Get involved to ensure clean air for all
Volunteer your time to represent the citizens of Mecklenburg County on the Air Quality Commission
(AQC). You would help advise MCAQ and the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on
programs and activities that protect our local air quality.
The AQC is now recruiting representatives from each of these sectors
Health
Professional
General Public
Transportation or
Environmental
Scientist
AQC Mission and Duty:
Promote the protections, preservation, and enhancement of the
ambient air resources of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
The purpose of the AQC:
Provide citizen and stakeholder input to the BOCC, local municipalities,
and MCAQ staff through the review and recommendations of air
pollution management policies, long range plans, operations, and their
budgetary impacts in order to achieve this mission.
The AQC meets on the 4th Monday of each month for lunch at 2145 Suttle Avenue, Charlotte, NC.
Appointments to the AQC are made by the Mecklenburg BOCC and are for a three year term.
Find out more about the AQC and Mecklenburg County Air Quality at http://airquality.charmeck.org
The air in Mecklenburg County is now cleaner than ever
In 2015, Mecklenburg County met the health-based national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for
all criteria pollutants for the first time. On August 27, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
re-designated the eight-county Charlotte metropolitan area as “in compliance” with the ozone NAAQS, a
milestone capping years of improvements in air quality across North Carolina.
Mecklenburg County Air Quality, a division of the
County’s Land Use and Environmental Services Agency
(LUESA) led local efforts in meeting and maintaining
compliance with air quality standards. The three
programs within the Air Quality Division (Permitting &
Enforcement, Monitoring, and Mobile Sources) worked
together to achieve this mission.
“Improving the air quality in Charlotte area has been a
concerted effort by state and local government,” said
Leslie H. Rhodes, director of Mecklenburg County Air
Quality. “In addition to regulatory measures,
innovative local programs like Grants to Replace Aging
Diesel Engines (GRADE) and clean commuting
challenges have reduced pollution by encouraging
voluntary actions by businesses and citizens.”
The leading sources of air pollution in Mecklenburg County are cars and trucks on the road as well as
heavy-duty construction equipment. Cut air pollution by reducing the number of miles driven or driving
the cleanest vehicle that fits your lifestyle.
Breathing polluted air can affect
everyone
Some high-risk individuals are much more sensitive
to pollutants than are others, such as children, the
elderly, and people who are active outdoors.
Elderly people and people with pre-existing health
problems such as asthma, heart disease often suffer
more from the effects of air pollution. Children are
also at greater risk because they are generally more
active outdoors and their lungs are still developing.