple residential and commercial locations in the case study area.

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43
  1. What type of organization best describes you?
  2. Describe your organization.
  3. Describe your project.
  4. Which PurpleAir model(s) are you interested in and how many would you want for your project?
    [/quote]
    Stop the Brookfield Compressor Station Expansion Working Group

(SBCSEWG)

Purple Air Monitor Grant

Type of Organization

We are an independent organization of residents of Brookfield, Connecticut that has been studying the health and safety impacts of the existing Trans Canada, (Iroquois), compressor station and the effects of it’s proposed expansion. We have been studying, advocating and informing our town residents and leadership about the harmful effects of both the existing compressor station and the proposed expansion of this station. We generated a Health Impacts Study of the effects of the particulates and VOCs on human well-being. The existing compressor station is a mere 1900 feet from our only Middle School, Whisconier Middle, where approximately 800 children and staff are present during the entire school year. Children in particular, because of their unique physiology, are more vulnerable to air toxins than adults. In addition, we live in Fairfield County, CT which is an “ozone non-attainment zone.” The addition of another compressor will undoubtedly increase the air pollution here in Brookfield. It is important to note that none of the gas serves Brookfield or Connecticut; it is simply en route to New York.

Description of our organization

We are a group of residents of Brookfield, ranging from young adults and families to working and adults some of whom are retired attorneys, scientists and educators. We receive critical support from the Connecticut Chapter of the Sierra Club as well as the Save the Sound and the Conservation Law Foundation. We meet formally twice a month and informally averaging about twice per week, in-person and virtually. Several of our members are also members of Brookfield Energy Advisory Board. This board advises the town on clean and affordable energy options for both town construction and clean energy projects. Our organization is science and data oriented. We anticipate the issuance of a state permit that will allow the addition of two more compressors, which we will continue to object to through administrative and legal processes.

We support other towns both in CT and NY who are also fighting the expansion of fossil fuels by attending their rallies and events. We host Teach-In programs, information tables at town events such as Brookfield Farmer’s Market and Earth Day. We also give public comments at the monthly Board of Selectman meetings. Through information sharing, public comments at town meetings, person to person information sharing, hosting area-wide Teach-Ins, we have successfully brought our town leadership and both of our members in the Connecticut legislature on board in opposing the expansion of the TC Energy (Iroquois) Station.

Description of Project

Our ultimate goal is to stop the Brookfield,Connecticut, Compressor Station Expansion through the dissemination of air quality data throught outreach in our town and adjacent towns, Facebook and website posts, educating and updating town leadership, lobbying our Governor and Director of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection( DEEP). The approval of the air permit will ultimately give TC Energy the go-ahead to double the volume of fracked gas in the Brookfield compressor station. To date, the air monitoring conducted by TC Energy is infrequent and done by their own environmental personnel.

SBCSEWG would implement the Purple Air Monitor data in the following ways:

  1. Obtain permission from local leadership to install the monitors in optimal locations.
  2. Identify and train local personnel in the set up of the Purple Air Monitors, including optimal locations, retrieval of data.
  3. Identify sources of data analysis.
  4. Provide a baseline of contaminants being emitted in the identified areas, factoring in environmental issues, weather, temperature and wind.
  5. Disseminate data and interpretation of data on air quality via public comments at Brookfield Town Hall , information boards, Compressor Station Facebook Page, 1900feet.org, Teach-Ins and person to person sharing.
  6. Notify Iroquois that there will be ongoing data collection and analysis of the air quality in the zone of the compressor station.

Type of Purple Air Monitor Requested: Purple Air Zen

Number of Purple Air Monitors requested: 4

Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this Grant.

Kind Regards,

Stop the Brookfield Compressor Station Expansion Working Group

Joanne Cafiero, Pam Kraus, Daniel Myers, Eric Myers, Kerry Swift, Kathy VanDuzee,

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44
  1. What type of organization best describes you? The Ashland Climate Collaborative is a 501c3 non-profit organization based in Ashland, Oregon.
    2. Describe your organization. We mobilize our community to reduce climate pollution and improve our resilience to climate change impacts, such as increased risk and public health effects of wildfire, smoke events, extreme temperatures, and drought. We have an Ashland Climate Resilience & Equity Initiative to assist low-income, and disadvantaged communities to reduce smoke intrusion by taking advantage of public incentives. Our volunteers also provide free home energy assessments.
  2. Describe your project. Ashland is in a Southwestern interior valley of Oregon, that is in the 99th percentile nationwide for wildfire risk. We are subject to temperature inversions with significant air quality deterioration throughout the year – due to winter heating, spring controlled burns, and summer/fall wildfires and smoke events. Given their frequency, the health impacts from smoke (specifically particulate matter of 2.5 microns and less) pose a significant risks to residents, especially youth, older adults and those with respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. The Oregon Dept of Environmental Quality has a centralized air quality monitor in Ashland and several Purple Air sensors provide data on outdoor air quality, but not on indoor air quality and the various factors affecting it. We propose to partner with the environmental sciences program at Southern Oregon University to distribute monitors to low and moderate-income households. Students would be involved in designing and implementing a controlled study to assess the variables affecting indoor air quality. As part of the study, the Collaborative would provide free home energy and building envelope assessments for participating households and utilize the findings to provide public education and help residents improve indoor air quality. We will report findings in our monthly newsletter (approx. 1000 subscribers), SOU communications, and other local channels, and provide the data to the Jackson County Health Department, the Ashland Climate and Environment Policy Advisory Committee, and the Ashland Chamber of Commerce.
  3. Which PurpleAir model(s) are you interested in and how many would you want for your project? We are requesting 20 PurpleAir Touch - Indoor Air Quality Monitors - Touch - Air Quality Monitor | AQI PM2.5 Indoor Sensor – PurpleAir . Thank you for considering our project!
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45

