New tester for city's air New tester for city's air (March 26, 2004)

Air monitor planned for Whisman Park

By Grace Rauh

City officials are fine tuning a deal that could bring a new air monitor to Mountain View.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District recently gave the city a use agreement for an air monitor and district officials are waiting for a response. If all goes smoothly and the agreement does not need major changes, the monitor could be up and sampling within a few weeks, said Eric Stevenson, air-monitoring manager for the district.

"It seems as though it is moving along quite well," Stevenson said, adding that he has "the impression that the city of Mountain View is trying to fast-track it."

The monitor is expected to be installed on city property at Whisman Park and will test for the cancer-causing solvent tricholoroethene (TCE) and other toxins by taking air samples over a 24-hour period, every 12 days. Kevin Woodhouse, Mountain View's environmental management coordinator, said the city is working out the access details now.

"I look for the most perfect, perfect spot. And the park is probably the most perfect spot because it isn't on a major roadway," Stevenson said. City and air district officials visited Fire Station No. 4 on Whisman Road, the city's Municipal Operations Center and Whisman Park before selecting their top choice.

Members of the Northeast Mountain View Advisory Council, who track the cleanup of TCE-contaminated sites in the northeast region of the city, also threw their support behind Whisman Park, following a vote at their February meeting.

For nearly 25 years, the air district operated a monitor at Mountain View Fire Station No. 2 on Cuesta Drive, but the system was moved to Sunnyvale in 1999 when the fire station was renovated. The air district operates 31 air-monitoring stations throughout the Bay Area.

E-mail Grace Rauh at grauh@mv-voice.com

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