Prior to COVID-19, RiverWise funded the Borough of Monaca to purchase and install 4 Purple Air Monitors. We were hoping this was just the beginning of a growing network of monitors throughout Beaver County.

Once COVID hit, and due to limited funding for such priorities, we had to put these plans on hold. So, we were excited to see this piece from Yale Environment 360, which outlines the work of Mark Dixon and others here in Beaver County. Mark has been doing this work for many years and his efforts have helped to shed considerable light on regional air quality. Such work will become increasingly critical in the coming months and years, and establishing the kind of baseline data described in this article is vital to protecting the health of our residents and the future vitality of our communities.

RiverWise remains committed to connecting Beaver County residents to the knowledge and resources necessary to advocate for a healthy future, and we will continue to seek out opportunities to enhance our capacity to conduct community advocacy and education in the months ahead.