  1. What type of organization best describes you? Educators and Researchers

  2. Describe your organization. I am a university professor (Universidade Federal do Pará) and ecosystem ecology researcher working in the Brazilian Amazon, especially with a focus on air quality monitoring, science outreach, and community-based environmental education. Since 2021, and with the creation of the Respira Amazônia Coalition (https://respiraamazonia.org.br/), I have been working to expand the air quality monitoring network in the state of Pará, a region that unfortunately stands out for its high rates of deforestation and environmental degradation in the Amazon biome. In 2024, the state of Pará lost 1.51 million hectares (Mha) of natural forest, which is equivalent to the emission of 640 Mt of CO₂ to the atmosphere (https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/country/BRA/14/?category=undefined&lang=en).

  3. Describe your project. Our aim is to acquire low-cost air quality sensors, to produce accessible data and raise awareness of the health and ecological impacts of forest burning. Our goal is to generate real-time, community-accessible data to better understand the impact of smoke exposure on local populations, especially in traditional communities. This work is particularly important in the Amazon, where conventional monitoring stations are scarce and deforestation and fire are widespread. In 2024, Amazonian cities recorded the worst air quality indices in Brazil, due to biomass burning. By combining scientific research, public outreach, and environmental education, we not only want to strengthen monitoring efforts, but also to support public policies and decision-makers in tackling and mitigating this serious environmental and health problem.

  4. Which PurpleAir model(s) are you interested in and how many would you want for your project? We are interested in the PurpleAir Flex Air Quality Monitor. We would like to request 10 units to effectively expand coverage across multiple strategic areas in our project. The state of Pará, which spans 1,248,000 km², comprises 144 municipalities, and is home to over 8 million people, currently has only 12 active air quality sensors.

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46

1. What type of organization best describes you?

The Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) is the number one public university and the premier science and technology university in Ecuador.

2. Describe your organization.

ESPOL was created on October 29th, 1958 as a higher education institution. The 724 ha main campus, Campus Gustavo Galindo, is surrounded by a protected forest (La Prosperina) and located on the outskirts of the biggest city of Ecuador, Guayaquil. ESPOL has 8114 students and approximately 900 educators that study and work on this campus, with a variety of science and engineering fields being the primary fields of study.

3. Describe your project.

Recently, a series of fires have taken place in the protected forest of La Prosperina which have severely affected the air quality of the surroundings including the campus where ESPOL is located. These latest events have caught the attention of the authorities and researchers at the University and have increased awareness regarding the importance of knowing the current outdoor quality on the campus in order to determine how safe it is for the students, staff and faculty to continue their regular activities at the campus.

For this reason, it is important to establish a good and reliable air quality sensor network at the campus which will fulfill two main purposes:

  • Aid ESPOL’s authorities in their decision support process to determine the best strategies to protect student and faculty health, especially when fire events take place.
  • Strengthen research in air quality by being able to establish a continuous record of measurements that will enable the determination of the air quality on the campus on a daily basis, determine potential sources of air pollution and compare with other sites in the city of Guayaquil where air quality is being monitored.

4. Which PurpleAir model(s) are you interested in and how many would you want for your project?

Ideally, we would like 3 PurpleAir Classic Plus devices.

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48

PurpleAir Monitor Application

1. Who lives at this location?
Our household includes family members who are senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. Everyone in the home is generally in good health, but we are highly aware of the air quality risks due to age and sensitivity.

2. Organization
We have partnered with the Scott Valley Volunteer Fire Department to support local wildfire preparedness and response.

3. describe the project.
Starting in June, we have dedicated a portion of our property for the use of the Scott Valley Volunteer Fire Department. They will use this area to build a structure and store critical fire response equipment, including water tenders and trucks. This location will serve as a forward base to respond quickly to fires in the immediate and surrounding areas.

