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Air Quality Reports

DEQ monitors ozone and particle pollution from stations around Virginia. Both of these are pollutants that, at high levels, may raise health concerns in some people.

Ground-level ozone is the main ingredient in smog. It is a colorless gas formed by the reaction of sunlight with vehicle emissions, gasoline fumes, solvent vapors, and power plant and industrial emissions. Ozone formation is most likely in hot, dry weather when the air is fairly still.

Particle pollution monitoring is now available on the web for select areas in Virginia. Particle pollution is made up of particles found in soot, dust, smoke, and fumes. The burning of coal, oil, diesel, and other fuels produces these particles. The particles are small enough to enter deep into the lungs and cause health problems.

Ambient Air Monitoring Data Report

Ozone Exceedances

Ozone season is a period of time in which ground-level ozone typically reaches its highest concentrations in the air we breathe. In Virginia, the ozone season stretches from April through Sept. An ozone exceedance occurs when an 8-hour average ozone concentration at a monitor is above 70 parts per billion (ppb).

Any ozone exceedances that occur during the current ozone season can be viewed in the 2024 ozone exceedances spreadsheet.

Ozone exceedance data for Virginia for 1990 through 2024 can be viewed here. Ozone exceedance data for Northern Virginia for 1990 through 2024 can be viewed here. Ozone exceedance data for Richmond for 1990 through 2024 can be viewed here.

PM2.5 Ambient Monitoring Data

EPA established regulatory requirements and NAAQS for PM2.5 in 1997 and Virginia's PM2.5 monitoring network began operating in January 1999. The current PM2.5 Monitoring Network for Virginia has been developed following the requirements of 40 CFR Part 58 and applying EPA's "Guidance for Network Design and Optimum Site Exposure for PM2.5 and PM10" . Virginia has both continuous PM2.5 monitoring as well as 24-hour sequential samplers.

24-Hour PM2.5 Samplers - The Federal Reference Method (FRM) PM2.5 sequential samplers used in Virginia are manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific. The PM2.5 sequential samplers collect a 24-hour sample on a stretched Teflon filter. Most samplers in Virginia collect a sample once every three days as required by EPA, however there are few monitoring sites in Virginia where the samplers operate every day. Please see the following links for the annual averages and quarterly averages for Virginia’s PM2.5 FRM network:

PM2.5 ANNUAL SUMMARY DATA	PM2.5 QUARTERLY SUMMARY DATA
	2024 Quarterly PM2.5 Data
2023 Annual PM2.5 Data	2023 Quarterly PM2.5 Data
2022 Annual PM2.5 Data	2022 Quarterly PM2.5 Data
2021 Annual PM2.5 Data	2021 Quarterly PM2.5 Data
2020 Annual PM2.5 Data	2020 Quarterly PM2.5 Data
2019 Annual PM2.5 Data	2019 Quarterly PM2.5 Data
2018 Annual PM2.5 Data	2018 Quarterly PM2.5 Data

Please send your comments or questions on PM2.5 data to Namita Verma

Criteria Pollutant Emissions Reporting

DEQ periodically compiles an inventory of criteria pollutant air emissions. An air emission inventory is a compilation of air pollutant emissions from sources of anthropogenic (human-made) and biogenic (naturally occurring) sources. The sources are divided into five types or sectors:

point sources (large stationary)
area sources (small stationary)
on-road mobile sources
non-road mobile sources and
biogenic (naturally occurring).

The most current point source criteria pollutant inventory data as well as previous years' data are provided below. Each Excel spreadsheet contains yearly annual point source criteria pollutant emissions, emissions of 10 tons or more and emissions of 100 tons or more.

Air Monitoring Network Review

GHG Reports

Air Quality and Air Pollution Control Policies of the Commonwealth of Virginia Reports

Pursuant to § 10.1-1307 H of the Code of Virginia, DEQ prepares this report annually for submission to the General Assembly by October 1. This report details the status of Virginia's air quality, provides an overview of the air division programs, and briefly summarizes federal and state air quality programs.

Air Quality and Air Pollution Control Policies of the Commonwealth of Virginia – October 2022

Air Quality and Air Pollution Control Policies of the Commonwealth of Virginia – October 2021