Kyle to have its own air quality monitoring station

The City of Kyle entered into a lease agreement with the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) for an air quality monitoring station to be placed at Lake Kyle.

The Clean Air Coalition, a committee of CAPCOG, aims to facilitate the development, adoption, and implementation of clean air plans in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties. The coalition works with cities to maintain the federal eight-hour ozone standard.

“CAPCOG has multiple air quality stations throughout the CAPCOG region,” said City of Kyle Stormwater Management Plan Administrator Kathy Roecker. “They were looking for a location between Austin and an already established [monitoring station] in San Marcos. Kyle was the ideal location for them.”

According to the coalition, an air quality monitoring station site requires a 40 Amp electricity hookup, 24/7 site access or at least during business hours, enough distance away from high traffic roads and Interstate 35, and little to no tree or building interference.

Located at Lake Kyle Park, 700 Lehman Rd, the site is expected to host a trailer, an ozone monitor, meteorological equipment and communications equipment. CAPCOG may also install additional instruments to measure concentrations of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides or other pollutants. 

The monitoring station in San Marcos reads the ozone quality as good, and particle pollution as moderate, as of May 4 on AirNow.gov.