The American Lung Association has released a report titled “Something in the Air: Bridging the Air Quality Data Gap with Satellite Technology.” This study employs satellite-derived data to indicate that Marion County, Oregon, may experience unhealthy levels of particle pollution. Currently, the county lacks ground-based monitors for tracking such pollution.
The report emphasizes the potential of satellite data to enhance the existing U.S. air quality monitoring network. It focuses on fine particulate matter (PM2.5), highlighting how satellite technology can provide essential air quality information to communities without official monitoring data.
Marion County is located in northwestern Oregon's Willamette Valley and is part of the greater Portland-Vancouver-Salem metro area, which ranks 65th worst for annual particle pollution according to the 2024 “State of the Air” report. Carrie Nyssen, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Oregon, stated that "Marion County’s topography appears to contribute to its potential for elevated levels of particle pollution."
Preliminary estimates from satellite-derived data suggest that around 300 out of 2,700 counties in the U.S., which lack complete or any monitoring data for PM2.5 between 2020 and 2022, might have pollution levels high enough to receive a failing grade in air quality assessments. The report identifies six unmonitored counties with potentially concerning levels of particle pollution: Collin, Texas; Forsyth, Georgia; Marion, Oregon; Mohave, Arizona; St. Charles, Missouri; and St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana.
While not intended as a replacement for regulatory monitors' highly accurate data needed for compliance with air quality standards, satellite-derived data can help identify other unmonitored communities facing high particle pollution risks.
The report calls on various stakeholders including EPA and states to fully implement updated PM2.5 standards and consider stronger science-based standards for all major pollutants like ozone and NO2. It also encourages individuals to use resources like EPA’s AirNow website (airnow.gov) and join advocacy efforts through organizations such as the American Lung Association’s Lung Action Network.
This focus on fine particle pollution highlights its origins from sources such as wildfires and vehicle emissions and its serious health impacts including asthma attacks and heart disease.
