Community Air Monitoring Program

HB 4197 permits the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to install and monitor air quality using fenceline monitors near facilities that emit air pollution, provide technical assistance to individuals and groups that wish to monitor the air quality in their communities, encourage the Department of Environmental Protection to use the collected data; permit individuals to submit the data collected regarding air pollution to the secretary, and enable the secretary to follow up on any data found from fenceline air quality monitoring

Sponsors: Evan Hansen

ISSUES: Clean Air

CWV Position: Supports

Position Statement: HB 4194 empowers communities with better air-quality data, increases transparency around pollution impacts, and supports science-based decision-making to protect public health and the environment.

• Improves access to air-quality information: Community air monitoring gives residents real-time, localized data about the air they breathe—especially in areas near industrial facilities or heavy traffic.

• Supports environmental justice: Communities disproportionately affected by pollution often lack adequate monitoring. This program helps ensure those communities are not left in the dark.

• Strengthens public health protections: Better data helps identify pollution hotspots, inform health advisories, and guide mitigation strategies to reduce exposure.

• Enhances transparency and trust: Publicly available monitoring data increases accountability and builds trust between communities, regulators, and policymakers.

• Supports science-based policy: Localized data can inform permitting, enforcement, and future air-quality standards grounded in real-world conditions.

• Complements existing monitoring systems: Community-scale monitoring fills gaps in statewide networks, providing a more complete picture of air quality.

Status: Introduced January 14, 2026; referred to the Committee on Energy and Public Works