4. What PurpleAir model is best for your location?
Our property is located at 13028 Tyler Gulch Rd., Fort Jones, CA 96032, a rural and fire-prone area. Based on our location and need for durable, outdoor air monitoring, the PurpleAir PA-II SD (or newer outdoor-rated model with Wi-Fi and SD card backup) would be the most suitable option to provide reliable, real-time data to our family and community.

Would you like this version as a PDF for submission or print?

4o

Here is a draft application response for a PurpleAir monitor, formatted to answer your four questions clearly and concisely:

PurpleAir Monitor Application

1. Who lives at this location?
Our household includes family members who are senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. Everyone in the home is generally in good health, but we are highly aware of the air quality risks due to age and sensitivity.

2. Are you involved in local fire response or support?
Yes. We have partnered with the Scott Valley Volunteer Fire Department to support local wildfire preparedness and response.

3. Please describe the collaboration.
Starting in June, we have dedicated a portion of our property for the use of the Scott Valley Volunteer Fire Department. They will use this area to build a structure and store critical fire response equipment, including water tenders and trucks. This location will serve as a forward base to respond quickly to fires in the immediate and surrounding areas.

4. What PurpleAir model is best for your location?
Our property is located at 13028 Tyler Gulch Rd., Fort Jones, CA 96032, a rural and fire-prone area. Based on our location and need for durable, outdoor air monitoring, the PurpleAir PA-II SD (or newer outdoor-rated model with Wi-Fi and SD card backup) would be the most suitable option to provide reliable, real-time data to our family and community.

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49

PurpleAir Sensor Donation Application

What Type Of Organization Best Describes You?

A community recreation organization. The Trout Lake Campers’ Association (TLCA) is an incorporated non-profit organization that was established to acquire ownership on behalf of its members, for a sports field located at the lake and to provide community recreation events and services within a Corporate mandate.

Describe Our Organization

Trout Lake is an inland freshwater lake located within the Lake Superior Watershed, 25km (15 miles) from the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario which is a 45 minute drive from the U.S. border and 3 hours north of Duluth, Minnesota. There are 120 private lots on the lake, 2/3 of which are seasonal. There are approximately 30 full time residences. Members of the TLCA own property on the lake. The Association is community focused to provide opportunities for social gatherings, recreation events, and information sharing regarding environmental matters to preserve, enhance and protect the lands and water.

Trout Lake is roughly 1.25 miles wide by 5 miles long. The lake is spring and creek fed, suitable for speckled trout and bass. The area consists of a mix of rock, boulders, sand, gravel and sediment that had been deposited during the ice age. This material is currently under pressure to develop a series of gravel pits along a 50km (31 mile) stretch of the secondary highway which is the access route to a number of inland lakes in the region which has a total population of about 5,000 people. There has been increased pressure in this region for industrial development in so the TLCA established an Environment Committee to develop base-line data and to monitor air and water quality. It is expected that approximately 400 trucks could ultimately be travelling up and down this secondary highway creating health and safety hazards as well as environmental impacts including pollution.

All phases of industrial development from site preparation to rehabilitation can negatively affect the local environment and people, some phases more severely than others. The increased number of trucks will affect the frequency as well as the amount of particulate matter due to the trucking of aggregate material and from the diesel fumes. Silica is a component of aggregate dust which is a known carcinogen. Exposure to this particular matter may cause or aggravate pre-existing health conditions such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes. Children and elderly are most at risk.

Given the nearness of industrial development to residences and summer cottages, the potential for adverse effects to human health is significant. To illustrate the social context of our membership, TLCA distributed a survey in 2018 to create a community profile of the demographics, outdoor activities, length of stay at the lake and the numbers of people effected by or susceptible to respiratory health issues. Of the members responding, 48% indicated they use their property throughout the year. 57% of households indicated at least one member had a respiratory health condition; 48% of those susceptible consisted of children under the age of 13 and seniors over 65 years of age, 42 % of visitors to the lake reported respiratory issues. This survey will be updated to get current numbers.

Our Project
The TLCA air quality project is to develop a base-line data-base to record current air quality and to monitor changes over time. Current provincial regulations rely on self-reporting by industry proponents and provincial responses to public concerns have indicated that issues raised need to be supported by scientific or technical data. Real time data and the ability to compare with other regions in similar circumstance will be particularly beneficial to provide the hard evidence required to demonstrate impact rather than rely on statistical data for predictions. Monitoring the data will enable us to determine fluctuations in air quality related to industrial operations regarding the following:
o fine particulate matter (PM 2.5)
o distribution of particulate matter around the lake
o correlation to industrial operations
• throughout the year
• throughout the day
• throughout all phases of their life-span
• connections to haul route and distance from the lake

Which PurpleAir model(s) are you interested in and how many would you want for your project?
We are interested in the Classic Plus Model and power supply. Ultimately, 4 models would be the most useful; one to be located close to the secondary highway, one across the lake from the highway, and one at either end to be able to detect effects of prevailing and changing winds as well as their velocity.

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