Westport air testing not sinister

The Team Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

Air monitoring in Westport by the West Coast Regional Council is simply to gather data and there is nothing sinister behind it, staff say.

A planning and science report to the Resource Management Committee this week said a survey of airborne particulates was now under way in Westport, with about 15 devices deployed around the township.

"Strong winds and vandalism have created minor disruptions, which has been overcome thus far," the report said.

"There are no compliance considerations with this spatial survey for individual households or councils under the National Environmental Standard for Air Quality."

The survey results would help the council to determine whether further monitoring was required, and where.

Monitoring of nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide was also under way in both Westport and Reefton.

"These substances can be generated by a range of combustion processes," staff said.

Cr Laura Coll-McLaughlin, of Westport, said there had been comment on social media about the air quality project in Westport.

There was some "mixed community sentiment" about it and also suspicion there were "some ulterior motives".

However, she said it was positive the council was gaining baseline data.

Acting planning and science manager Rachel Vaughan said the council was required to monitor air quality.

Air quality monitoring would require a bigger body of work in future, while allowing for a transition in what local people could use keep their homes warm and dry, she said.

Reefton, which sits in an inland basin with typically still weather, has had ongoing air quality monitoring by the regional council for a number of years.