Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) invites the Latrobe Valley community to attend an information session at the Morwell Bowling Club, 52 Hazelwood Road, Morwell, on Wednesday 24 August from 5.30-7.30pm to discuss local concerns about air quality issues.
EPA Group Manager of Applied Sciences Anthony Boxshall said at the session EPA would be looking for members from the local community to join a panel that would help co-design a new air monitoring program for the Latrobe Valley.
“EPA is investing in changes to improve the way it monitors air quality in the Latrobe Valley. To do this, we want the community to help us design the way we measure and communicate information from our air monitoring network to them,” Dr Boxshall said.
Dr Boxshall said community panellists would be supported by EPA air monitoring experts.
“Community members don’t need to be a scientist or know about air monitoring to participate as information about air quality and the entire process will be provided. The panel will also learn about and discuss air quality monitoring locations to help develop a new model of air monitoring for the Latrobe Valley,” Dr Boxshall said.
Dr Boxshall said that EPA was also recruiting panel members by inviting community members and groups who were known to have an interest in air quality to nominate people to participate on the panel.
“We will also be randomly recruiting people from the Latrobe Valley, to involve a representative group of people from the whole Latrobe Valley community,” Dr Boxshall said.
Dr Boxshall said the community could still have their say about the future air monitoring network in the Latrobe Valley without sitting on the panel.
“Latrobe Valley community members can let us know their ideas and opinions about air monitoring locations and options by emailing us at epa.gippsland@epa.vic.gov.au , using the subject line ‘community air monitoring ideas’,” Dr Boxshall said.
“EPA will then collate and present this information to be considered by the panel when deciding on the future air monitoring model for the Latrobe Valley,” Dr Boxshall said.
Dr Boxshall said that besides the limits of budget, science requirements and meeting certain required standards for air quality measurement, the co-design was open to all ideas and suggestions to better understand and explain air quality.
For more information about the panel or air quality in the Latrobe Valley visit www.epa.vic.gov.au/LVair or call 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC).