|
 |
|
System Overview
The Air Quality System (AQS) contains ambient
air pollution data collected by EPA, state, local, and tribal air
pollution control agencies from thousands of monitoring
stations. AQS also contains meteorological data, descriptive
information about each monitoring station (including its geographic
location and its operator), and data quality assurance/quality
control information. The Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards (OAQPS) and other AQS users rely upon the
system data to assess air quality, assist in
Attainment/Non-Attainment designations, evaluate State
Implementation Plans for Non-Attainment Areas, perform modeling for
permit review analysis, and other air quality management
functions. AQS information is also used to prepare reports for
Congress as mandated by the Clean Air Act.
AQS was reengineered from a mainframe application to a PC-based
application. The PC-based application went into production
status in January 2002. Today, States, Local and Tribal agencies submit their data
directly to AQS via this client/server application. Registered
users may also retrieve data through the AQS application and through
the use of third party software such as the Discoverer tool from
Oracle Corporation.
Data from the mainframe AQS database was imported into the new
AQS Oracle database, including all site and monitor data and raw
data for the years 1992 - 2001. All summary calculations for
this data have been completed. All raw precision and accuracy
data values have been loaded and partial summaries have been
calculated.
User Support is provided through the EPA Call
Center. The toll free number is 866-411-4EPA.
Background Material:
|
