Air Monitoring: Preserving Sable Island's Environment

ENVIRONMENT/LABOUR--Air Monitoring: Preserving Sable Island's Environment

The following is a feature story from the Department of Environment and Labour to mark Environment Week, June 2-8.

Sable Island is well-known for its wild horses, shipwrecks and fragile ecosystem. While it is often thought of as pristine, research has shown that the island can be affected by air pollution from eastern Canada and northeastern United States.

As offshore developments expand, air quality is likely to become more of an issue. So the Department of Environment and Labour is lending its technical support for an air monitoring station on the island. The department will install, monitor and maintain the air monitoring equipment.

"We're so pleased about the co-operation we've received to help our organization manage and maintain the quality of Sable Island and its unique ecosystem," said Scott James, executive director of the Sable Island Preservation Trust. "It's a classic example of great leadership shown by all the partners involved."

Some of the substances to be monitored are ground-level ozone, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and suspended air particles. Mike Hingston, supervisor of monitoring and reporting with the Department of Environment and Labour, says the information gathered will establish an air quality baseline in the Sable region, which can be used to gauge air quality changes as offshore development in the region proceeds.

Eventually, the group envisions providing real-time air quality information directly to the offshore facilities operating in the area. This will allow these facilities to make operational adjustments if necessary.

The station is modelled after current monitoring stations in areas of the province with high levels of industry. These stations are located in Halifax, Sydney, Pictou and Port Hawkesbury. The remote and marine environment of Sable Island poses challenges such as salt, corrosion and wind, as well as the need for satellite communication.

The air quality equipment arrives in June for testing, and the station is expected to be in operation this summer.

Capital funding for the project has come through the Environmental Studies Research Fund, while operating funds are being provided by Environment Canada and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

June 2 to 8 is Environment Week across Canada. This year's theme is The Environment -- It's In Your Hands.

More information on the Sable Island Air Quality Monitoring Station is available by calling 902-424-8207. The Department of Environment and Labour Web site, at www.gov.ns.ca/enla , offers information on environmental partnerships.