AIRNET

Learn about AIRNET and our community partners


Subhead: AIRNET addresses the need for community-driven air quality monitoring in overburdened communities.

AIRNET empowers six community-based organizations to design, deploy, operate, and utilize their own tailored air monitoring networks.

In 2023, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency received funding from the legislature to fund community-based air quality networks in the Twin Cities. The Great Plains Institute (GPI) is one of three organizations to receive a grant through the program.

This project overcomes common barriers to community air monitoring, such as a lack of technical staff, experience, and grant management, by providing comprehensive support, including funding, equipment, capacity-building training, and robust data analysis.

The six community partners have access to support in these areas from GPI, TD Enviro, JustAir, and Twin Cities PBS (TPT).

Key to AIRNET’s success is its community-driven approach, integrating local knowledge and lived experiences with scientific data to inform monitoring objectives, sensor placement, and transparent data communication through public dashboards and multilingual outreach.

Learn about our community partners

  • East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI): Community partner with interests in understanding vehicle and truck traffic pollution and impacts from the local Smith Foundry (in-community air permit violations) and other local air permit violations (Abbott Northwestern Hospital).
  • North End Neighborhood Organization (NENO): Community partner with concerns around vehicle and truck traffic pollution, train traffic, a local asphalt plant and other industry, and auto use businesses.

  • Payne-Phalen Community Council (PPCC): Community partner with concerns around the Northern Iron Foundry (in-community air permit violations), local vehicle and truck traffic, the St. Paul airport, and local businesses with air permits (dry cleaners and autobody shops).

  • Greater East Side Community Council (GESCC): Community partner hoping to learn more about impacts from the Northern Iron Foundry, the Heights Development project, and vehicle traffic.

  • West 7th / Fort Road Federation: Community partner interested in understanding vehicle and truck traffic pollution impacts and if there may be local influences from the local Xcel Energy natural gas plant.

  • Union Park District Council: Community partner with an interest in understanding vehicle traffic influences on air pollution and the spatial distribution of air pollution in their area.

The communities are shown on the map below, along with general monitoring locations proposed through discussion with the partner communities. Specific siting has been informed through extensive field visits and community discussions.

For questions and more information on the project, please contact Monika Vadali at [email protected].