Fernandina Beach sets air quality workshop after residents raise pollution concerns

By Mike Lednovich/Editor

FERNANDINA BEACH - Air quality concerns raised by residents — including claims of elevated nitrogen dioxide levels near homes, schools and recreation areas — prompted the Fernandina Beach City Commission on May 5 to schedule a public workshop next month to take a deeper look at environmental monitoring data being collected across the north end of Amelia Island.

The commission reached consensus to hold an air quality workshop on June 2 after several residents affiliated with Conserve Nassau urged city leaders to review months of community-collected data and hear from experts regarding potential pollution concerns. The discussion took place during public comment, where speakers presented preliminary findings from a local monitoring effort that began last November.

Kathy Schofield, speaking on behalf of Conserve Nassau, demonstrated what she described as a new “Clean Air” webpage that compiles real-time data from air monitoring sensors, including PurpleAir and Tellus devices placed around the city. (Here is the link https://www.conservenassau.org/clean-air )

“We started this project really with the monitors about six months ago, and there's been tremendous community interest, contribution, and teamwork to get to this point,” Schofield told commissioners. “What we're trying to do is make the invisible visible and make the air quality data transparent so we actually see what we're breathing, and maybe, hopefully, we can make a difference.”

Kathy Schofield

Schofield said the data being collected shows block-by-block variations in air quality and highlighted what she called a recurring concern near Broome Street, where nitrogen dioxide levels have repeatedly spiked.

“We are consistently seeing elevated nitrogen dioxide by Broome Street,” Schofield said. “That's something that requires more studying, more research, because that's where the children are playing outside St. Michael’s and you do feel the odors.”

She told commissioners the group has observed nitrogen dioxide readings “really in the 80s,” while noting Environmental Protection Agency guidance on acceptable levels.

“EPA says it should average about 55 per year,” Schofield said. “It shouldn't exceed over 100 for an hour. But when it's consistently long, it's not healthy. And they're consistently high.”

Schofield said the city’s real-time monitoring map also tracks particulate matter known as PM2.5, which she described as capable of penetrating the lungs and bloodstream. While some days show favorable air conditions, she cautioned that pollutants such as hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide can still be present even when particulate levels appear low.

Margaret Kirkland, also speaking for Conserve Nassau, formally requested the city dedicate workshop time to air quality.

“We'd really appreciate if you could have a workshop to deal with air quality, because there is a lot of stuff we need to go through, work through, debate, also have experts in on the subject that would be informative for all of us,” Kirkland said. “So that would be greatly appreciated.”

Resident and retired chemical engineer Medardo Monzon lent support to the effort, praising the citizen-led initiative and the sophistication of the equipment selected for monitoring.

“My only involvement was really in recommending sensors for the measurement of the chemicals,” Monzon said. “I did insist that the sensors had to be extremely accurate, very precise and sophisticated enough. Otherwise, the data would be meaningless.”

Monzon said he had initially cautioned organizers against inexpensive equipment but was impressed by the quality of the monitoring system ultimately deployed.

“To my surprise, they followed through and they bought some incredibly sophisticated sensors that they used to measure this,” he said. “I do endorse those sensors that they selected.”

He added that residents involved in the project have invested substantial personal time and money into the effort.

“A few citizens under the influence of Conserve Nassau invested not only hundreds of hours in this effort that you saw here, but about twenty thousand dollars out of their own pockets,” Monzon said. “Twenty thousand dollars to put up like four different sensors to make all this happen.”

Sandy Kerry urged commissioners to move quickly, calling air quality a public health issue that should rise to the top of the city’s priorities.

“I can't think of anything more pertinent than the air quality that we're breathing in day in and day out,” Kerry said. “We've been collecting since November. And we've seen a consistent pattern of spikes in various gases and things.”

Kerry said Tellus has offered to conduct a formal air quality study and argued the issue affects vulnerable populations the most.

“This is probably one of the best [issues to address] because this is a matter of life and death,” Kerry said. “You just saw the tip of the iceberg. There's so much more there.”

Following public comment, Mayor James Antun asked fellow commissioners whether there was any objection to scheduling a workshop next month.

“I’m very interested in having a deeper dive into air quality,” Commissioner Joyce Tuten said, though she also floated the possibility of discussing water quality in a future setting.

City Clerk Caroline Best told the commission the next available workshop date was June 2 and that no agenda items had yet been scheduled for that meeting. No commissioner objected to the proposal.

The commission also discussed the format of the workshop, ultimately agreeing on a structure that could include a presentation from Conserve Nassau and Tellus representatives followed by commissioner discussion. Commissioner Genece Minshew suggested “a 20-minute presentation and then 40 minutes for discussion,” an approach attendees indicated would be acceptable.

The June 2 workshop will give commissioners their first formal opportunity to review the citizen-collected air monitoring data in depth and discuss possible next steps, including whether the city should budget for a broader air quality study and invest in air quality monitors.