As part of the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Certificate on the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Logan Airside Improvements Project, the Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs mandated an air quality study to monitor air quality conditions in the vicinity of Logan International Airport in advance of, and following, the implementation the new Centerfield Taxiway. The study is conducted by Massport, in consultation with the Massachusetts Departments of Public Health (MADPH) and Environmental Protection (MADEP) and the City of Boston.
The study consists of two, one-year long monitoring events:
• Baseline year (October 1, 2007-September 30, 2008, prior to the construction of the Centerfield Taxiway)
• Post-construction year (September 1, 2011 through August 30, 2012, after normal operations began on the new taxiway, which was under construction between 2008 and 2010).
Monitoring Sites
Eleven sites are monitored: three primary sites, seven satellite sites and one urban background site located at the MADEP Harrison Avenue site.
Target Compounds
Target compounds for this study are specifically selected as they represent the primary forms of combustion products or evaporative emissions from airport related sources. They include: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), carbonyls (e.g., formaldehyde), Semi-volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs) / Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), particulate matter and black carbon.
Data Analysis and Reporting
Air monitoring will be conducted over two separate one-year periods. Upon completion of the data quality review and data analyses, quarterly and summary reports are prepared covering each 12-month monitoring period.
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